In my life I have watched a lot of movies.
I remember watching movies like Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, American Reunion, 10 Years, Zak and Miri Make a Porno, etc. and thinking ‘wow, high school reunions seem really awesome’.
Romy and Michele made up entirely different lives to impress their classmates. Miri tries to win over her high school crush. Reeves and Elise show you that sometimes, it is the unlikely people that are meant to be. Stifler tries to, yet again, prove he is not the guy they think he is.
Everyone wants to come back, ten years later, and be a shiny bright star compared to who they think they were in high school. Real life is no different.
I dreamt of my high school reunion almost immediately after graduation. Coming back with an impressive career, a husband, kids – something everyone would envy.
Then social media took over the entire globe. Now, not only do I know what everyone I went to school with is doing with their lives – but I probably also know what they had for dinner. No longer is the allure of mystery there. You can type anyones name into your Facebook search bar to instantly know their spouses name, their kids names and ages, where they honeymooned, you name it. It is a complete open book.
With my ten reunion coming up at the end of this month, I debated the idea of attending. I thought it might be nice to see some of the people I went to school with, that I walked the halls with, that I had class with, that I graduated with.
I ultimately decided not to attend, for many reasons.
I have watched many of my classmates graduate, attend college, graduate, find jobs, get married, buy houses, have kids. Seeing them in person, all of our conversations will start with, “so I saw on Facebook..” and that doesn’t seem very authentic and real. I won’t really want to dive deeper into it because I feel like I already know everything, you know, since I read all 86 comments that were left on your picture of your new house.
I no longer feel like I have to show up ten years later with an impressive life because I am far more worried about actually living my life. You know that life with two kids under the age of 3 years old that will require me to get a babysitter in order to attend in the first place.
I am happy with my own life and don’t need to seek the approval anymore. I think that is what ten years away from high school does to you – it makes you realize it does not matter what Miss Popular or Mr Quarterback or Miss Class President think of you, because they do not matter anymore.
There are so many of them that I don’t even remember the names of and I don’t want to pretend to remember after reading your name tag and racking my brain quickly while also trying to fake a sincere greeting.
And at the of the day, some of you – I really didn’t like the first time around. This time around, I am not being forced to sit in a room with you in order to pass a class, so I certainly will not be forcing myself to sit in a room with you for fun.
There you have it folks – my take on high school reunions and why I will not be attending mine at the end of this month.
Happy ten years SCHS Class of 2007. Thanks, but no thanks.
Tell me – did you attend yours? are you planning to?
xoxo K
