Today, I got added to a Facebook group that looks like it was setup to re-connect everyone from my senior year in preparation for a reunion later this year. I had heard from one of the few high school friends that I'm still in touch with that there was another reunion a few years ago, before I moved back to Brisbane. Supposedly, it was quite enjoyable.
As I looked through the 94 names that have been added to the group so far, all I could think of was how I couldn't remember most of these people. Maybe some of them have changed their names but their photos aren't helping me remember them either.
I'm not sure if I'd want to attend a reunion. I don't think I'd know anybody and they probably don't remember me either so I'll just be standing around feeling uncomfortable the whole time. I think there were about three hundred and fifty students in my year and I always had a group of friends all throughout high school. Strangely, I think there are only three people that I feel were true friends. I'm in touch with two of them but the third one is very elusive and no amount of Googling or Facebooking has helped me find her.
Since we're on the topic of reunions, and reunions are all about walking down memory lane, here are some random memories from high school.
1) In Grade 8, I won a school music competition playing the Sonatina in F by Clementi. I then spent the rest of my high school years trying to keep up that sort of standard. Unfortunately, I only won once more and had to settle for seconds and thirds after that.
2) In Grade 9, at a swimming carnival, I stomped on my best friend's foot on purpose and went to be best friends with another girl. Even now, I don't understand why I did that and I still feel terrible about being so mean. I did see this girl's name in the Facebook group but she stopped talking to me in Grade 9 so its not like I'm going to 'friend' her and apologize.
3) In Grade 10, I was in a class of brainiacs but I didn't feel like I belonged there. Maybe I was the token 'not-so-smart' student to balance the class out. This was the year that my German teacher told my parents that I had tried my best and I could go no further with German.
4) In Grade 11, my friends started having boyfriends but I didn't even have a friend who was a boy. My mother was a part time Tiger Mom and one of the things she banned was attending school dances.
5) In Grade 12, I chose music as a subject. There were about fifteen of us in the class. We had a young, non-habit wearing nun as the teacher and we won group singing competitions around Brisbane. I'm definitely not a good singer and don't claim any credit for the wins but it was the most fun I had in that year. We were special to the school because we were a small music class and not one of the choirs. I was very proud to be part of that.
Now I'm thinking that if would be nice to just say 'Hi' to some of these people from the past again. I just need to make sure I have at least one friend by my side so I don't have to feel as insecure as I did on the first day of Grade 8.
Have you attended high school reunions? Are they worth the anxiety?
4 comments:
At my last reunion when trying to remember who a person was she screams out, "Oh my god, he doesn't remember me", and then ran away.
Mike - I can just see myself being that person.
Hi Amanda!
You will probably find that most have grown out of that school teen behaviour, and are now mums who share the same values as yourself. It is probably a little difficult to let go of that perception of them as that is what your last memory of them were. Perhaps you could rekindle those friendships and make new bonds again! It might be fun! Any husbands attending?
I missed our 10- and 20-year high school reunions, as I was living overseas. I attended the 30th, but didn't remember much of anyone. For the 40th (back in 2009), one of our classmates encouraged everyone to start Facebook pages and post pictures to lessen the "oh-my-gawd-you're-YOU" shock. It worked out well, and we had a much better time. I've also discovered that I now, through FB, have far more high school friends now than I did when I was actually in high school! I say, go ahead and attend ... you might be surprised.
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