Shorty said:

Machaela said:

The Friends I had in HS ~ I STILL have and we are in contact and always have been ~ some I have known 43 years ... The rest of those people ( Grad class was 650 students BTW ! ) I have zero interest in seeing

those types of social gatherings hold zero interest for me - Honestly !

hmm....maybe it's because I come from such a small area. I knew each and every person in my class, many of them since elementary or middle school.

thanx for your insight

The close friends I hold dearly I have known through school as well and some since 4 yrs old ( older siblings connections ) ~ yeah I am (was) from a HUGE area with LOTS of people ...

Enjoy your gathering

i was home schooled and never attended a highschool. i do however keep in touch with 3 people i went to grade school with.

I had a very interesting experience at my 25-year reunion.

It was a casual gathering at a local bar and grill, so it wasn't just members of our class there. A woman walked up and asked me, "Hi - do you remember me?" Now, this woman looked like she was around 60 - very rough - so I couldn't imagine she was in our class. I said, "I'm sorry - but I don't."

Well, it turned out this woman had been in my class. And not only was she in my class, she had bullied me pretty much all the way through 6th and 7th grade. I mean verbally and physically abused me - swearing at me, kicking me when she passed me in the hallway - you name it.

I could never figure out what her problem was - because I had never done anything to her. She yelled something one day to the effect that I had thrown one of her gym shoes in the toilet. Which was just ridiculous - I never did stuff like that.

Anyway, it occurred to me (as she told me the story of her life since high school) that this woman had lived a pretty horrific life - probably going all the way back to our school days. I mean...nobody gets to looking the way she did without a long history of alcohol, drug, and/or other abuse. And I was just a convenient target for her anger - because I had it "easy."

It was pretty cathartic, actually.

Genesia said:

I had a very interesting experience at my 25-year reunion.

It was a casual gathering at a local bar and grill, so it wasn't just members of our class there. A woman walked up and asked me, "Hi - do you remember me?" Now, this woman looked like she was around 60 - very rough - so I couldn't imagine she was in our class. I said, "I'm sorry - but I don't."

Well, it turned out this woman had been in my class. And not only was she in my class, she had bullied me pretty much all the way through 6th and 7th grade. I mean verbally and physically abused me - swearing at me, kicking me when she passed me in the hallway - you name it.

I could never figure out what her problem was - because I had never done anything to her. She yelled something one day to the effect that I had thrown one of her gym shoes in the toilet. Which was just ridiculous - I never did stuff like that.

Anyway, it occurred to me (as she told me the story of her life since high school) that this woman had lived a pretty horrific life - probably going all the way back to our school days. I mean...nobody gets to looking the way she did without a long history of alcohol, drug, and/or other abuse. And I was just a convenient target for her anger - because I had it "easy."

It was pretty cathartic, actually.

That's a valuable story, G. Thank you for posting it.

I think FB has killed most class reunions. most of the people who usually show up are people who never left their hometown. Also...people tend to show up in bigger numbers in non paying events. Our first night we had an informal get together at a local bar. Fairly big turn out....maybe 100 people. the formal night....40 people showed up.

just a tip....if you are sill caught up with trival highschool bs from back in the day...you shouldn't go. Most people were cool....but some people were holding on to too much personal shit from back in the day. If you go...go to have a good time and don't have high expectations....oh and leave your spouse or significant other at home....gives yourself more freedom to be yourself....without worrying about somebody getting jealous.

Most of the pretty girls from high school look like shit.... and the plain chicks from high school are now the jaw droppers.

Genesia said:

I had a very interesting experience at my 25-year reunion.

It was a casual gathering at a local bar and grill, so it wasn't just members of our class there. A woman walked up and asked me, "Hi - do you remember me?" Now, this woman looked like she was around 60 - very rough - so I couldn't imagine she was in our class. I said, "I'm sorry - but I don't."

Well, it turned out this woman had been in my class. And not only was she in my class, she had bullied me pretty much all the way through 6th and 7th grade. I mean verbally and physically abused me - swearing at me, kicking me when she passed me in the hallway - you name it.

I could never figure out what her problem was - because I had never done anything to her. She yelled something one day to the effect that I had thrown one of her gym shoes in the toilet. Which was just ridiculous - I never did stuff like that.

Anyway, it occurred to me (as she told me the story of her life since high school) that this woman had lived a pretty horrific life - probably going all the way back to our school days. I mean...nobody gets to looking the way she did without a long history of alcohol, drug, and/or other abuse. And I was just a convenient target for her anger - because I had it "easy."

It was pretty cathartic, actually.

Yeah, it probably doesn't make it any easier to know this at the time that they are doing the bullying, but in retrospect it would make sense that they learned this behavior from somewhere and that they were damaged by it themselves.

So did she want to apologize? Or do you think she didn't even realize what her behavior was like?

NDRU said:

Genesia said:

I had a very interesting experience at my 25-year reunion.

It was a casual gathering at a local bar and grill, so it wasn't just members of our class there. A woman walked up and asked me, "Hi - do you remember me?" Now, this woman looked like she was around 60 - very rough - so I couldn't imagine she was in our class. I said, "I'm sorry - but I don't."

Well, it turned out this woman had been in my class. And not only was she in my class, she had bullied me pretty much all the way through 6th and 7th grade. I mean verbally and physically abused me - swearing at me, kicking me when she passed me in the hallway - you name it.

I could never figure out what her problem was - because I had never done anything to her. She yelled something one day to the effect that I had thrown one of her gym shoes in the toilet. Which was just ridiculous - I never did stuff like that.

Anyway, it occurred to me (as she told me the story of her life since high school) that this woman had lived a pretty horrific life - probably going all the way back to our school days. I mean...nobody gets to looking the way she did without a long history of alcohol, drug, and/or other abuse. And I was just a convenient target for her anger - because I had it "easy."

It was pretty cathartic, actually.

Yeah, it probably doesn't make it any easier to know this at the time that they are doing the bullying, but in retrospect it would make sense that they learned this behavior from somewhere and that they were damaged by it themselves.

So did she want to apologize? Or do you think she didn't even realize what her behavior was like?

I'm not sure she even remembered what had happened. But she seemed so excited to be talking to me that I couldn't take it amiss...you know?

Now...there was another bully...a guy. He was really horrible to me - intimidated me and threatened me with physical violence pretty much every day through seventh grade. And at every class reunion, he would just sit there and stare at me. Never said a word...just looked at me with this steady gaze that I found very unsettling. I left more than one reunion early (when others were walking to their cars - I didn't want to be walking out alone) because of him.

I found out that his wife had died of cancer, leaving him to raise three daughters. And then, a couple years ago, he also died of cancer.

My way of forgiving him was to stay away from the fundraiser they were having for his daughters. I was afraid that if I went, I would be compelled to say to them, "I hope nobody ever treats you the way your father treated me."

kimrachell said:

i was home schooled and never attended a highschool. i do however keep in touch with 3 people i went to grade school with.

I'm sure home schooling was good but....it seems maybe you wish you'd gone to HS?

Ace said:

Genesia said:

I had a very interesting experience at my 25-year reunion.

It was a casual gathering at a local bar and grill, so it wasn't just members of our class there. A woman walked up and asked me, "Hi - do you remember me?" Now, this woman looked like she was around 60 - very rough - so I couldn't imagine she was in our class. I said, "I'm sorry - but I don't."

Well, it turned out this woman had been in my class. And not only was she in my class, she had bullied me pretty much all the way through 6th and 7th grade. I mean verbally and physically abused me - swearing at me, kicking me when she passed me in the hallway - you name it.

I could never figure out what her problem was - because I had never done anything to her. She yelled something one day to the effect that I had thrown one of her gym shoes in the toilet. Which was just ridiculous - I never did stuff like that.

Anyway, it occurred to me (as she told me the story of her life since high school) that this woman had lived a pretty horrific life - probably going all the way back to our school days. I mean...nobody gets to looking the way she did without a long history of alcohol, drug, and/or other abuse. And I was just a convenient target for her anger - because I had it "easy."

It was pretty cathartic, actually.

That's a valuable story, G. Thank you for posting it.

indeed.

I didn't go to mine. I was in Italy (I think Cinque Terre) at the time and was not thinking in the least about changing my plans

My high school has an alumnae office that handles all of that stuff and while they're pretty old fashioned (we still get all of our alumnae periodicals and news on paper & proper stationary), I think they may have embraced facebook, I don't know- I'm not a user . I guess if it works for some schools then go for it.

Shorty said:

Ace said:

That's a valuable story, G. Thank you for posting it.

indeed.

No love for my reference to the Richard/Sal bit where they called some dude and Richard pretended to have gone to high school with him?

Shorty said:

kimrachell said:

i was home schooled and never attended a highschool. i do however keep in touch with 3 people i went to grade school with.

I'm sure home schooling was good but....it seems maybe you wish you'd gone to HS?

i really do wish i had gone to high school, being home schooled really did suck, my parents didn't teach me anything, and just let me teach myself everything. it wasn't easy, but i know things happen for a reason.

thanks for the hug!

[Edited 10/20/11 19:01pm]

Genesia said:

I had a very interesting experience at my 25-year reunion.

It was a casual gathering at a local bar and grill, so it wasn't just members of our class there. A woman walked up and asked me, "Hi - do you remember me?" Now, this woman looked like she was around 60 - very rough - so I couldn't imagine she was in our class. I said, "I'm sorry - but I don't."

Well, it turned out this woman had been in my class. And not only was she in my class, she had bullied me pretty much all the way through 6th and 7th grade. I mean verbally and physically abused me - swearing at me, kicking me when she passed me in the hallway - you name it.

I could never figure out what her problem was - because I had never done anything to her. She yelled something one day to the effect that I had thrown one of her gym shoes in the toilet. Which was just ridiculous - I never did stuff like that.

Anyway, it occurred to me (as she told me the story of her life since high school) that this woman had lived a pretty horrific life - probably going all the way back to our school days. I mean...nobody gets to looking the way she did without a long history of alcohol, drug, and/or other abuse. And I was just a convenient target for her anger - because I had it "easy."

It was pretty cathartic, actually.

a girl I was close friends with in 10th grade turned up at my 20 year reunion. She'd missed the 10 year reunion because she was having a miscarriage that night

The thing with her was, like you say, she looked 20 years older than the rest of us and her demeanor was "defeated" if you will. She looked and acted like someone who was being beaten

I don't know what happened to her since I was friends with her, back then she was fun and cheeky and daring, and now she is nervous with darting eyes and a hunch.

I hated my reunion, it was boring

Ace said:

Shorty said:

indeed.

No love for my reference to the Richard/Sal bit where they called some dude and Richard pretended to have gone to high school with him?

kimrachell said:

Shorty said:

I'm sure home schooling was good but....it seems maybe you wish you'd gone to HS?

i really do wish i had gone to high school, being home schooled really did suck, my parents didn't teach me anything, and just let me teach myself everything. it wasn't easy, but i know things happen for a reason.

thanks for the hug!

[Edited 10/20/11 19:01pm]

My class was so disorganized there has never been a specific reunion for MY graduating class. Instead there is a reunion every year for all alumni from the school I went to that has been re-named twice over. So people show up from all age groups and even differnt schools, and its weird. After attending 2 reunions I was done since I met new people but never anyone I missed from my class.. they all moved to Atlanta, GA.

Now if I go to a party called "stepping out" for Dimock Community Health Center (a yearly fund raiser) and they will all be there. Pimped and pressed and ready to party. Its a wayyyy better party too.

I went to my 10th and 30th. My class was relatively small, only 105 students. I think maybe half the class showed up. I had a good time in high school and didn't have any ememies or bullies because I was a "nice" girl. It was good to see how some of my classmates had "fared" over the years. One girl whom I thought would end up whoring became an attorney! One guy I had a crush on turned out to be gay. I almost won the "Who Looks the Same" contest, but lost to a woman who did look exactly like she did in high school, pockmarked skin and same hair style. I got an invite to attend the 40th, but I had no interest in going to that one. I think they finally cancelled it because not enough people RSVP'd.