Class of 1996
October 09, 2006
This weekend I attended my 10-year high school reunion. That makes me old. Old and decrepit, like that dried-up head of cabbage that has been in my refrigerator for two and a half months. I know! Two and a half months! I found it last night hiding beneath the cheese in the dairy bin, shriveled and withering away. And still? I didn't throw it away. I just left it there and covered it up again with the cheese. I am officially a slob.
Watching me get ready for the reunion, you would have thought I was going to my senior prom. I washed my hair (which you should know is not out of the ordinary) and then spent an entire fifteen minutes arranging my hair. And do you know what I came up with? A big, fat NOTHING. And so it went back in a clip, like it does every day.
I actually put on makeup, complete with foundation and powder and blush and holy cow: the mascara. I have always loved my foundation by Stila because it is a very sheer formula and gives me a dewy look. After seeing this picture, though, all I can think is: Shiny!
Someone give that girl a powder puff, stat!
Even now I am sitting at my desk, blotting my face with a piece of copy paper. I am a bit traumatized by my forehead, cheeks, chin and nose in that photo.
My eyelashes, however, were lovingly smothered in Loreal's Double Extend mascara, which extends the length of my eyelashes like no mascara ever has before. I like Loreal products because (little known fact alert) Loreal is the same company as Lancome, which means you can get great products at 1/3 of the price and you don't have to go all the way to the mall to get them.
I agreed to arrive early at the reunion to help greet people, something about being on the reunion planning committee and the accompanying obligations of the job, and as soon as I got there I fantasized about pulling out of the driveway and going to my mom's house for the night.
Instead, I sucked it up and walked through the doors.
I began the night truly delighted to see my old classmates. As the night wore on, and I paid attention to how people were putting themselves in cliques, I became more and more aware of the disillusionment settling in my heart. I found myself having to force smiles toward some people, people I might have considered "friends" in high school, if only because I was young and naïve and probably would have named ANYONE my friend just so I could have MORE! MORE! MORE!.
One girl in particular responded to me in kind, and there was something about the delivery of her greeting – or perhaps something about the fact that it was her – that reminded me why I never really liked her in high school. The brief exchange between us transported me back ten years, when I was just the girl who wished these people would like me, would be friendly to me, would do more than snicker behind my back as I walked away from them.
In the brief moment of our exchange I locked my gaze with hers, tilted my head to the side and furrowed my brow. I looked at her for a moment, bit my lip, and then wished her a nice evening. I didn't want to be around her any longer, and my heart sunk a little as I walked away, once again disappointed by who she is.
Pre-arrival I had nearly convinced myself that these people wouldn't still be the same haughty teenagers they were in high school. And in that interlude, I realized that some of them still are. They haven't grown up. Life, however cruelly or blissfully dealt to them, hasn't humbled them.
I rediscovered old classmates I had completely forgotten. I embarrassed myself thoroughly by not remembering everyone and yet assuming that I could when armed with a microphone and surrounded by everyone in attendance. I announced the winners of certain awards and failed to recognize one of those people who came up to claim her prizes. In fact, when she came into the room from the bar to claim her prize, I announced to her that we were looking for Linda*. And she was all, "I am Linda*." I hated myself in that moment.
Once I got over the hump of not recognizing my classmates, and there is no way I could have recognized them all, I realized how full of life our class was. I reveled in the uniqueness of each person and wished that I could spend more time with them.
My classmates look great. Some have changed over time and some have been untouched by the past ten years. Some seem genuinely happy. Others were utterly wasted, and that made them (seemingly) happy.
I drove home Saturday night, relieved to be returning to my little world. I am content with who I am and where I am in life, and that makes me happy.
*Names changed to protect the (not so) innocent.
Technorati:high school reunion, high school, reunion
Comments
The last high school thing I went to was a poorly-attended all-year picnic. There weren't that many people there, so I probably only talked to six people, none of whom I knew (except my two friends who met me there). And one of those people managed to be a total f***ing bitch in just that short time period.
What is it about H.S. that brings out the evil?? I don't find most people on a day-to-day basis to be jackasses, but I get the feeling that any H.S. event is going to be full of them.
Posted by: Suebob | October 9, 2006 03:19 PM
Ya, it's a fun thing to do every 5-10 years, but so are prostate exams. I liked mine, but it made me sad how many people drank all the time.
~Jef
Posted by: Thunderfish | October 9, 2006 03:44 PM
I've never gone to one of my reunions. Next Summer will be my 20th and I'm not the least bit curious. I was somoene who could move from group to group and be equally accepted which I always found funny. I was able to find something interesting about most everyone in high school and I think that made things easier and made me more familiar.
So much time has passed and when I look back on high school I really can't think of many people I'd even be interested in seeing.
Yes, I stole the english teachers car.
Yes, I made out with Tanya during english class.
Yes, I did one-hitters under the table in study hall.
Yes, I was allowed to create my own creative writing course study which involved lots of sleep and arriving late 2 days a week while leaving early the other 3 days..
Yes, I did a lot of the stupid stuff high school students do.
Yes, I led the class into and out of the graduation ceremony.
I had a lot of fun but I'd prefer to leave those memories where they are and not change them by seeing how people are now after 20 years of life has had it's way.
Posted by: Joe | October 9, 2006 04:09 PM
Thunderfish... You enjoyed your reunion or your prostrate exam? I'm confused.
I have not been to a class reunion... the thought of people not moving on... or those who go back to prove to all the "cool" people that they are a bigger success...
I moved on... I would like to think others did as well.
Posted by: ben | October 9, 2006 04:26 PM
Finally! At least it was a great post well worth the wait.
Posted by: eddo | October 9, 2006 04:52 PM
My 10 years high school reunion is coming up. I randomly ran in to a girl I went to HS with this past weekend at a park. We didn't really know each other in High School but recognized each other in passing...not sure what to expect from the reunion coming up!
Posted by: Colleen | October 9, 2006 07:45 PM
I hope I was not one of the ones that made you uncomfortable.
I found the reunion fun, but enjoyed Friday more than Saturday, probably because the people that made me uncomfortable Saturday were not there Friday.
I mostly avoided the ones I did not want to see, said hi to those I was indifferent to and spent my time with the ones I had history with...found out who stole my car junior year!!!
I managed to find a great number of old friends who hopefully will become new friends and did not even have to drink much to enjoy myself.....
Not all bad but not all I was expecting either.
Posted by: Willow | October 9, 2006 08:30 PM
I have my 15 year reunion at a BAR on Thanksgiving weekend. It's so crappy. I don't think I'm going. Ugh.
Posted by: Jayleigh | October 9, 2006 08:42 PM
hmmm, I guess my 10 year is will be coming in the not so distant future. Eek. Where did those 10 years go?
I think it'll be ok as long as no one has gotten married or had children, which is TOTALLY reasonable to expect, right?
Posted by: Courtney | October 9, 2006 08:52 PM
So I keep getting these calls on my caller ID sayinf they are from Nevada (702 area code) so I am dreading the fact they are trying to probably make me go. NOT GOING.
Posted by: Julianna | October 10, 2006 05:53 PM
I'm glad you had a good time overall. But if 10 years out of high school makes you old, and I'm 17 years out, does that make me ready for the grave?? BWAHAHAHAHA.
I have never gone back for a reunion and never will. Life, and my classmates, were not kind to me then.
Posted by: CPA Mom | October 10, 2006 07:30 PM
Nice lashes!
Also, I like the dewy look. You look very fresh-faced and sweet.
I don't know if I can ever go to a reunion. I just know it will be the same old people grouping up into the same old cliques, and...ugh.
Posted by: Lawyerish | October 10, 2006 08:25 PM
"...young and naïve and probably would have named ANYONE my friend just so I could have MORE! MORE! MORE!. "
Wait. MySpace hosted your reunion?? COOL!!1!
Posted by: mike | October 10, 2006 09:06 PM
Sounds to me like you had the "typical" high school reunion experience. I remember you posting about it several months ago. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Posted by: AmStaff Mom | October 10, 2006 09:48 PM
You (and your friends) looked hot!
I don't think I would ever go to my high school reunion. It would be interesting to see what people look like and what they are doing now, but not enough so that I would make the 6 hour drive and then have forced small talk for several hours. My 10 year would be this summer, if someone were to plan it, which I doubt will happen.
I think I had more fun at my husband's 10 year reunion in June than he did. Mostly because I was embarassingly WASTED. I took tons of pictures of everyone, despite the fact that I knew no one. Awesome.
Posted by: -R- | October 10, 2006 10:07 PM
At least you didn't miss yours due to a spider bite on the butt... =0)
Posted by: Mikey | October 10, 2006 11:04 PM
I don't know if this is true or not, but I heard that our 10 year reunion was postponed a few months so that one of the committee members (one of the cheerleaders in high school, and most beautiful, blah blah dee freaking dah) could give birth and have time to lose her baby weight so that she could fit into her cheerleading outfit again for the homecoming game. I was like, "Aw, hells no! I ain't goin' to none'a that mess!"
And I don't even talk like that!!
So yeah, reunions usually suck because people haven't changed. I know I haven't. I still claim to not care what people think of me, but do, deeply, and then I end up mad at myself.
Hoo, boy. Do I need therapy?
Anyway, YOU are dewy. I am shiny. Believe me. And I always love recommendations for makeup. I need a makeover, bad.
Posted by: Marmite Breath | October 10, 2006 11:51 PM
So my reunion is in two weeks. I'm somewhat dreading and looking forward to it. After reading this the dreading might begin to pull ahead of the whole looking forward to.
Posted by: Katie | October 11, 2006 12:20 AM
I like your mascara, too! I really like my Cover Girl waterproof, but I might have to try yours now.
I'm glad that you're glad to be back in your own little world. But I have to ask -- does your own little world still have a dried-up head of cabbage in its refrigerator? :)
Posted by: my life is brilliant | October 11, 2006 12:35 AM
Im totally buying that mascara!
Posted by: Sara | October 11, 2006 09:48 AM
I was nervous before my high school reunion that I made myself sick. And then when I got there, I didn't recognize everyone. But it was fun to see that us nerds had all gotten quite successful . . . and that the "cool" kids hadn't.
Posted by: Jill | October 11, 2006 10:09 AM
You're not old! My TWENTIETH is next year! How to lose 30 pounds--I better start now!
Posted by: Manic Mom | October 11, 2006 10:54 PM