I had a reunion this year-- the invite went out only 6 weeks ahead of the date (which was on Memorial Day weekend). My class opted to join another class's reunion party at the home/farm of one of the classmates. It was handled very poorly IMO..

Facebook was the ONLY means of communicating/inviting and 6 weeks notice is really kind of ridiculous. I didn't go. I see the people I want to see throughout the year. Yes, it would have been fun to see others if the event had been organized. I didn't go to the last one either. It was held between Christmas and NYE and while better planned, it just didn't fit into my holiday schedule. Maybe the next one.

I stopped going after the 20 year marker :-) First, being very new to the area when I started HS, I was never fully accepted by the "in crowd" and had a rather small circle of HS friends. Most of these never attended any of the reunions but there were few issues with socializing with those who typically shunned the students outside their clique......a few years and added life experience generally erase those issues. However, I found I didn't have much in common with these folks and they would never have been my choice to develop as friends as an adult. I found I spent much of my time with the wife of a former classmate who I happened to know previously - we were in Girl Scouts together in elementary school!!

Oddly enough, last year would have been our 50th - usually a significant reunion date - but there wasn't one!! I might have considered attending that one........

No. Never.

I probably would not go. I have no family left in the area and the hotel accommodations are poor. I mostly hung around with the next grade or two up. Although I was captain of the track team for two years there were only around three or four people in my graduating year. These class reunion parties would be so much better if they lumped a few years together. However, that would probably create a space problem. I would rather see people I wanted on FB.

I probably wouldn't go. I went to my 10 year as I was still close to my childhood friend and we went together. I wasn't one of the cool kids but I had a decent high school experience and was friendly with many of my classmates. It was fun but after the 10 year I moved out of the area and I didn't think the experience was worth the cost of vacation time and a plane ticket. I do belong to my class Facebook page and it seems the gatherings mostly consist of people who still live in the area. We had a huge class, over 900 kids.

We only had 32 in our class and I always ran the reunions. We are all friends on FB and love seeing each other. I doubt I would go to one with so many people.

We just attended a combined class ('67 and '68) reunion. Had a ball! Even though my close friends from high school are still my close friends and most of the others are on Facebook, it was such fun getting together.

As a whole, the ladies looked much better then the guys. Lot's of "who are these old people?"

What amazed me even more was learning about teachers who 'dated' some of my fellow students. That's one thing that was sometimes whispered about but I always thought the cases were few. No, it happened. A lot. 50 years ago.

The bottom line is are you interested in making conversation with the people already on the guest list? Will there be enough conversation to fill a whole evening?

It's one thing to make small talk when you run into someone at the grocery store, but a whole evening of "so...what's new since hs?" to a dozen people sounds tiring to me.

My SIL is obsessed with planning her reunion so from her I know people sign up late. It's the bane of her existence. Maybe more people you know will still sign up. Like you, they may be waiting to see who else will attend!

I think staying connected by Facebook is hurting people's interest in attending these events. Why spend $$ to see people you're not at all interested in seeing when you can cherry pick and fill your fb feed with the people you want.

I don't attend reunions, they're not my jam, and I stay in touch year round with the people I like.

ETA: I was from a class of 800, with so many we barely knew each other at the time so 40 years isn't going to help that. When my SIL moaned about low turnouts, I suggested a combined reunion - you don't go to school with just one class, you know people ahead and behind you. The crow size will increase and it might be more fun. But she's a strict traditionalist and won't budge on the topic. Then moans 5 years later when it's still the same 120 people.

Why would you go? If that reason is big enough you go. I graduated from a HS I went to, two years. 99% of my classmates had been together since Kdg. I went to the tenth...when 30 came 'round it seems silly. At 40 it was RIDICULOUS..two years of my life--what's to remember?

That's just it. If you have the pull to go, then you go. If you have to question it, why bother?

I have only kept in touch with one HS friend. For me, a more fun reunion would be my Junior HS class The same students were together for three years. After that, only a few went on to my HS.

For various reasons, I didn't connect with the HS crowd, so for me, no, why would I go?

Before FB, many people reconnected on Classmates.com. I did speak email one or two, but again, after the initial catching up, there wasn't much else to talk about.

I went to my 10th class reunion and remember being surprised at how many of the "girls" were married and with kids. I wasn't, and didn't have much in that respect to share with them. It's very easy for me to talk with strangers and people I don't know very well, but this 10 year reunion of ours seemed to be mainly focused on meeting up with your particular group friends. I spent most of my time chatting with people who had been in my group. In my high school, the "In Crowd" was made up of the football players and cheerleaders. In school, most were in "Group B". I was not in that group, but in the college-prep or "A Group". That seriously is what we were called and how we were grouped, from Grade 6 on through high school. There was also a C-Group. We took all of our core classes with our same group, and I only knew the kids in other groups from elective classes, if they lived near me, or went to my church. I'd been living in Florida for a few years since I'd gotten my degree and hadn't kept in touch with many. Our 20-Year Reunion was vastly different. Much more mellow, with most everyone interested and friendly to others, regardless of what group we'd been in. My DH didn't go with me for this one. He had his medical clinic to run and our then kindergartener son to get to school and back. Too funny, I was the mom of a kindergartener and some of my former classmates were already grandparents! I hadn't even had DD yet! Anyhoo, I enjoyed it, but haven't gone to any of the combined reunions they seem to have now every year or two. I still keep in touch with a few friends from school, but mainly on Facebook. We get together when I get back to Michigan for lunch or drinks, or when they come through this way.

I went to the first few - we had them every five years and a class of 800. I moved from a small town in 8th grade to the big school and maybe that has something to do with the fact I have never stayed in touch with people from high school unlike others I know who went to school with the same people their entire life. Once I went to college and made new friends I found I had grown apart from the people I hung out with in high school and no longer had much in common.

The second to the last reunion I went to was pretty well attended but held in a hotel basement ballroom and indoor smoking was still allowed back then. Yuck. The next one wasn't well attended, overpriced and the food was gross. With a class that large I didn't know who was from the class and who were spouses. People I might have liked to see didn't attend. That was the end of it for me - haven't gone since.

We do always go to DH's reunions - class of 160. I met him in college and have known a lot of people in his class for a long time. His reunions are quite enjoyable though I'm usually ready to go home long before he is.

Our class size was small.. 110 and we were one of the largest. I DO know everyone in my class-- though of course some better than others. If I went to a larger school with larger class sizes I don't think I'd even consider going (though as I said above, I missed the last few). In the early reunions, I always seemed to get myself into trouble-- fun trouble, but trouble nonetheless. ;)

I don't enjoy college reunions either. I get together with the people I like.. and even some that I marginally like.. if/when I am inclined.

Never attended a reunion...zero interest for me. Why would I want to attend an event full of people I don't know? I would go if I wanted to network for business, a charitable cause or community involvement.

The only high school reunion I went to was my 10 year one. I don't have any family there anymore, the town is hard to get to, and my best friends from hs never go.

I do go to my college reunions, and enjoy them very much. DH and I went to the same small liberal arts college-he was two years ahead of me, know and have kept in touch with tons of the friends made there, and it's not a bad drive.

From your description, I would not want to go to your reunion.

"Why would you go?"

I guess out of curiosity. I've never been to one and this is a milestone (50); if I don't go to this one, I'll never go. I'm curious to know what people did with their lives, how they've evolved, etc. even if I didn't know them well or at all. (I'm the one who is told I'm a great conversationalist even though I don't contribute much to the conversation; I ask probing questions and listen, almost always finding the answers fascinating.)

"If you have the pull to go, then you go. If you have to question it, why bother?"

I'm torn. Pulled to go and, on the other hand, "what's the point?".

Enjoying the replies so much; thank you!!

I went to all my class reunions -- one every ten years, although we started with #20. I helped organize them. The group of us organizers had more fun than anyone. I did love hearing all the "what really happened" stories and being reminded of things I had forgotten. I think each reunion was less fun than the preceding reunion.

Since I live in the same community as the high school, I would go. Have you been to any reunions? If not, you might enjoy it. If you have already been to some you may find it is the same people telling the same stories. Some of us went all the way fro kindergarten through high school together and we have the best fun.

I did find that high school cliques tended to reappear at reunions. Of course, that makes some sense since they were close friends in high school and most interested in catching up. You may get that "where to sit in the cafeteria" feeling if your HS buds are not there.

I have not and will not go. I had a pretty small circle of friends some of which were older. I walked around with headphones listening to Depeche Mode and The Smiths so that didn't really make me popular in my high school.

A couple of friends tried to convince me to go to our 10 year, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. They ended up cancelling it because of the low turn out and have not had one since.

Eh high school. Teen angst and all that. I'm on the back half of my 30s, and I guess I'm still unsettled about that part of my life. Yuck.

I have never attended. My class had about 250 people, but I was not one of the cool kids. I moved three states away literally the day after graduation. While everyone else was out partying, I was packing. I don't think I've had contact with a single person since, so apparently I don't care (plus I'm not on Facebook.)

I saw pictures of one of the reunions, and it was apparent that the old cliques were still a thing. Definitely not worth two full days of driving, two nights in a hotel, and paying big bucks for crappy food.

There's a lot to be said for the above comment :-) While I live close enough to my old high school to make the trip for the day or evening, I don't maintain any friendships from those days (before HS and after, yes - during, not at all) and seems very silly to pay a high price for tickets (last one I attended was $75 per person plus the bar) for mediocre food and a few hours with people I have nothing in common with nor any interest in. Too much to pay for just the sake of curiosity!!

I never went to any of my high school reunions. High school was so cliquey and with a class of nearly 500, I expected to attend and see nobody I really knew.

I am facebook friends with some of my grammer school(K-8) classmates. But I haven't seen most of them since 8th grade. When one of our classmates died last fall, we started talking about having a reunion. It was organized and about 25 of our class of 50 attended. No spouses. It was a blast. We laughed so hard, reminiscing about nuns(Catholic school), uniforms, the old neighborhood, etc. I was very glad I attended.

Our ten year reunion was set up by the 'popular girls,' and they were trying to have it at their country club. The invite was for adults only with dinner and dancing at 250 a pop with a two week notice.

I pushed DH into going to his ten year reunion, and that was a mistake. He came from a small farm town and half of his class showed up. We went to the first event where they did a bbq. It was bazaar meeting all of those people from his past and seeing the look on his face (not liking them but being nice). I have never apologized to someone so much in my life.

I went to my first high school reunion this year. it was the mumble mumblth reunion, and the only reason I went was that my classmate from 7th grade (the school started with 7th grade) and college roommate guilted me to attend. I did see one of my close high school friends with whom I had lost touch, so that was fun catching up. But I didn't go to the main reunion, just this class reunion the next day.

DH and I have attended several. We were in the same class, and we still live in the same town where we graduated. Turnouts are small, though. Maybe 35 out of 125+ graduates show up. What's really disappointing is that many people who live within 30 miles of this town don't come. Those who travel 250+ miles get really ticked off about that.

Ok, I had never really wanted to go to one. My class had 500+ kids and I left the area, and didn't keep in touch with anyone after high school. The 40th came around and I felt the "pull" to go. Tried to contact some friends I wanted to see after all those years, but not many of them wanted to go. I decided to go anyway-got in touch with one gal to ride to it with-haha big chicken to walk in myself. Well I had a ball! The kids I did know I SO enjoyed visiting with, and found that their core personalities had not changed. Folks I did not know, were so friendly, and we had at least the common "shared neighborhoods" growing up so there was a commonality I did not expect. My husband had passed away 2 years earlier and I felt like this reunion helped me get in touch with who I used to be before I was a wife, mother, grandmother. It was kind of a break through for me in trying to become comfortable with my new life circumstances. I got in touch with my inner teenager which was fun. :) After hearing about it all, many folks who did not choose to go said they wished they had. And I am keeping up with some of the classmates now through fb. So I would encourage you to go if you feel that "pull". If nothing else it reminds you of your long lost youth-LOL And PS my memory is horrible, thank goodness for nametags, but the gals were very recognizable in almost every case. The boys, not so much!!

I've never been to mine and can't imagine I ever will. I've had the same small group of friends since kindergarten. A few others came and went over the years but it's pretty much been the same group and we still keep in touch and are friends. I have no desire to catch up with old classmates. I liked school. No issues. I just don't like large groups and I don't want to make small talk about life today or life as it was back in the day. And as horrible as this sounds, at this point in life, I also don't care to make new friends. I find it challenging enough to spend time with the people I care about most let alone adding more. I'll occasionally run into someone while out and we'll chat. It's nice but I'm good with that.

I have spent the last year plus, organizing my reunion with some great people! I have enjoyed our committee planning dinners so much and we have decided to continue meeting regularly after tomorrow's reunion. The turn out is not huge, lots of kids start school this weekend, but I am looking forward to it! Our class has been doing every five but we decided to extend the time between reunions to ten after this one in hopes of increasing turn out. I was surprised by how many people remember me fondly and the people from my class who regularly attend our reunions are genuinely happy to see and catch up with everyone.

No. What is the purpose? If you did not know them in high school, they are just strangers.

I really wanted to go, for a 20 year one..but I changed two countries since then..even so I tried to get the ticket but I needed visa back then..to get into the country where I was born..the lady in the consulate was very sweet to me but couldn't expedite it..in short no, I never went..

we weren't an example of a very tight class..yet it's been my friend who's organizing gettogethers and reunions and she tells me for years how much more in common people suddenly have..and how these reunions are truly enjoyable

so yes, I wanted to go..

our class wasn't too big..maybe 30 people? along these lines.

I have a nickname on Facebook(where I stopped going for years) so unless people figure out who am I, I don't let know..:) a few figured out though. we don't have that much in common, or at least not when not seeing each other face to face. I think regular conversation would flow much easier

I do keep in touch with couple people for years already, and a couple, just from time to time

which is kinda miraculous, given I moved soo much

with every move, you start loosing people..not immediately but slowly so..so I cherish all the rare instances when one can call another like nothing's been really changed. Never take it for granted.

I daresay I was never "cool"..I was strangely loved though. By both cool and unpopular. I didn't appreciate it much then, being a teenager with angst and all, but now I can see I had something precious, right on the palm of my hand, without really knowing its value

I went to my 30th five years ago and would go to my 35th except that it's right after my wedding. I was not one of the popular girls but I had a blast at the reunion. Everyone was so welcoming, even if you weren't friends back then. Graduating together is common ground and people have left boorish behavior way behind by now. But I joined my high school Facebook page years before the reunion, so the reunion was in a sense almost a Facebook reunion as well. I would urge you to go. It was great!

Yeah, I just got a packet for an annual HS reunion that is next month in my hometown. I went to an all-girl Catholic high school with a graduating class of about 125. Our HS has been closed for maybe 15 years now. So, no, I cannot go, and my extended family is actually here that weekend. Last year was 35th, and I had already just been there a month before, so, again, I did not go. I went to the 20th and had a good time. Not really all that interested in reunions. I do keep in touch with some of my HS friends.

When I was in HS, I was a bit of a square peg in a round hole. I knew a lot of people from junior high and grade school, but we were not friends anymore. I never went to a reunion - they always were held in JULY - in KANSAS! Was I really going to leave vacation in Northern Michigan (first husband) or Martha's Vineyard (2nd husband) in July to go to Kansas? Not on your life!

I parents moved away one years after I graduated from HS and we never had family there - it was corporate transfer.

But then the 50th came up and this time they had the good sense to have it in late Sept. I decided to go and told my DD she must drive me. I wanted her to see where I lived from ages 8-19. At least one of my children would have some idea of my childhood - I'm an only child.

I'm glad I went but it was high school all over again. The in-crowd planned it and were in charge just like they had been in HS. No one had really changed - even those who had moved away still were very tired to this town and all their HS friends. Very few had grown or developed much.

I have no regrets about going. My DD learned a lot and was glad she had gone, too, But I did not go back for the 55th and will never again. I just sort of needed to "close" that chapter in my life.

"Very few had grown or developed much."

So interesting and my greatest fear.

I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed all of your reunion memories. I've stayed in touch with only one h.s. friend who may or may not attend depending upon the outcome of a medical issue her S.O. is dealing with. I've decided that if she goes, I probably will too. Otherwise, I'll pass.

I went to the ten year. It was still clicquish. I didn't enjoy it so dropped out of the loop for many years. A year ago I finally went back, to the 45th. I enjoyed that one. About a third of the class had retired or were seriously considering retirement (which I was planning), so there was that to discuss. The cliques had gotten minimal.

Our graduating class was 60 or 62 people. About 30 of us attended the last one. 3 classmates have passed away that we know about, although there are one or two no one has heard from.

Very late to the thread.... I've been involved in planning every reunion (as an obligation) from year 5 onwards. The cliques tend to disappear overtime and you'll find commonalities, even with people who have taken very different paths in life and have a very different outlooks. I always find it worthwhile to reconnect with people that you've spent your formative years with (in some cases, dating back to the age of six).

I am not a reunion person. I went to my 25th college reunion a while back (did not enjoy), and more recently attended my 40th high school reunion. I thought it was great, for the reasons Gooster said. The cliques were not an issue, and I reconnected with several people that I had thought about from time to time over the years. It was so much fun to hang out with people that knew me way back when. I don't know if I'd go to another, but I did not regret going to this one at all.

I never went to the early reunions but I did start going at the 25 year mark. I absolutely love them. We have a reunion every five years and I wouldn't miss any of them. I travel from Florida to Ohio so it is not just next door. I have reconnected with old friends, made some new friends and look forward to the good times.

I've never been and will never (well never say never...but likely not). I was quite unpopular and felt very unsupported in my academic ambitions by the adults in my school as well, so I have zero loyalty.

I also have a terrible memory and would remember almost no-one's name.

I went to a wedding a few years ago and sat with some of the girls I was in high school band with. It was excruciatingly uncomfortable. One kept on bragging about her DOCTOR husband's suit he had HANDMADE in ITALY - as if none of us had ever left the country. She also made a big deal about having moved RIGHT DOWNTOWN (into our little city from our little town of origin). I was honestly almost embarrassed for her, her definitions of success and cosmopolitanism were so...small?

Edited to add: I was also grumpy that day because I misused a hair product and looked like I stuck my finger in a greasy light socket. Turns out that beachy salt spray is supposed to be used on DRY curly hair, not wet! Fortunately my friends rum and coke helped me forget the hair situation.

Well...now after seeing all this years reunion pictures on FB and reading all the excitement, I'm going to change my reply above. Although this HS reunion was only for the next grade up I was invited. It was really to close to my Ireland, Wales and England trip to consider. I do sort of wish I went now. People came from all over the U.S and it was a big turnout.

I realize that this comment is really late but I had to add this piece of advice. Never attend a reunion with a husband who doesn't know anyone but you. I've done both and there is absolutely no comparison! I spent one entire evening trying to make my husband feel a part of a crowd that he definitely could never identify with. The next time I attended solo and that is when it all clicked. You don't have to be joined at the hip all of the time. Just my opinion.

acdc, that's EXACTLY what I told DH when he expressed interest in attending. I explained that I'd have enough difficulty remembering people without having to introduce him around and worrying whether he was enjoying himself. I attended two of his reunions knowing no one. The first was the 20th and it was "meh"; the second was the 35th and I didn't enjoy it at all. He's attended a couple of others since but solo. Your comment and insight makes me feel much better about that!

Schnikies!!!!

Being a 79-'er, we'll have a 40th coming up! Uffda..... ;-)

Faron

Robo, my 10 year reunion was rather like your description. One attendee was constantly boasting about, "My husband, the doctor ". Every time she referred to him, she simply HAD to note he was a doctor.

Fortunately, she did not attend the 45th reunion.