Classmates Gathering, Will You Try to Avoid with a Pretext or Take Part in It?

I haven't seen my classmates since 1997. I'd love to see them again. There was reunion a couple of years ago, but I live several thousands of miles away now and in a different country. To fly home for a school reunion is just not justifiable looking at the cost of the flights.

I would first see whether i was in good terms with them in the past and how are they with me now. Then I would decide about that.

My highschool class just had their 10th reunion. I was going to go but I had to have a procedure done. They were going to get together and do a football game on the day that I had the procedure done so I couldn't go to that. And I knew I wouldn't feel like going to the reunion the next day because I had to get stitches in my back and I didn't want anybody accidently touching them or bumping into me and I didn't want to have to change my bandage while I was there. So I talked to some of my friend on facebook that I went to school with and told them why I wouldn't be there and they all understood. But me and some other girls from high school are going to get together and all go have dinner one night so that will be a nice time.

I was just recently informed of my class's 40th reunion next year. I'm debating on whether to go or not. I'm not so sure I want to see how much everyone has aged! I don't care what everyone is doing now or has been doing since high school. Success is not something we can judge. Everyone has their own ideas about success. I feel successful because I raised two great sons through a lot of diversity and hardship. Money has nothing to do with success for me. I would be very uncomfortable if I went to this reunion and people asked me what I did professionally or what I have as far as material things goes. I would also hate to hear anyone bragging about how much money they have, what they've bought or the places they've visited. That is the reason I'm debating on going or not. There are so many people in the world who try to boost themselves by bragging about their accomplishments or displaying how much money they have. These are not people I would call friends of mine. Whatever their lives may be, as long as they are happy, no matter what they do or do not have, that makes them a success in my opinion.

I haven't participated in any reunion parties. I was invited to a party once, but I couldn't go, because I was busy with other things. I am not sure if I would have gone to the party if I could. On one hand I am curious, and I think that it could be interesting to hear what my old classmates are doing now and how their lives have been, on the other hand it would be a bit strange to meet everyone again. I was very shy when I was in school and I didn't have many friends, I felt a bit like an outsider, and I don't know how I would feel if I met my classmates again.

Last year was my high school class' tenth anniversary and I did not go to that celebration. The reason for it being that most of my really close friends from high school were not able to go and the price was too steep for me. However, I would have really liked to have been able to go to catch up with the people that were so much an important part of my life many years ago. When our next reunion rolls around, I really do want to go, so the only excuse that I could foresee myself coming up with to not attend would be financial reasons.

There will be a ten year reunion of my high school next year and I will definitely NOT be going! I hated school and I disliked most of my classmates. I really could not care less what they have achieved with their lives and I think it is a waste of time. I guess I would like to go for about ten minutes just to see what every one looks like now but that would be all. When I receive my invitation I will be screwing it up and throwing it deep into the depths of my garbage bin! Haha as you can probably tell I really hated school. I just hated how certain people thought they were better than others. I was always the outcast.

You are right. We feel out of place when everyone boast about their status and how they are doing well in life. Comparatively when we cannot match their status we have nothing much to brag but only share with our unwilling ears and pretend to be interested in their success stories. Fortunately, no one has ever organize a reunion dinner so have not anyone of my former classmates. I know these sort of stories are always in the agenda of people who find no other outlet of broadcasting their wealth except in such gatherings of old classmates.

Recently I attended a class-mates reunion from my school 50 years ago. That will give you an indication of my age now! Seriously though, I found it a very surreal experience as I was meeting people that I recognized, but didn't look anything like they used to look in school. I am going to another that they will arrange for next year. I'm looking forward to it. - Derek

ALUMNI In yesteryear alumni is a good party to attend and a blissful moment of participation. The motive is to grow friendship with good values in networking. Which means, able to enjoy moiety sharing formation amongst attendees. Broadening the helping hands to great extensions, where a good point of meeting while partying in shouldering the less fortunate members' burden in solving their carrier and life problems to debouch from the gloomy zone. MOTIVES Unfortunately, nowadays alumni is no longer with that pattern and style. It's a place for members to exhibit their high status and not even bother about sharing their cakes, as like what you said. Whatever, a leader or an organizer should play great role to establish the good motives of that particular alumni because it's done through an announcement for the relevant to participate. OBJECTIVES The organizer/leader must explain the clear motives and objectives, at least, to put strength in future networking. Which means for the next year alumni is an awaiting event and a must participate by members because it's justly like a check and balance on members' output progress.

My class has, had 3 reunions since we graduated. I attended the first two and they had a more casual one this last summer as it was only a 5 year reunion. I did not get to go to that one because it had originally been cancelled and it turned out to be a good time to plan vacation so we planned our vacation and paid for a rented cabin. Then they threw together another event but I could not go because I paid a lot of money for the cabin and did not want to lose it so I missed it. Luckily though I am in contact with a lot of people from my high school on facebook so I know what is going on with many of them, but I am still kind of sad I missed the last reunion.

I have never been to a class reunion and I have often wondered how I would feel catching up with my old school mates. Unfortunately it is true that there are those that instead of enjoying the company of old friends and chatting about the old days they waste the time attempting to impress everyone with their achievements. My husband went to his high school reunion earlier this year and had a ball. I would probably go, I guess...

same here too,i have to attend our high school reunion this december, im still in doubt and in deep thinking whether to attend or not, its because my closest friends in high school wont be going and some of them are in far away places,i dont like going there with my batchmates and classmates without my closest friends in high school, it wont be complete for me... til now i still have weeks to think for it. hehehe.

My former classmated did that a few years ago, I didn't take part, but I didn't even invent a pretext, I just said I didn't mean to go meet them again. The reason is simple, in the last three years of specialization we generally had a lot of fun, but while the first three went great, we had tons of fun and appeared to have a good time together, on the last year everything broke and I really didn't like being with them. At all. So, now it's been years since we left school and we didn't leave eachothers as 'friends', why do we need to act out like we were?? We weren't!! So, I said we weren't friends then and it's futile to pretend to be now and hung up the phone.

well, I went to 10 and I went to 25, but honestly, I was such an outsider that I barely knew anyone - think I'll probably pass on 50 - IF I make it that far (I will be 11 yrs older after all) however, for 2 of my high school years I went to a private school and the reunions with that school have been GREAT!

I completed my studies 30 years back and settled far away from my place. I have the urge to meet all of them in gathering and never it took place. Most of my old classmates are working in different parts of the world and it is impossible to make a gathering because we have to find out the availablity of all. Those we are in India itself are not in a position to meet. But some of us used to meet when we are reaching in our village once or twice in a year. We used to speak about our classmates. I agree with you that some of the people always use such occassion to show their wealth . Anyway I never used to avoid such meetings.

I do not even bother with a pretext. I just avoid them altogether. There is always somebody poised to try to take unfair advantage in a situation like that--somebody collecting money. If I wanted to see any of my old classmates I would socialize with them individually and not in some big group. Other people love to go to that sort of gathering but not me.

hi,dood topic.i don't like to take part in any party,so i always avoid with a pretext.maybe 10 years ago we were good friends and there were no secret among us.there are lots of changings in those years.maybe you are the same as before,but others will not.as you say it is not party to contact us,in fact it will be hurt somebody indirectly.and i don't like to hear somebody's boast.have a good day.

You just give me an idea to avoid to these gatherings. Your right, why discuss something that most of the guys in the room have no recollection of? If just a way for those who got successful to brag on what they have become over those who just ended up living average lives. The bottom line is if your successful in life then by all means organize a reunion. If you have nothing to show off better stay at home and avoid feeling sorry for yourself. Cheers!

I always had this urge to meet my classmates. I took the initiative and got together 14 of my classmates after a gap of 40 years.It was no doubt tough getting their addresses but these 14 classmates were all living in one city. My second attempt to have all 33 classmates got me to once again search for their addresses and I did manage to get the addresses but in the process realised 5 were no more but managed to have yet another get together of 14 more. Both these get togethers were filled with emotion and each had to tell their story from the time they left school - that was indeed absorbing.