My High School Reunion: 20 Years Went By in a Flash
On Friday evening, a large portion of the Union High School 1998 graduating class, gathered to celebrate our 20 year reunion. I initially was not going to attend but was coaxed into it by several friends and I’m glad it worked out that way.
I’m lucky in the fact that I am still super close with a bunch of my childhood friends. The group of us get together often enough and are in a group text where we shit on each other and interact daily. Then there are the others that I see and speak with regularly. Then there is Facebook which is a great tool to just “keep in touch” with those that you don’t really see...but want to show them some love on their new baby or puppy. There are also those that you just lost all contact with and were close to. Those are the ones that hurt a bit.
Friday night helped a bit as for one night, a large portion of our class made the effort to come together and give a hug to someone they haven’t seen in 2 decades. So many different people came together to mix it up and enjoy the night.
The planning crew led by this amazing woman, did a phenomenal job. The whole crew put together a kick ass celebration and made it a night to remember. They motivated folks to purchase their tickets and get their asses to the venue. This inspired me and I already pledged myself to her & the planning crew for the next event. Damn gin & tonics...
The one thing that...I don’t want to say surprised me...but...well...blew me away was how amazing everyone looked. I literally was taken aback at how stunning the ladies looked. I mean jaw dropping! The fellas were all dapper and each and every one of them put me to shame. I felt good walking into my car and heading to the event and was immediately humbled by just how sloppy of a man I was compared to the rest of the pack. If anything it motivated me to take a bit better care of myself. I’m sure that thought will last me 2 weeks before I crush that. Seriously though folks, my point is....if you didn’t graduate from Union in 98 then you missed the fuck out!
I was lucky enough to have my lovely wife join me. She knows my close friends well as we all chill with the families but it was great to have her meet, even if so briefly, so many people that I’ve talked about throughout the years. From meeting some of my other roommates she never met from that lone wild year I lived at Rutgers, to my high school (and jr high) crush, to a best friend that fell out of touch to the close friend I got suspended with (both of those assholes look exactly the same...you know who you are). It was a blast just reminiscing and I’m glad she was there to join me in this fantastic experience, but also for her to hand me her reusable Aldi’s shopping bag on the way home so I could yak freely on the Hour long drive back home. Yeah folks...no Gavelstone after party for me...Just breathing in the stink of Aldi’s cereal as that bag and I got close and intimate...
I will say, our class is pretty kick ass. I always had fun and never really had serious beef with anyone. I got along with everyone for the most part and definitely chilled in several different circles with all different folks. I have pics from parties back in the day and the variety of different people partying at the usual spots always made me proud to be from this class.
My biggest complaint from this evening is that there was not enough time. I wanted to bore everyone to death and blab to them but only feel like I got to a handful of folks. Seeing the pics other classmates have posted, I see several amazing people I never even said hello to which totally blows. If any of my fellow classmates ever read this and I didn’t come up to you...fuck you! You didn’t come up to me either!! 😜 No seriously, I wish I could have had moments with everyone there but there just weren’t enough minutes in the night. All this means is next time it has to be a tad longer!!!
My wife made 2 comments about the evening. The first was a few minutes after we got there and she whispered into my ear, “Your graduating class is WAAAAAAY better looking that mine”. She’s from stupid North Dakota and there were like 40 kids in her class so.....
The second comment was more of a personal one. She said that several times when I was reminiscing with a friend, she said I got all watery eyed and a bit choked up. I do remember that happening once as I hugged one of my closest friends that I hadn’t see in 20 years. I told him he was an asshole, he agreed, and we laughed a lot that night.
One thing I want to touch upon is the fact that all of us who were there that night...were lucky. Blessed. Whatever you want to call it. We were all extremely fortunate to be able to attend this event and create new memories, as there were a handful of us that will never be afforded that opportunity. Our class lost several members along the way throughout the years and there was a touching tribute to those amazing souls that we were all able to take part in. They were missed by all...no doubt about it.
What this made me think is how we need to cherish and take advantage of these good times, as they won’t always be available. Believe me...I get just as lazy and unmotivated as the rest of you but if this night taught me anything...it’s to not take these moments for granted. Make that call to a friend that you’ve been procrastinating on. Take the pain in the ass hour drive to go to that dinner. Do these things and be thankful that the opportunity is there to create new and amazing memories.
To the UHS c/o 98...know that I love you all. Be it if we were close or not, we all share in a special bond. One that I’ll cherish for a lifetime.
I wish I took more pics but I was being a social butterfly and blabbing non stop.
Just for the record, in the 20 minutes I’ve been writing this gross drivel...I already lost interest in bettering myself by going to the gym. Gonna go to Five Guys and get a burger...
Nice job with the pics!
Thx brother! I should have snapped more but was so absent minded and was blabbing the entire time.
This really looks so much fun, and hearing you say that you find yourself 'sloppy as a man', is really making me say. I think your wife is so proud of you, and how you looked. Because for what I can see in these pictures you didn't do anything less then the other men on the pictures.
And what a treasure to be so close after so many years! I had a very bad primary school time, and high school was not that much better. And I don't ever see someone from that time. I won't change that, even if I had the change, but to read a story like this is even more heartwarming. Just to see that IT IS possible! Great! Fantastic and treasure it!
I see. I know those stories exist as well. Not everyone’s school experience was pleasant but I’m very fortunate that mine was a good time. I’m very proud to be from this class. It is truly something special and the magic in the air that night was definitely felt by all who attended.
As far as my sloppiness...I just poke fun of myself as it helps me function. Never take myself too seriously. In fairness they did put me to shame but I’m ok with that! 😜
Thx so much for taking the time to read this. Always amazed when strangers can connect over a story like this. So thank you!!!
Looks like you had fun during the reunion :) great pictures!!!
I had a blast! Way more fun than I thought I’d have.
Funny thing is one of our classmates is now trying to plan a big pool party at her house for everyone. It’s like it brought everyone all together again. So awesome!!!
Hi blewitt,
Visit curiesteem.com or join the Curie Discord community to learn more.
Always honored when you guys take a look at my write ups!
I feel as though I have a ton to offer to this growing community so I expect to see this connect again soon. 😜
Thank you.
So my thought process went like this: "Hey I graduated high school in 1998 too! OH HOLY SHIT I graduated from high school 20 years ago!!!" Fuck you blewitt why you gotta do me like that LOL
Lol. I’m just a straight up day ruiner dude. It’s how I roll. Taking it you are not attending yours???
man I am so out of the loop with my old high school crowd I have absolutely no idea if it already happened or what. I am from a small town in Alaska and we had 30 people in my graduating class, and as I have almost completely drifted away from Facebook in my past year of Steem-ing I have lost what little contact I had with any of them. Pretty cool that you are still friends with your old crowd. This was a great post :)
Thx so much Carl. Means a ton to have this come from a respected member of the community....kinda...whatever...your opinion means jack. Just being nice. 😜
Damn that’s a smaller class than my wife’s in stupid North Dakota! Where you at these days?
"What this made me think is how we need to cherish and take advantage of these good times"
This is a wonderful story.
It's wonderful not because of the story it tells, which is a story that countless others of us have experienced, it's wonderful instead because of the attitude of the person telling it.
The love you have for those you saw, the love you have for those you lost, the love you have for your wife.
It's wonderful because it wasn't about what so many stories like this are always about: which is one-upmanship, where everyone worries about how well everyone else is doing, how they compare. That's a story I'm bored with. It's the story I didn't want to hear.
I'm so glad I didn't. :)
Thx for taking the time to read this Rodney. Never know what will actually be scanned, skipped, or read here so it’s humbling to see some genuine responses.
Itbwas a genuine blast and I was lucky to be a part of that magical night.
This post was shared in the Curation Collective Discord community for curators, and upvoted and resteemed by the @c-squared community account after manual review.
Very kind of you!! Thanks a ton. Any more exposure here is a positive!!!
So much to relate to! My 20th reunion is in a couple months. We had a 10 year I didn’t make it to due to my health at the time, and I’m torn on attending this one. I’m in touch with most of the people I was friends with anyway... I feel like it’d be me saying “Hey..... you....” a lot as I fail to recall names!
And the mega relate was the desire to hit the gym being overrode by Five Guys!
Dude...I mean seriously...how good is Five Guys?!? Cmon....
I say go. I keep in touch and am still close with a large group but it was so refreshing to see so many friendly faces from the past. Even though I still am in FB contact...being able to give a good hug and see a smile in person...it goes a long way.
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