High School Forever?

[movingforward]

Jun 13, 2014 10:42:03 GMT -5 Miss Tequila said:

I wonder if it depends on how you view your high school years? I LOVED my high school years, had a blast every single day. I had a huge group of friends and we went through so much together. We are now adults (at least in people years ) and most of us are fairly successful so it isn't like those were our "glory years" (though they were great years, it isn't like my life went down hill after).

Most of my high school friends moved away and we all went on with our lives. But about once a year everyone comes in and we all go out together.  These are people that were there for me during my formative years...who helped sculpt me into the person I am today (so you can all blame them!lol).  We have so much history, memories, etc.  How could I not one to keep in touch?  And while we all catch up on our current lives, we still talk about all of the funny shit we did and still laugh so hard we bring ourselves to tears.

It makes me sad to read how horrible the high school years were for some of you.  I am not sure what makes one person have a blast and another person dread it, but I am certainly glad I was in the "have a blast" column.

Same here.  I had a complete and utter blast during high school.  I was extremely social, went to all the parties, etc.  Loved every minute of it... Like you, I feel kind of bad for the people who hated high school.  As I stated earlier, I haven't really stayed friends with anyone from high school though (even though we are all on FB).  We just kind of fell out of touch with one another and since I haven't seen them in so long they just aren't part of my lives any longer.  I live about 1300 miles away from where I went to high school and I have very little family left in that area so I rarely go back there.  I think it is cool that you still get together once a year with your high school buddies. 

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

DH is always telling me he feels bad because I didn't have as great an experience in high school as he did.

To be honest I don't get what there is to feel bad about. It was 4 short years of my life, in the grand scheme of things it means very little. It doesn't bother me any that I don't/can't wax romantic about my high school days like DH tends to. I don't see much point in reliving the past.

Those people from high school I want to have something to do with I already interact with either thru social media, we're still friends who hang out or I run into them around town, I don't need a reunion to see them or talk to them.

I have no desire to participate in forced socialization with the other 200+ people I barely knew.

[Deleted]

Jun 13, 2014 11:27:13 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

DH is always telling me he feels bad because I didn't have as great an experience in high school as he did.

To be honest I don't get what there is to feel bad about. It was 4 short years of my life, in the grand scheme of things it means very little. It doesn't bother me any that I don't/can't wax romantic about my high school days like DH tends to. I don't see much point in reliving the past.

Those people from high school I want to have something to do with I already interact with either thru social media, we're still friends who hang out or I run into them around town, I don't need a reunion to see them or talk to them.

I have no desire to participate in forced socialization with the other 200+ people I barely knew.

Me either. 

I'm very introverted and high school was a big forced social gathering every day.  There really wasn't a way I could have ever enjoyed it!  Be happy for me that I made it through without killing myself. 

[movingforward]

Jun 13, 2014 11:27:13 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

DH is always telling me he feels bad because I didn't have as great an experience in high school as he did.

To be honest I don't get what there is to feel bad about. It was 4 short years of my life, in the grand scheme of things it means very little. It doesn't bother me any that I don't/can't wax romantic about my high school days like DH tends to. I don't see much point in reliving the past.

Those people from high school I want to have something to do with I already interact with either thru social media, we're still friends who hang out or I run into them around town, I don't need a reunion to see them or talk to them.

I have no desire to participate in forced socialization with the other 200+ people I barely knew.

Maybe I shouldn't use the words "feel bad."  I know there are a lot of people who didn't care for high school and it is no biggie for them.  I am glad that I have fond memories of high school but definitely moved on pretty much the day after I graduated.  I think it is sad when people can't move past high school.  It is great to have nice memories but I was at gathering one night and there was a 40 yr old there who was talking non-stop about his star quarterback days from high school .  Seriously, no one gives a crap - dude, that was 25 yrs ago... everyone was making up excuses to go elsewhere.  It really was sad and pathetic that he had nothing else to talk about. 

[bean29]

Jun 13, 2014 10:19:02 GMT -5 kittensaver said:

Geez, high school is not even on my radar. It got me where I wanted to go, but I have few fond memories.

I could ask the exact same questions about college. Why do some folks live in the past and hang on to those "glory days"? Every year they trek back to the Big U like teenagers and curse over football games. *smh* Or maybe that's just me . . .

I pretty much agree with you about HS and College.  I commuted to college, did not live on campus and never formed the bonds that people do when they live on campus.  My husband dosn't go back to UW-Whitewater much, unless it has something to do with our son, but we see his friends from college several times per year.

We socialized with them last Saturday and Sunday and DH is going to see them Tomorrow again. 

They have really been supportive of each other career wise so it is a lasting friendship for many reasons.

[tskeeter]

Jun 13, 2014 10:14:38 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

Funny story? The girl planning our 20 year reunion ran into my son and I at Target. I haven't seen her in 20 years and did not recognize her. She chased me down the aisle and was like "Sheila? I thought that was you but once I heard you talk I knew for sure it was you! How are you?" My response was "Fine, but I'm sorry- Who are you?"  She was like "Monica!" I must have just given her a blank look because she followed up with "we went to high school together.... I'm planning the reunion this summer...." We talked for a few minutes and then I went home to pull out my year book to see her picture back then to jog my memory.

To be fair we didn't hang out in high school or really know each other that well. Was kind of weird that she recognized my voice from 20 years ago.  I didn't realize I had a memorable speaking voice. Most people ask me where in Canada I'm from- we live in Minnesota.

Some of us just have an ear for voices and/or the speech patterns different people use (maybe we use our hearing to compensate for vision problems).  I remember hearing the voice of a person that I used to work with while I was in a bowling alley.  Despite the noise, and not having seen the person in five years, I knew the voice and who it belonged to after just a few words.

[movingforward]

I am constantly having to pull out the year book when I get a FB request.  I will look someone up and think oh yeah, I remember passing that person in the hallway .  Another one of my annoyances with FB.  We weren't friends then so why do you want to be FB friends now .  I honestly don't get it... Then one person sent me an FB request along with a long ass message that started out something like girl, I haven't talked to you in so long... then went on to tell me about every little thing that has happened to her over the last 20 yrs.   I did recognize the name but couldn't really remember her so obviously we weren't good friends so why the long message?  I looked her up in the yearbook and I think we had one class together senior year - maybe exchanged a few words.  We didn't have anywhere close to the friendship she apparently thinks we did or maybe she just does this with everyone we went to school with.  I personally found it strange...

[souldoubt]

For me high school wasn't bad but it wasn't great either.  It was just 4 years of my life that in that moment for some people it seems like everything and for some of them it was the best years of their life but to me it was a stepping stone.  Ultimately I kept in contact with most of the people I wanted to, am still good friends with them today and was best man in one of their weddings last year.  There's 3 people I can think of that graduated in my class that I kept in contact with over the years and none of us went to the 10 year reunion.  I didn't even hear about it because I'm not on facebook or anything like that whereas 2 of them are and they heard nothing about it.  Our 15 year reunion is next year and I have no intention of going.  I can think of two people I'd like to get in touch with or see how they're doing (however 1 didn't graduate with us) but some of the other people I liked I've ran into over the years and found out they're doing alright.  From my friends that are on FB I've heard that a lot of the people I had AP classes with have gone on to have successful lives and they seem happy which I'm thankful for.  My GF's 10 year is this year and the reaction of her friends mimic this thread - one really wanted to go, two hated high school and don't care to go at all and my gf and another one of her friends are sort of ambivalent about it.  Once they heard how bad the venue is and what it cost that's the last I heard of it.   

[Phoenix84]

I've never been to a reunion, and have no contact with anyone I went to high school with.  Not living in the same town (or even in the same region of the country) doesn't help in that regard either.

It does not interest me. I didn't hate high school, but moved on a long time ago.

I don't remember exactly how many were in my graduating class, but it was pretty big.  It was probably on the order of 800-900.

[Deleted]

Jun 13, 2014 10:35:23 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

Jun 13, 2014 10:19:02 GMT -5 kittensaver said:

Geez, high school is not even on my radar. It got me where I wanted to go, but I have few fond memories.

I could ask the exact same questions about college. Why do some folks live in the past and hang on to those "glory days"? Every year they trek back to the Big U like teenagers and curse over football games. *smh* Or maybe that's just me . . .

I married into a family of cult members, er, Penn Staters... no definitely cult members, but anyway... I agree about the weird obsession some people have with their alma mater and football. It's ridiculously annoying. Christ, I graduated college 10 years ago. I don't give a shit.

I think the problem is you LOL....I graduated 25 years ago and I love going down for football games.  I've gone to a lot more now that my daughter's there, but I went to some before that and also went to visit a few times.  I'm guessing if you didn't go to a university where football was a big thing, you don't get it.

[Cookies Galore]

Jun 13, 2014 13:06:02 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

Jun 13, 2014 10:35:23 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

I married into a family of cult members, er, Penn Staters... no definitely cult members, but anyway... I agree about the weird obsession some people have with their alma mater and football. It's ridiculously annoying. Christ, I graduated college 10 years ago. I don't give a shit.

I think the problem is you....I graduated 25 years ago and I love going down for football games.  I've gone to a lot more now that my daughter's there, but I went to some before that and also went to visit a few times.  I'm guessing if you didn't go to a university where football was a big thing, you don't get it.

I think you're the problem! Touche!

But seriously, there is something weird and cult-like with Penn State people. They're the worst. I can't even explain how it grates me.

ETA: The "big" program where I went was basketball. The football team was laughable, but they were free entertainment!

[sesfw]

I went to 3 HS reunions; 10, 30, 50.  Our class was around 380 in 1959, Los Angeles area.

First one (10) was nice. Everyone was late 20 something and starting careers and families. Still excited about life and the future.

Second one (30) was more subdued. Middle of careers or starting new ones.  Kids in their teens and getting ready for graduation and life.

This last one (50) was very quiet.  A lot of classmates have passed away.  Most of us are retired with grand kids growing up.  Physical changes were not that great.  Faces with a few more wrinkles and waist lines expanded.  Jerk were still jerks but mellowed a lot.  The nice people were still very nice.

I enjoyed all of them.  I don't know if there will be any more.  Just 75 were at the last one.  There is a school wide picnic each year at a local park but I don't know if any of the older generation goes.  I have close contact with 2 of my mates, after losing contact for about 30 years.

My HS boyfriend and his wife passed away about 6 years before my DH did.  They were HS classmates/neighbors and knew each other.

[Miss Tequila]

Jun 13, 2014 12:23:15 GMT -5 movingforward said:

I am constantly having to pull out the year book when I get a FB request.  I will look someone up and think oh yeah, I remember passing that person in the hallway .  Another one of my annoyances with FB.  We weren't friends then so why do you want to be FB friends now .  I honestly don't get it... Then one person sent me an FB request along with a long ass message that started out something like girl, I haven't talked to you in so long... then went on to tell me about every little thing that has happened to her over the last 20 yrs.   I did recognize the name but couldn't really remember her so obviously we weren't good friends so why the long message?  I looked her up in the yearbook and I think we had one class together senior year - maybe exchanged a few words.  We didn't have anywhere close to the friendship she apparently thinks we did or maybe she just does this with everyone we went to school with.  I personally found it strange...

LOL! I get that, too...with messages like "you were so funny" "I remember laughing hysterically over..." and I'm all "who the F is this??"lol 

I'm too lazy to dig out year books so I just email my friends from high school. Sometimes it is someone that I actually would have remembered if they had their maiden name in there...other times, I still don't have a clue who they are!

[sheilaincali]

Some of us just have an ear for voices and/or the speech patterns different people use (maybe we use our hearing to compensate for vision problems). I remember hearing the voice of a person that I used to work with while I was in a bowling alley. Despite the noise, and not having seen the person in five years, I knew the voice and who it belonged to after just a few words.

That makes sense it just threw me for a loop when she was all 'once I heard you talk I KNEW it was you'.  It's not like I was talking loudly.  My son and I were in an aisle discussing his various passport holder options since they teacher said that they had to get a passport holder for their trip. 

I guess I should be used to it.  I was at the movies years ago talking to my DH (BF at the time) and I guy tapped me on the shoulder and said "Are you Airmen so and so?" I said "Um, yeah?" Apparently he was in another squadron and had called me a few weeks ago to relay a purchasing request to me (I was in contracting) and remembered my voice. 

[973beachbum]

I feel like I am going through this again but second hand.  Today is DD's last day of school.  She has been crying all day saying goodbye to people and I swear it is harder on me than my own was!

[NastyWoman]

Jun 13, 2014 11:06:05 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

Jun 13, 2014 10:35:23 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

A couple of bad seasons would cull "the herd" pretty good though.

I grew up in a different school system where a HS diploma was only obtained by passing a national exam (same one for every one in the country, but multiple levels of difficulty).  You sat for 3 or 5 days of writing exams from 8am -4pm with a 1 hour lunch break and then another 2 or 3 days of verbals (you never saw any of your teachers they proctored elsewhere in the country).  The greater number of days was for those in the "gifted" program and 15 different subjects.  In the year I graduated our school had only 10 girls (all girls school) sitting for these harder exams and we spend the last 2 years together in every class.  Today I wouldn't recognize even one of them if they ran me over.  I moved around the world so much I lost all contact with them.  And while they were mostly nice people I reall don't miss them at all. 

[hurley1980]

I had an okay time in high school I guess.  It wasnt horrible, but I moved right after freshman year, so I didnt have the history and deep friendships most people did.  It wasn't a big school, so I was one of two new kids in my grade.  It made me feel put on the spot, and I had trouble fitting in at first.  I also started going though some serious mental issues my junior year, that made me "a freak".  I guess I was one of those weird, awkward girls, but I always had friends....usually just as weird and awkward as me.  I got a little cooler my senior year I think.

I didnt even get invited to my 10 year reunion, so screw em all!  Don't know if I will get invited to the 20th, and don't care!

I do think its kind of funny that my wierd, awkward self ended up marrying one of the hot, popular jocks from our school (albiet 15 years later), but its always fun when someone on facebook comes across my name and realizes who I married.  I'm either less weird now, or he is less cool (probably the latter).

[hurley1980]

Jun 13, 2014 10:42:03 GMT -5 Miss Tequila said:

I wonder if it depends on how you view your high school years? I LOVED my high school years, had a blast every single day. I had a huge group of friends and we went through so much together. We are now adults (at least in people years ) and most of us are fairly successful so it isn't like those were our "glory years" (though they were great years, it isn't like my life went down hill after).

Most of my high school friends moved away and we all went on with our lives. But about once a year everyone comes in and we all go out together.  These are people that were there for me during my formative years...who helped sculpt me into the person I am today (so you can all blame them!lol).  We have so much history, memories, etc.  How could I not one to keep in touch?  And while we all catch up on our current lives, we still talk about all of the funny shit we did and still laugh so hard we bring ourselves to tears.

It makes me sad to read how horrible the high school years were for some of you.  I am not sure what makes one person have a blast and another person dread it, but I am certainly glad I was in the "have a blast" column.

Well, since we're talking about teens and high school.....I would say popularity and acceptance, or lack thereof. You sound like you were pretty popular. Try being the kid that eats lunch alone, or sits at home watching tv with parents every friday night and you'll find that high school pretty much sucks! 

Think Napoleon Dynamite before he, Deb and Pedro won the presidency/crowd over....four years of that would be hell!

[bean29]

Jun 13, 2014 12:23:15 GMT -5 movingforward said:

I am constantly having to pull out the year book when I get a FB request.  I will look someone up and think oh yeah, I remember passing that person in the hallway .  Another one of my annoyances with FB.  We weren't friends then so why do you want to be FB friends now .  I honestly don't get it... Then one person sent me an FB request along with a long ass message that started out something like girl, I haven't talked to you in so long... then went on to tell me about every little thing that has happened to her over the last 20 yrs.   I did recognize the name but couldn't really remember her so obviously we weren't good friends so why the long message?  I looked her up in the yearbook and I think we had one class together senior year - maybe exchanged a few words.  We didn't have anywhere close to the friendship she apparently thinks we did or maybe she just does this with everyone we went to school with.  I personally found it strange...

You know there is no rhym or reason to the people I find myself talking to/enjoying having as FB friends.  I have several facebook friends that were never really HS friends, some relatives that always lived quite a distance and some that are either older or younger than me and some that are really related to a friend of mine who got on my friends list.  One of the people I would most like to unfriend is one of my SIL's.  I don't majorly dislike her, but I don't enjoy her sense of humor at all.

I do get having to go back to the yearbook to look people up.    I've done that too.  I also am one that would probably recongnize a voice before a face. 

[billisonboard]

My Mom used to say she felt sad for those who the best part of their life was over at eighteen.

[Miss Tequila]

Jun 13, 2014 15:07:51 GMT -5 hurley1980 said:

Jun 13, 2014 10:42:03 GMT -5 Miss Tequila said:

I wonder if it depends on how you view your high school years? I LOVED my high school years, had a blast every single day. I had a huge group of friends and we went through so much together. We are now adults (at least in people years ) and most of us are fairly successful so it isn't like those were our "glory years" (though they were great years, it isn't like my life went down hill after).

Most of my high school friends moved away and we all went on with our lives. But about once a year everyone comes in and we all go out together.  These are people that were there for me during my formative years...who helped sculpt me into the person I am today (so you can all blame them!lol).  We have so much history, memories, etc.  How could I not one to keep in touch?  And while we all catch up on our current lives, we still talk about all of the funny shit we did and still laugh so hard we bring ourselves to tears.

It makes me sad to read how horrible the high school years were for some of you.  I am not sure what makes one person have a blast and another person dread it, but I am certainly glad I was in the "have a blast" column.

Well, since we're talking about teens and high school.....I would say popularity and acceptance, or lack thereof. You sound like you were pretty popular. Try being the kid that eats lunch alone, or sits at home watching tv with parents every friday night and you'll find that high school pretty much sucks! 

Think Napoleon Dynamite before he, Deb and Pedro won the presidency/crowd over....four years of that would be hell!

I guess I really meant what makes one kid popular and another unpopular.  but yes, I agree I would have a very different opinion of high school if it sucked.

[Miss Tequila]

Jun 13, 2014 15:19:02 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

My Mom used to say she felt sad for those who the best part of their life was over at eighteen.

I can't imagine anyone who felt that high school was the best part of their life. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED high school and will always look back fondly on my time spent there (errr...not school itself but the social aspect of it). But those weren't the best part of my life.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

DH has said before that high school was the "best time of his life". I told him to think that comment thru when sitting next to your wife who is currently pregnant. Something else better be ranking above high school mister.

I don't think he meant it literally. Tt seems to be one of those things that people expect you to say, especially when a reunion comes up. I get looked at like I have three heads when I say I honestly don't care about my high school days and I'm rather glad they are over.

[Shooby]

I didn't really hold on to High School. I enjoyed HS. I had some great experiences playing sports, basketball, being the Salutatorian, etc. However, then I went on to college and went on living my life. But, lately, we recently had a reunion. And, we are all at the point in our lives where we are OVER ourselves. We can all relax. We are who we are some. So, when I went, I had the absolute BEST time and I reconnected with some gal pals. And, now every couple of months, we have a girls night out and get together. There is something very special about being with the people whom you grew up with. There is a bond of shared experiences. So, why NOT celebrate that?

[Virgil Showlion]

I didn't actually graduate with my class. I keep in touch with a few friends, and I have reasonably fond memories of my high school years.

High school was a means to an end.

[Deleted]

Jun 13, 2014 11:34:41 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Jun 13, 2014 11:27:13 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

DH is always telling me he feels bad because I didn't have as great an experience in high school as he did.

To be honest I don't get what there is to feel bad about. It was 4 short years of my life, in the grand scheme of things it means very little. It doesn't bother me any that I don't/can't wax romantic about my high school days like DH tends to. I don't see much point in reliving the past.

Those people from high school I want to have something to do with I already interact with either thru social media, we're still friends who hang out or I run into them around town, I don't need a reunion to see them or talk to them.

I have no desire to participate in forced socialization with the other 200+ people I barely knew.

Me either. 

I'm very introverted and high school was a big forced social gathering every day.  There really wasn't a way I could have ever enjoyed it!  Be happy for me that I made it through without killing myself. 

Very much !

I was a band geek and really didn't, and still don't, give two shits about anyone I went to high school with. I see one person on a regular basis. Moved my ass out as soon as I could and would sooner shoot myself in the head than ever go back.

[Jaguar]

High school was a dud to me, College was a blast.

[plugginaway22]

"But seriously, there is something weird and cult-like with Penn State people. They're the worst. I can't even explain how it grates me."

OMG do I ever understand!  PA resident here who will never get it!

[movingforward]

Jun 13, 2014 13:11:54 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

Jun 13, 2014 13:06:02 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

I think the problem is you....I graduated 25 years ago and I love going down for football games.  I've gone to a lot more now that my daughter's there, but I went to some before that and also went to visit a few times.  I'm guessing if you didn't go to a university where football was a big thing, you don't get it.

I think you're the problem! Touche!

But seriously, there is something weird and cult-like with Penn State people. They're the worst. I can't even explain how it grates me.

ETA: The "big" program where I went was basketball. The football team was laughable, but they were free entertainment!

They can't be much different than UT people.  They can be annoying as hell.  I love telling people I don't care about the Longhorns just so I can see the look on their face.  Oh, and I went to a basketball college as well.  I LOVE basketball - mainly the NBA though.  I don't really follow college ball much anymore.  If I am going to watch sports I prefer to watch professionals play

[Anne_in_VA]

I've never been to a reunion and don't plan to. My 50th is coming up in a couple of years and I'm sure I won't even get invited. I went to a huge high school and hated every minute of it. I was very introverted and didn't make friends easily (still don't). I didn't go to school my entire sr. year (long story) and don't really remember any of the kids I knew back then.