First and foremost, just get over yourself and all the insecurities class reunions can bring up. No one is the same person they were way back then including you. Decide to attend and decide to have a great time reconnecting with old friends. It’s well past time to toss all those insecurities out the window. There’s something about being with high school friends that brings all of that baggage to the surface, but try to remember, everyone is feeling the same way. Go with a great attitude of happiness and security about who you are today and delight at seeing everyone who is there. Your attitude will shine through and others will appreciate you!
Here are a few other suggestions to help overcome potential stumbling blocks you may encounter along the way.
“Honey, wanna go to my class reunion”? When your spouse won’t know anyone there, the answer probably depends on them. Do they enjoy socializing? Are they outgoing? Do they want to go? If the answer is “no” to these questions, then you may be better going alone or with a group of friends. Let’s face it-you will have a better time if you aren’t worried about your spouse sitting alone waiting on you to be ready to leave. However, by all means take your spouse if this is something they enjoy! They may learn something about you they never knew before!
“Should I know you?” We’ve all been in that situation even in our every day lives. It is awkward and uncomfortable for everyone! In this situation, it’s best to either read the name tag or ask for a name. You can say something like “it’s been so long but it’s all coming back to me now!” Try to reference something you remember about them from high school. Make a joke about yourself and your bad memory. With Facebook, you now have access to so much more information on the front end than ever before. You can “creep” (as my kids call it!) on high school friends before going and perhaps recognize them when you see them in person. However, if you don’t recognize someone, don’t stress over it. Everyone understands this happens, especially at these types of events.
“Where do you work?” That question can make some feel judged for their choices and/or accomplishments in life. Perhaps a better question to ask is “how do you spend your time?” or “what do you like to do in your spare time?” You are asking more than just “where do you work” with those questions and you may learn some very interesting things about others. They can tell you about their job if they choose, but they can also tell you so many other things about themselves. Once again you can use those “creeping” skills on Facebook to learn about your classmates beforehand and be ready with some potential conversation starters. You may find that you have common ground with someone that you never knew existed!
This is just a start to get you “class reunion ready”! We will address more potential stumbling blocks in our next blog including the biggie-what to wear! Stay tuned!