10 Year High School Reunion Survival Tips

September 22, 2015

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I did a lot of research on this topic before writing this blog post about my upcoming 10 year high school reunion, most notably: I watched Romy & Michele's High School Reunion trailer for a few laughs to prepare myself ;) But seriously, I googled a few things just to see what was out there on the interwebs about reunions- etiquette, horror stories, diet plans… it was all pretty bad. A quote from my least favorite article: "that way they know how awesome you are." I mean, I get it, you want all of your former classmates to think you have "made it" and are super successful, but they have Facebook…they saw that photo you posted of your cat on Friday night. It's fine. They know the truth.

I couldn't decide if I wanted to attend my class reunion, but after some serious thought and verifying that a couple of my closer friends from high school would also be there, I bought my ticket and am actually getting excited to see people! I had a great time in high school: I played sports, was on student council, was on homecoming court (I'm actually hoping to squeeze into that dress for my Halloween costume this year!), so I'm not dreading seeing anyone and I know it will be a good time. There will be a dance floor and I care a lot less about people's opinions of my dancing skills now than I did in high school, so what could go wrong! For those of you who might be facing a similar situation (perhaps even some of my former classmates!), I've put together a brief list of dos and don'ts for your upcoming reunion to ensure that you keep things classy.

DO reach out to a few friends before the reunion to see if they will be there! If you can, try to schedule a smaller group meeting for lunch or coffee the day before your reunion's main event. This way, you won't feel like you have to spend all night with a small group of your close friends from high school; you'll be free to mingle with a larger group and speak to more people (sorry, introverts)!

DON'T get too loose! With the abundance of alcohol flowing at reunions to provide liquid courage, it might be tempting to overindulge- resist! There is definitely no need to "pre-game" at a bar before the reunion. You don't want to do anything that you'll have to explain 10 years later at the 20 year reunion.

DO wear something sassy! Feeling comfortable at your reunion is important- people can tell if you are feeling self-conscious or confident! Wear an outfit that you know you look good in- something that you already own, as opposed to running out and buying an expensive new outfit just for this event. These people haven't seen you in 10 years, so all of your clothes are new to them. You can add a little pizazz to your favorite dress with jewelry or accessories to make yourself stand out or feel extra sparkly.

DON'T go on a diet the week before your reunion. Trust me, looking desperate at the food table is not the look we are going for! Enjoy yourself and people will be able to tell that you are comfortable and happy with your choices. Trust yourself. And your Spanx- trust your Spanx.

DO tear it up on the dance floor! I think I was too concerned about my braces showing in Prom photos to really enjoy it back in 2005, but I'm still young enough to love a good dance party; bring on the DJ and let loose!

DON'T mention anything about weight. Just don't.

DO make a mental list of people you want to connect with at the reunion. If you graduated with a large class, you might not have time to talk with every single person; make sure you are able to touch base with the people you want to talk to the most!

DON'T hire a date! Seriously, I felt the need to include this one. If you're married, bring your spouse if they're willing to tear up the dance floor with you, but if you're single, then live it up! You never know, maybe you'll rekindle a high school flame?

DO/DON'T ask people their name. This is a tough one. Yes, be honest and just ask who they are if you don't remember, but…. you also don't want to hurt people's feelings, right?! Praise the Lord for name tags- done.

I can't wait to report how my reunion goes this weekend! I'm sure there will be plenty of social faux pas happening (and part of me can't wait to see them!), but it will be so special to see catch up with old friends for a couple of days in my hometown. I know how much I have changed in 10 years, and know that I will love seeing how other people have grown over the years as well. Any other tips I forgot? Anything that you did to prepare for your reunion?

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