Should I attend my 10 year high school reunion?

Definitely. Look around you. Most of the adults on this planet were HS grads that never amounted to any stereotypical form of success. Success is all in thu phrasing anyhow. I could cite my nervous breakdowns & difficulties or all the life understandings I achieved and weird experiences along the way. Besides, though I suppose everyone has that tension about proving they made it (I know I sure did), it doesn't matter compared to your ability to love life and do things like hold your head high at HS reunions. I've been searching for a 20 year reunion for my HS (I was generally a geek (Fantasy Gaming Club) back then, so am unlikely to know anyone of the sort that shows up at these things.) Actually I have no idea who shows up at these things, but I'd like to. I never went to any of the dances (well, one) or anything, but I was in a couple clubs (Gaming & French club). Still, I doubt there are many comparable experiences. I think the main criteria is: could you enjoy talking about old times with people that you might not even know, but are sure to have fun remembering common experiences.

Is there anyone you'd like to see again from high school?

If you're going to be uncomfortable there, don't go. You don't sound like you have any reason to go anyway. If there's anyone in particular you want to meet up with, try and contact them. Otherwise, why bother?

*shrugs* If you want to.

Although, personally, I think if you are embarrassed (which it sounded like) it would be better to go. People will talk about you whether you are there or not, I think. If you go, you can show them how nice and cool you are despite whether you quit school or not. That has nothing to do with who you are today.
Besides, it worked out in "Romy and Michelle's high school reunion"!

If I were you, I would go. Most everyone there has not accomplished what they set out to - life throws everyone curveballs! I'm sure you'll be interested in at least knowing how a few people are doing and you can always find a way to describe your life in the best possible light if you feel the need to.

I think the only real reason to go is, do you want to? Do you have connections to friends from high school? do you want to renew assoctiations with people from high school? If you do, then go. If you don't then why bother?

No, I wouldn't go if I were you. If you haven't kept in touch with anyone and you didn't have very many friends, then what's the point? High School reunions are highly overrated. It's just not important.

Unless, however, you want to go, just for fun, then what the hey!

Do you want to go?

From what I gather, the sole reason for attending high school reunions is to show that you turned out better than that cheerleader with perfect hair. You don't seem very happy about how you did. So maybe you shouldn't go. It'll probably be a waste of a good afternoon, anyway.

It's totally up to you.
Do you WANT to go?????????????
Ask yourself that question.
I've never been to one of mine because I live so far away from where I graduated, but I went to one of my SO's reunions with her and everyone got really drunk and had a fabulous time.

Well, if you think it's going to make you feel bad about yourself, it might be best to not attend, especially since you haven't been in contact with anyone.

However, you're far from the only person who's ever been in this dilemma. Reunions can bring a great deal of stress for a lot of people.

It's so stupidly American to base self-worth on job title and paycheck. It makes me sad. I'm kind of in a similar situation, though my 10-year reunion was last year, but I didn't go (though I had a kick-ass job). It wound up being cancelled due to lack of interest. LOL

No. I wouldn't go even if I had won the Nobel Prize. I hate seeing people from way back in my past. I don't see the point.

Yes, you should go and try to reconnect with some of your old friends. You are probably more successful than many of the others who will be there, anyway.

I don't know what's right for you, but I can tell you about my own experience. I didn't have anything to brag about at my class reunions, but I went because I was curious. Most of my classmates didn't have anything to brag about either. It seems to me that very few people actually pursue the goals they set for themselves in high school. Life has a way of getting us side-tracked.

I had a pretty good time at my 10-year reunion, but my 20-year reunion was the best. I actually took my girlfriend along and came out to everyone as a lesbian. They were all really nice and accepting, and I'm so glad I did it! We had a really fun evening! So, if I could handle that, I bet you'll do just fine. But only go if you really want to. Your lack of schooling or career accomplishments are not who you are. Try not to judge yourself so harshly.

I missed mine because it was very inconvenient, but I was pretty curious. If you go, and you don't lie at all - you make a promise to yourself that you won't - you might find that when you're telling people about your life you are finding all the good things you do have, just so you don't sound so unhappy. By the end of the reunion, you'll have reminded yourself of all kinds of good stuff going on and will feel great.

Or, I suppose, you could think of it as a public service. These folks maybe didn't like you, maybe envied you, maybe in the past 10 years they've been thinking that they have things pretty good, but you probably are better off than them. If you go and tell them how things aren't really working out for you right now, you'll give a whole room full of people something to think about.

Or you could just ignore it and get on with your life.

Yes for sure!!!I think once you get there,you'll have fun!!Your probably just aprehensive about it.Have a Zima before you go,that will relax you.Then look for the people with whom you clicked with,10 years ago,& just make with the pleasentrys,everything else will fall into place. If not,hey,just make an excuse to leave.

Thanks for all the replies. I'm not really embarrassed about the way my life turned out. Just having my daughter makes everything I wanted to do in high school seem infinitesimal. And there's a reason for being in the job I'm in - I have the flexibility to do anything I want. I leave at four so I can pick my daughter up at a reasonable time. I can work from home (within reason) when she's sick. Plus I make a darn good salary doing what I do. I just have no where to go in the job right now.

I AM curious about going. I am not the same person I was then. Then, I was very insecure, always needing to be the best or I felt like nothing. So when I think about going back, some of those old feelings and that competitive spirit I had back then come back. However, I can't imagine my life without my daughter and I'm sure that if things had gone as "planned" (graduate from Princeton, go to law school, get a highly-stressful job, makes gobs of money), I wouldn't have her right now. So that makes up for it for me. Plus I have to remember, I made these plans when I was 18 and thought I knew everything. What a laugh!

I missed my 10 year reunion because I was 7 months pregnant and needed to go to the bathroom every 5 seconds (at least that's how it felt) and the reunion was being held in a popular park where I knew the bathrooms were quite a distance from the picnic area. I didn't want to risk an accident so I didn't go! I alway regretted missing the reunion!

Don't go unless there is someone you want to see or curious about. But I don't say that because you have had a tough time of it. Bad times or no, you don't own the people of the past anything.

well, if what you say about not being in touch with anyone is true, unless there are people that will be there that you really want to see and get back into contact with......... i see no reason to go!

I haven't decided yet myself.

I haven't kept in touch with anyone from my high school years. In some ways, I really wanted to put high school completely behind me. When I got to college, I made so many new friends compared to my high school years - no one would really associate with me because I was "brainiac" and was deemed unapproachable. Didn't date at all because I wasn't terribly attractive or self-confident enough to try, and anyway was only ever in honors level classes with the same group of about a dozen or so people who were my "friends" - but we only ever hung out because we were the only people we ever hung out with.

*sigh*. A few regrets; maybe I should have gone to that private school that my parents were trying to get me to go to. Maybe I would have met more peers sooner and learned to socialize better and more quickly.

You sound very happy to have your daughter, so if anyone asks if you went to law school, just whip out the pictures and tell them you did something much more worthwhile. When they see how happy you are, you'll be the envy of the class!

I say go!! I tried to organize my 10 yr with disastrous results and I ended up not going (My dad died a couple of mos, before it was to take place) but I did get to catch up on old times with old classmates via the phone!

Whew!
Your life sounds WONDERFUL!!

Absofudginglutely! I went to my 10 year reunion and had a blast. I would never advise anyone under any circumstances not to go. Probably best to find someone from your class you can go with. As far as your accomplishments, or lack thereof, focus on the positive. You are not going to be under any obligation to get into some kind of self-critical analysis. I'm sure there are positive things you can discuss with your old school mates. Or on the other hand, talk about your plans for the future.

Don't listen to those people who are telling you not to go. I strongly disagree with all of them. I've seen some of those Hollywood movies, and TV show where they make it out like high school reunions are all about impressing everyone with your success. It doesn't have to be like that. It can be whatever you want it to be. Just think of it as going to a party and running into a lot of people you haven't seen for a long time.

you may as well go. lots of people dont achieve what they want to after high school. however,have a nice fat 'story' about your life in case people did better than you thought. this could be a nice reality check for you.

It's had its twists and turn, but all-in-all, it is pretty good. I just get the "what ifs" every so often which then brings on melancholy surveys.

Other: I don't care

Great idea. Go dressed as a hooker.

I may just do that!! Or maybe I'll just bring my 10 1/2 year old niece and pass her off as my daughter. That would really get them - I was the biggest goody-goody in high school.

Just go and have fun with it. Forget about "who's better than who" and just go to see how much older everyone looks. Don't be ashamed of your past.

I didn't go to mine, but that may have been because my social group while I was in high school was not composed of other people at my high school. If there were anyone there who I was remotely curious about... I probably still wouldn't have gone, since it was inconvenient in both space and time, but I'd at least have thought about it.

Don't go to a reunion to be seen. Go to a reunion to see people. If there's no one you want to see, don't go.

I don't know, you didn't really mention whether or not you WANT to go... I'd go, but thats just me.

Why in the hell do you want to go, after what you just said????

common......how many lives would you live? be what you are and have fun.............

If you don't keep in touch with anyone, you'll go there and won't know anybody and you might be all alone. You should go have fun with people you keep in touch with that night instead, like your family.

I love dressing like a slut, it probably takes people off balance when they talk to me and it ends up being about higher consciousness rather than sexual promiscuity.

Myself, I'd wear a tux and talk trash.
People would mistake me for a US Senator.

I suppose so.

Why? Why do you want to meet people who obviously meant so little to you that you have not bothered keeping in touch? I believe this is just an exercise for some people to massage their lagging self esteem, an attempt to appear more important than people they never liked and have not seen for 10 years.

I'm not familiar with reunions but if I were you I wouldn't go. you've moved on from them and do you really want to see any of them anyhow?

Same scenerio here. I wasnt stuck up or anything but just chose not to do drugs or party therefore I wasnt part of the "in" crowd. I'm still ok with that decision. I didnt attend any reunions and don't regret it. Why would you go back to people that didnt accept you? BTW I stood up in class & called my senior class druggies and alcoholics right before the senior trip. It played out just that way and there hasn't been a class trip since then (1977)

I don't understand. Are you proud that there hasn't been a trip since?

Yes, I think you should go as you should not be judged on how many degrees you have. How many degrees a person has, has never impressed me. I think the biggest success in the world is being a good person, being a responsible citizen. Having a happy family, a good marriage, happy, healthy children. These are the successes of life. I didn't go to a reunion once because I had "grown older", gained a few pounds, I didn't want anyone to see me other than how they remembered me, a svelte 108 lbs. I had a friend who attended the reunion, and brought back pictures of the reunion, and 99.99% person were like me, gained a few lbs., grayed. I'm going to my next one. If people judge you by the amount of degrees you have, they aren't worth knowing. I know for men it has to be more difficult than it is for women. Hold your head up, and go. You will find many people just like yourself there.

Yeah, just lie about yourself. Or in the other way, just don't go. It's wasting money.

Personly, I would go to my reunion just to shock people with my new look(if I get one), and to see what has become of everyone that I allready knew. Well, only the people I give a damn about.