Forty years after graduating from high school many gathered for multiple activities. Although I didn’t remember a lot of them I now have new old friends.
After very little sleep on a red-eye special from Las Vegas to Chicago and a drive through memory lane I arrived at my hostess/fellow student/friend’s house in the far western suburbs (which was out in the rural sticks in 1972). I honestly don’t remember Sandee from high school yet have gotten to know her on, yes, FaceBook over the last year and love her. She has a zest for life that just can’t be beat, summer kayaking and bike riding with her grandchildren. We chatted away like long lost friends, sharing our herstories, memories of school days, marriage(s), children, laughs and tears.
Girls Night Out
Soon it was time for our first reunion activity. At least 20 gals mingled around a large table at Emmett’s Brewing Company in downtown Downers Grove. I really didn’t remember anybody. And although we stayed for several hours I was rather flagged out from pulling an all-nighter, which I hadn’t done since high school.
No bowling at the alley
Friday night we gathered at the Tivoli Bowling Alley. Nobody bowled. I’d never been there before but had been to the movie theater next door many times. One person put together a music CD of favorites from the 70s and a few folks shook their booties. I finally saw some people I knew, plus a whole bunch I didn’t. Seems the people I remember best where ones I went to grade school and junior high school with before moving on to high school which was a class of 688 students at graduation. Was fun to catch up and reminisce. Plus I walked around looking at name tags and just introducing myself to those I didn’t remember. I met a whole lot of really nice people that way.
The Big Hurrah
Finally Saturday night, the big bash and semi-formal gathering at Bolingbrook Country Club with 116 students in attendance plus many spouses. I recognized a few more names. In fact we all squealed like little girls when two ladies whose Moms were my Girl Scout leaders saw each other. Those were some fun times going camping and learning about the great outdoors. I was amazed by three couples who were high school sweethearts and still married after all these years. The organizers did a fabulous job.
Actually created by our class cut-up
The big take away for me was how totally happy everyone seems to be with their lives. So glad we have a class FaceBook page to keep up with everyone. And I don’t think we’ll be waiting another ten years to meet again. In fact so many classmates now live in Arizona we want to have a gathering here.
After 40 years people really hadn’t changed that much physically, well at least in our faces. And I’m sticking with that.
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I also graduated in 1972 but did not even realize that this is my 40th year out of school!!!! OMG I feel old now!!! Especially since I hadn’t even had a second thought about how long it has been.
The class of ’72 was a great class no matter where you went to school. I graduated from Western Branch High School in Chesapeake, VA. Go Bruins!!!!
You’re only as old as you feel. Me, I’m still a kid.
You’re just a kid to some of us you know. Our oldest graduated in 76! Looks like a great reunion and the class FB page is a great idea.
I still feel like a kid, most of the time.
Looks like your reunion was great. Nice when you come out of it with more friends than when you arrived.
Glad you had a good time. When I went to 15th way back when, most of the people that were there were people I didn’t know. I had a pretty good time getting to know them. The people I did know from way back, I didn’t like near as much.
You looked great in your blue dress, Gaelyn. Were you the one who came from the most far away? Yep Bob and I have been together since 10th grade – who would have thought?
Thanks Barb. I’m happily amazed about the long time relationships like yours. Someone came from Hawaii.
What fun you must have had! My next one is 2015….
Do you plan to attend?
Its amazing how one looses touch with old school friends and often only get to connect with them again at events like these. Facebook is changing a lot of that though and you can keep in contact without having to chat all the time.
Our Facebook page is still getting a lot of action and I believe we’ll have a gathering in AZ sometime soon. It was great to reconnect.