Maybe I just don't get it

[yendi]

I'm getting lots of email from my alma mater about my twentieth reunion.

And I'm just a tad baffled.

I kind of get high school reunions; if you liked the people you went to school with, why not catch up with them after all these years? I've never had a huge interest in it, but I do get it (and am vaguely considering my 25th next year, mainly because it's reasonably easy to hop a bus to NYC).

But college was never about the people who graduated in 1994. Sure, some of them were my friends, but at college, you take classes with kids from all four years, you often room with them, and friendships form around clubs, events, etc. Other than my freshman hall, I never once had a group that was only folks in my class, and my freshman hall was 75% douches who joined fraternities and embodied the second through tenth worst stereotypes thereof. I had friends who were two or three years older than me, and ones who were freshmen when I was a senior. That's a range of six or seven years. Why would I want to go back to only see a chunk of those people?

Also, hi. We live in the age of the internet. I know exactly how about 80% of the folks I remember from college are doing. Including most of the folks from my freshman hall that I liked (and too many of the ones I didn't).

So why, exactly, would I want to pay hundreds to travel back to campus, see maybe fifteen people (if I'm lucky) that I actually remember, and not see almost anyone I actually give a shit about? Any why is this a huge thing in general? I mean, if you went to a fucking huge school like Michigan, why in the world would you travel back, when the odds of even seeing those folks from your class would be smaller than mine?

Comments

[featheredfrog.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure that a reunion day is for many classes, it's just that the 5-multiples often get the billing. At MY alma mater, all classes show up, and it's possible to re-meet friends from that seven-year span.

Of course, emails sent in good time could assure the people YOU'D like to see are encouraged to attend. Otherwise you run the risk of only seeing the FratBoys.

[yendi]

They do technically do that, but since it's a national university with people scattered everywhere, people not in an anniversary class aren't likely to show up unless they're local.

AFAIK, none of the folks I'd like to see are planning on going, but if I were to spend the money, I'd rather spend it to fly to them directly.

[rolypolypony.livejournal.com]

We've been to a couple and I personally go not to really see people, though we often get a little group of friends who all go, but to get to stay on campus again! Conn puts you up in the dorms, which I love.

It also helps that DH and I went to the same place and are 2 different years, so we cover a lot of the people we'd like to see between those two things!

[yendi]

*Shudder* The dorms at Emory were not the greatest. But I did appreciate seeing how the campus changed when I went back two years ago for a conference (it had only been five years since I'd stopped working there, but that was enough time for major change).

Yeah, I could see how having two classes worth of folks would increase the odds. OTOH, I shudder to think what would have happened if I'd married any of the women I'd dated in college.

[rolypolypony.livejournal.com]

Hahah! :) Conn's dorms are mostly good - some better than others, and they usually put us up in the nicer ones, which is smart since they do keep asking for donations ;)

Hahah! yeah, I really lucked out w/ DH!!

(waves)

[raidingparty.livejournal.com]

I'm usually around each year, 5-year mark or no.

Re: (waves)

[yendi]

Yeah, that was the case for me for years, too.

Re: (waves)

[raidingparty.livejournal.com]

Of course, it's easier when one lives in the same city...

[sdaisyk.livejournal.com]

My small liberal arts college has Alumni Weekend every year. There are specific events (dinners, receptions) for the 5 year classes but individuals from all classes are invited. Since quite a few alums live in the general area, they often drop by even when it's not "their" year.

But, yes, totally. Though I actually feel that way more about high school reunions. There doesn't seem to be any formal attempts at reunions for my high school and the impromptu one that formed for my 10th was basically one specific clique going to the local theme park. No thanks.

[yendi]

Ours does that too, but since it's a larger national (international, actually) university, people are scattered pretty equally everywhere.

[yendi]

(And I'm surprised by the lack of attempts at reunions; my HS sees it as a pretty clear opportunity to beg for money.)

[kizlj.livejournal.com]

YM "mainly because it's reasonably easy to hop a bus to NYC and Stacy & David are awesome to hang out with and have a lovely guest room to stay in."

but +1 yes on all the other sentiments.

[yendi]

Exactly! Textexpander clearly messed up there. :-)

[phantom_wolfboy]

I work for the University I went to, so I don't get curious about how it's doing. I never get contacted about reunions because, I suppose, I never graduated.

[yendi]

*nod* The fact that I worked for my alma mater for twelve years after graduating didn't help.

[yendi]

(Although I'm surprised they don't hit you up for money; my elementary/middle/high school sends mailers to people who transferred out after the fourth grade.)

[spoothbrush.livejournal.com]

I have yet to attend a college reunion, but from what I see on Facebook one of the major reasons to go isn't so much to see people as it is to crash the parties of the classes with the best fundraising.

[yendi]

Party crashing is a time-honored tradition, but that doesn't sound like something I'd travel hundreds of miles for.