Tuesday, May 5, 2009

20 years, really?

A certain realization kind of smacked me in the face a few days ago.......this month marks the 20th year since my graduation from high school. OMG, are you serious? I'm 37, turning 38 this summer, and it seems like those 20 years went by in about the time it takes you to snap your fingers.

When you see sitcom episodes about 20th high school reunions, the people have always seemed so.........so.........well, so old. And I don't feel like that, I really don't. It seems impossible that the Class of 1989 at BSHS can really have walked across that windy football field 20 years ago to receive our diplomas. I was 5th in my class, and back then (see, I do sound old) it was accepted practice for the 5th ranking graduate at our school to read the Benediction prayer at the close of the ceremony. My lovely flat-topped cap with its gold tassel nearly blew off quite a few times while I was speaking, and I had to hold on *tightly* to my note cards to keep from losing them.

And let's don't even talk about college graduation and the fact that it was 16 years ago.......seems equally unreal to me; it can't have been that long ago. I really don't feel like I'm all that much older than the students I teach, but in reality, I am. And the gray hairs I see in the mirror are proof. Plus, the other day one of my high school freshmen told me that her Mom is 41....ok, there is NO freakin way I can imagine myself with a 9th grader right now. 2nd grade is tough enough, thank you.

K and I went to our 10th reunions (he's the same age, went to our rival school across town!), and they were fine but I don't see a reason to go to the 20th. If we even have one, that is; I've heard nothing so far about anything being planned, and neither has he for his school. Plus, with the advent of Facebook and its "trickle up" effect, nearly all of the people I might be interested to see and catch up with at a reunion are now my FB friends and I can "see" them and talk to them whenever I want. K's theory is that Facebook will doom many high school reunions.....no one will choose to go because there's really no need.

So anyway, Happy 20th to all of you Class of '89 kids out there, from my school and everywhere else.......and just for fun, take a look at your old yearbooks and get a good laugh looking at our old clothes and hairstyles. ;)

4 comments:

Amy said...

OMG I was just having a talk about reunions with DH the other night. This year is my 10th reunion and I don't think that we'll go...as you said, the ones I care to keep in touch with I already do through FB and some in person as well. Amazing how fast the time flies by!

The Queen said...

Jen I had that same slap in the face of how LONG ago it really was when one of the proffesors at the college looked up my ACT scores and I hadn't taken them since 1991!!!!! That's been 18 years ago, how is that even possible, I should have been a baby THAT long ago...oh wait, that's right I was a senior in high school that year!! How could it have been that long ago.

A girl I graduated with has a son who is a senior this year (she had him in high school) it just seems impossible that that is even possible!

Well hold on to that feeling of being close to the same age as your students...you'll need that when you go back to school. That's how I feel and it makes things not so bad :)

Floortime Lite Mama said...

you look soooo young much younger than 37
- I too am totally saying things like - "I cant believe its been 14 years "

Lowcountry Mom said...

Well, and let me just add that a SENIOR that I teach told me today that her mom is about to turn 39....OMG, I could absolutely be her mom, and that would mean a daughter about to leave for college! WOW! Scary.....