Not to go to my 10 Year High School Reunion…

High School Reunions, that event that comes around every 10 years to remind you just how old you really are and how long ago those days of adolescent carelessness have passed us by. Everyone’s experience with high school is different, depending on who you talk to they will either tell you high school was “the best time of my life“ or they will tell you “that period of my life was what I call my version of the dark ages”. My experience with high school was neither of these things but rather it fell through the cracks as neither memorable nor horrible. Come to think of it, if I really contemplate my high school years I view them as unremarkable.

Naturally, when the time came for my former classmates to track me down and give me the details of our ten year reunion, I firmly decided not to go. My choice, isn’t a popular one by most people’s standards, most when given the choice opt to spend a night of nostalgia with the people they grew up with-those people who saw us at every awkward phase and bad haircut ‘whoops I cut my own bangs’ stage. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve watched Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino as Romy and Michelle more times than I can count. I’m certain there’s at least one or two people we’d all like to march up to and say: “oh yeah, well, I hope your babies look like monkeys!” But is it really worth it? When I watch that movie now, having been graduated from High School for 10 years and 4 months I wonder why Romy and Michelle felt the need to go back and impress everybody. I also realized this is one of the many reasons I don’t want to go. It should be noted that it is not the only reason I don’t wish to go and this post isn’t meant to discourage anyone from attending their’s if they so desire. These are my reason not to go.

1. It’s Been 10 Years- Let’s face it, our lives are very different now. I am not the same person I was 10 years ago anymore than any of the people I graduated are. We grew up together, and most of us grew apart. Aside from those one or two people that stood through the tests of time you’re virtually meeting up with strangers and if you’re one of those people who are hoping to come back to a reunion to make your impression on old friends and reconnect with ‘that one who got away’ than I got news for you: should’ve, could’ve, would’ve. The people from your past who do not make it into your future are best left in the past.Most of my graduating class are recovering addicts, dead, or parents to young children which means we have even little in common now than when we went to school together 10 years ago. This is not made to sound bitter, it is just a simple fact of life, everyone is in different phases, this is our late twenties there’s no road map. Our journeys aren’t meant to be exactly the same and while the idea of a reunion is well meant it’s just not necessary to go back and talk to people about everything you’ve gone through without them for the last 10 years.
2. Some People Truly Live In The Past; While Other’s Only Want To Tell You About Themselves- Reunions have two types of people: the gloating ‘look where I’m at and all I’ve done’ people and the ‘do you remember that time?’ People. Some people truly believe that the best time of their lives was in High School, and they will want to relive every adolescent triumph, every moment of glory while the others will go on and on about their careers, spouses and kids-oh or rehab. I truly hope everyone in my graduating class is happy and successful, I hope with all my heart that they love the life they made. I would just much rather continue focusing on that life I made for myself, with true friends and loving/supportive family members. I don’t need people I went to grade school with to approve of my life choices, once more, I went ten years without seeing or speaking to some of you: why the sudden urgency now?

Aside from those two reasons not to go, I can’t honestly think of a reason to go. The people from High School I loved dearly, I still speak to, even if only on Facebook here and there. I’m in touch with those who matter cause I matter to them too. I was one of those people in High School that people either loved or hated but everyone knew my name, everyone knew who I was. I think it’s only fair at this stage of my life that I get to chose who knows who I am now.

But for those of you who will wonder where I am that night, please accept my warmest regards and follow this blog if you’d really like to know me. My name is Brittany Schmidt now, but you’ll always remember me as Brittany Hackett. I am married to a wonderful man, named Tom and we have a beautiful fur baby together, his name is Draco. I have a house, paid off my car, and spent the last six years out of 9 years at my job teaching 3 year old pre-School. I have good days and bad days, ups and downs, I don’t have any human children and I’m not sure if I want any. I was 4 votes away from winning ‘Most Unique’ in our graduating class, I still like to think of myself as unique and I still march to the beat of my own drum.

I wish you all the very best life has to offer and every now and then when I run into your parent or sibling I say a little prayer for you that you’re happy, healthy and surrounded by all the things that make you smile. That’s all anyone really needs to know.

Love you. Mean it.

Brittany

Xoxo