Then-President Bill Clinton and then-Senator Bob Dole were headed for a showdown for the Presidency of the United States. Atlanta, Georgia was a few months away from hosting the best athletes in the world for the Summer Olympic Games. “Tha Crossroads”, a song by Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony, was the #1 song of the summer.
It was June 1996 and I, along with 419 others, had just graduated from Ballard High School in Louisville, KY.
Now, 20 years and a few months later, the Class of 1996 is preparing for our 20-year reunion, later this Fall (exact date still to be determined).
I have read a few articles in the past on how Facebook and social media could dampen the allure and ‘magic’ of school reunions. You now can see what old friends are up to, and have been up to, in their daily lives: this person is coming off of a successful family vacation, while that person is making a career change; this friend just had her third child, that friend just finalized a divorce; this person is still living in Louisville and doesn’t plan on moving any time soon but that person has lived all over the country. Reading these life-posts on Facebook would virtually take away any potential discussion topics and reconnection points.
For folks that may not have an interest in reliving memories of, or seeing people from, High School, and for folks like me – a guy who was ridiculously shy throughout most of High School and still suffers from bouts of Badly Timed Shyness™ – Facebook would seem like a great alternative to a face-to-face talk at a reunion. I could talk to, joke with, laugh with (or at), or virtually comfort friends from HS from the comforts of my own room, at my own computer or phone, without potential awkward social situations.
However, Facebook has had almost the exact opposite effect on me: I want to see friends and classmates in person, after interacting with them online. I haven’t run into many classmates since our 10-year reunion (or 1996, in a lot of cases), especially since I left Target 3 1/2 years ago; the reunion would change that.
Now, I won’t mind telling my ‘story’ since the days of Ballard, but I would rather hear their stories: how has life been in Nashville; how has Ford and Ann Arbor, Michigan treated you; how is teaching at Asbury University been; as so on and so forth (names withheld because I have no clue if the 3 mentioned can/will go).
Also, I’m not good at trying to impress someone or “show off”, so forgive me if things seem a little… dull, if/when I tell you about the past 20 years. What you see is generally what you get. 😉
So, even if I read classmates’ posts on Facebook, I am still looking forward to our 20-year reunion. There will be good music (I’M NOT DANCING! lol), good times, and great memories to recall and to make. I don’t know yet if this will be a one-night reunion or a weekend event (if you are in Louisville early, I’m not opposed to meeting up for something a day or 2 before or after the reunion), but I hope to see as many people as possible!!
B-H-S! I love it, I love it, I love it!
The Nexus 