High School Reunions

Okay, so I was recently invited to my 10 year high school reunion.

Yay.

I mean, who doesn’t love those weird and brutally awkward events where men compare wallet sizes and cars while women judge each other on how they’ve kept up physically.

Throw in trying to convince your old high school teachers and principals that you’re not the jerk you once were and, well, you’ve got yourself one ulcer-inducing party.

Yet, I continue to ask myself: What’s the point?

I see it in television shows all the time. Most popular shows have that “reunion episode”. You know, the episode where splurge dieting, excessive makeovers, and the “Are you seriously wearing that, sweetie?” punch line runs rampant. TV shows such as Yes, Dear, King of Queens, and According to Jim have all aired episodes about the nerve-wracking event. Many others love to touch on the idea of high school awkwardness altogether.

And why shouldn’t it? Your high school years were either a collection of memories you’d sooner forget or a time you wish you could have back. Oh, and it makes for hilarious television.

Chestnut jokes can never get old can they?

For me? It’s the latter. I had a great time in high school (too great if you ask me) but it was one of the best times of my life when you consider the lack of responsibility I had. I can’t recall another time where I had the most amount of freedom and the least amount of responsibility at the same time.

So I have found that the reason most television shows have those reunion episodes is because it’s all so true. The “realness” of the situation is intriguing because we can all relate. It’s all too personally familiar.

Yet, I still don’t get the purpose of going back to it all.

Especially this day in age.

In today’s world the popularity of social networking sites (i.e., Myspace, Facebook, etc), in my opinion, have taken out the necessity of high school reunions. They have made them irrelevant.

For example, everyone I cared about in high school I’ve managed to keep in touch with and visit from time to time. But thanks to the idea of social networking, even those I never really cared for have somehow contacted me and ended up on a meaningless “friends” list.

And you know what’s funny?

I know where they all live. I know whether they’re married or single, how many children they have or how they look. I know where they work, what their religious preferences are, and even they’re income level.

Heck, I even get a nice little reminder when they’re birthday is around the corner.

All thanks to social networking.

So, again, I just don’t get it.

Everything a high school reunion is supposed accomplish has been thwarted by the likes of one “Tom” and a bored college student by the name of Mark Zuckerburg.

So I beg the question: what’s the point of high school reunions? Seriously, if you’re reading this, I really want to know because I have yet to find a relevant and descent answer.

Suffice it to say, I personally think high school reunions are ridiculous and dumb. They’re designed to make you feel and act exactly how you felt in high school. A weird feeling of awkwardness coupled with a sense of urgency to impress.

If you really want to know how good ol’ (insert name) is doing, look them up on Myspace or Facebook. Want to find out if those rumors of (insert name) you’ve been hearing about are true? Look them up on Myspace or Facebook. It’s all a click away.

So thank you Myspace and Facebook. You have made my excuse for not attending my high school reunion that much easier.