Reunions are great, but they also can be nerve-racking. More than half of the 50 alums surveyed for our latest poll admitted to anxiety about their next reunion. And the rest? We suspect they're just kidding themselves.
A dozen respondents worried that they might not recognize their classmates. "I noticed at the fifth reunion that the women had gotten better looking, and all the men had gotten worse," said a law student, '92. "I couldn't believe how much weight the guys gained. It was sort of hard to recognize them." A homemaker, '59, said she always wears a nametag at reunions. She added, "Not everyone is so thoughtful."
A few alums had unusual anxieties. "I worry I'll run into one of the frat boys I wrote about for the Daily," blurted an investment advisor, '87. An environmental advocate, '96, imagined that "every classmate I ever respected turns out to be an investment banker."
But most graduates approach reunions with a mixture of optimism and humor. "I finally went to a reunion for the first time last year and had a great time," said a magazine executive, '50. "All my football heroes looked worse than I did."
Only five alums admitted to worrying that they might not be as successful as the class nerd. "You hear stories about people who've already launched and sold software companies," said a medical resident, '89. An Oklahoma City attorney, '86, said she can't resist comparing herself to her classmates. "Some of my friends had made their first million shortly after they graduated."
Two alums said they feared bumping into an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend. "It's the threat of the missed opportunity," said an accountant, '96. "I think everyone wonders, 'What if?' "
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