This must be what time travel feels like. I hopped into my four-cylinder hybrid time machine last Friday and went back 30 years.

I attended one of my high school reunions for the first time. I intended to go to the 20th but had a family conflict. I figured I had better go to the 30th because I have heard that after you get past the 10-year reunion they are pretty fun. So I was off to Hibbing, Minnesota. I was beginning to wonder if I would make it to the Iron Range in time for my 40th reunion while sitting in a road construction zone near Hinckley.

I was still nervous about attending. I was not very outgoing in high school. My job over the past 25 years however has forced me outside my high school comfort zone. I arrived right at the start of Friday night's mixer to find a small group of people that I did not socialize much with during our high school days.

To my pleasant surprise it was not too difficult to strike up a conversation, even with those casual friends from high school. Most conversations consisted of where do you live, what are the kids up to and do you remember that person. Our graduation class was about 275 so I wasn't surprised to run into people that I didn't remember. I'm sure it was a stretch for some to remember me as well.

Still, I felt some people had hardly changed over three decades. In fact I recognized one guy by the back of his head. Apparently I sat behind him in class a few times. He and I chatted for a while. One woman rattled through a number of elementary school memories, some that I recalled and some that I didn't. I was thrilled to run into a best friend and catch up with him.

I stayed at the house of a good friend and classmate and battled him in some pool and ping pong and spent an afternoon at his cabin on the lake. I also visited my brother, who still lives in the area.

All in all my fears of standing in the corner by myself never materialized. I really appreciate the work the reunion organizers put in to create a welcome atmosphere for everyone. I regret missing my 20th now and will make every effort to make it to the future reunions.

Go Bluejackets!

reunion
Roy Koenig, Townsquare Media
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