Alameda High School class of 2007…I remember the vivid orange walls and blue lockers (seriously what’s up with that color combo!) like it was yesterday…but the interactions with classmates and inside jokes feel like forever ago…

My 10 year high school reunion was this past weekend and at first, I was hesitant to go. Facebook and Instagram makes it all too easy to check in on what folks are up too that there didn’t seem to be a reason to go. Also I kept echoing the sentiment that whoever I wanted to keep in touch with, I already did, so why should I pay to go make small talk with “strangers”?

So what changed my mind about going you may ask? Well easy, my best friend was class president and was hosting the event. She asked for some planning help so…I had to go 😛 or to be honest, maybe I always was excited to go, but I just didn’t want to have high expectations so I said it would be easier not to go. Anyways, I went and it was held at Building 42 on the Navel Base. And I was pleasantly surprised with the simple yet gorgeous décor of wine barrels and fairy lights. There was a giant Jenga set up along with a few set ups for corn hole.

photocred: Marisa

My friends and I got there an hour early for set up. The wine bottles were lined up. The Spotify list was plugged in and ready to go. The food was unwrapped. Decorations (made by the talented Denise) were laid out. And then we just had to wait for guests to arrive. I admit, a few of us echoed fears that no one would show and we just paid for a glamorous hang out of just my girls. But right on time, an old schoolmate walked in…then a couple did…then a few more…and within the hour, the place was packed with folks yelping with glee at seeing an old face and uproars of laughter while talking about old memories.

I’ve been blessed to have kept a solid core of girlfriends from elementary school (see post about them here) and I always thought that was enough to warrant skipping out on the reunion. But man oh man am I glad I went! It was so nice to see people who have moved away, who have come back, who are married, who are pregnant and many of us who still don’t know what the heck we’re doing 🙂 A few of us ended up taking the after party to Nation’s and I had this moment of sitting there and looking at their faces. Honestly a lot of us didn’t hang out in high school. We were with different crowds and back in the day, the labels mattered more. However, with the ten years that have passed, we’ve matured. We gone out in the world and grown up (some more than others :P) and in this one moment it all came together, we were united. We were united in our memories of homecoming, of first kisses, of drama we had with so and so or of ridiculous teachers and more.

I’m so thankful to be able to look back on the good because Lord knows high school can be tough. And it’s so very nice to know that we all went through it together whether back then or just this past weekend. I can’t wait till our next reunion 🙂 Also special shoutout to my amazing friend Nicole for planning! I promise to help plan the next one…or at least show up and take snapchats 😛 go Hornets! xo