High School Reunion

Guest Post by Scott (HawKeye) Haanstad

Are you a Class Reunion Organizer or on the Reunion Committee developing plans for a Reunion sometime soon or a year away?  Attendees, would you like to know what to ask someone you haven’t seen in the past 10, 20, or 40+ years?  Would you like to learn how to understand them better and hear of their life experiences?  Here are some insightful questions to ask that will help you learn more about your long lost Friends with these broad and open-ended questions.

PRO TIP: Post these questions on a Facebook Reunion Group page months ahead of the nailed down date for the reunion and encourage all Classmates to answer them prior to the actual reunion on the Group page.

1. What is something you learned in High School or College that you are still using today?
2. Who was your favorite teacher in School and what was it about that teacher that made them so engaging?
3. What Classmate helped you in some fashion to make school better for you?
4. What is the best piece of advice you could share with someone graduating from High School this year?
5. Tell me about your kids/grandkids? Ask for their names and ages.
6. Which towns have you lived in since we graduated?
7. What would you say is the most meaningful thing that has happened to you since we graduated? What else? What else?
8. What do you still want to experience that you have never done that is waiting for action on your bucket list?
9. Did anyone ever “save” your bacon? Who would you thank and tell me why?
10. Who/whom do hope to see again at your class reunion and why do you hope to see them again?
11. What would you like to spend time doing in your post working years and where would you like to do it? Why there?
12. Out of Town attendees. Where do you currently reside and why did you choose that location?
13. If you could travel back in time, what (2) two pieces of information that you now know, would you teach your younger self back in your senior year?

EXAMPLE: Here is one response our class received on the Facebook Reunion Group page from classmate, Scott B. (prior) to our 42nd Class reunion held June 10 & 11, 2022:

What is something you learned in High School or College that you are still using today?

 Answer:  “Power Mechanics.”

Who was your favorite teacher(s) in School and what was it about that teacher that made them so engaging? 

Answer:  “Mr. C.L. Landes, he gave me great advice “Enjoy your school time. Don’t work to buy a car and then have to work to keep the car.  You’ll work your whole life.  Enjoy school. He also approached us a lot like a friend, not a supervisor.  Fantastic teacher.”

What is the best piece of advice you could share with someone graduating from High School this year? 

Answer:  “Put down your phone and Get in the arena, life is short.” 

What would you like to spend time doing in your post working years and where would you like to do it? Why there?

 Answer:  “Alaska sightseeing.”

Asking questions about your classmates prior to any reunion has several benefits.  Knowing what locations people are from, why they migrated there, what other classmates did to help another of your classmates in school, and what is on their bucket list will give you confidence to attend an upcoming class reunion and improve future relationships that will grow again. Don’t withhold what everyone needs to give and receive. Freely give out plenty of hugs while you meet old friends and follow-up within 3 days on commitments made to see or call one another. That action will fertilize the planted seed of re-connection that was hungry for too many decades.