School Days

Just recently, well about two weeks ago, I was invited to join one of those groups on Facebook called “I Grew Up In and Around [YOUR TOWN HERE]” which seem to be popping up all over Facebook.  Okay, I thought, I’ll give it a go….Well, that was two weeks ago and as you can see by my blog posting lately, it has taken up most all of my waking hours.  Every couple of minutes I’m on there again, checking to see who’s posted and what they’ve been saying.  Looking at the other people posting on there, it’s been taking over their lives too.

The point of my discussion of this “timewasting” is that I’ve actually reconnected with school friends I haven’t seen or heard of in at least 30 years (yes, I’m that bloody old)… It’s amazing how the memories come flooding back and you remember the tiniest little things, with prompting from old friends.  The thing is, there are names on there that seem familiar, but I have no idea who they are.

Which (sort of) made me wish I had grown up in America.   Okay, calm down – I’m not saying I want to be American.  There are just things schools do here that we don’t in England, like:

 Year Books

My daughter's in there - somewhere!!

When my children were in school, they would come home every year, no matter what grade they were in and ask to buy a year book.  I would always tell them “No, you will be seeing those kids next term.”  I did relent when they left Intermediate School to go to High School and they also got one in High School…. The problem was they were at least $120 and from what I could see, all they contained were photographs of activities during the school year and a picture of each child and what class they were in.  Then on the last day of term, they would get ruined by everyone collecting autographs and scribbling notes for each other.  What a waste of money I thought at the time.
 

Prom - An expensive evening

Prom

Yeah, Prom is basically a school disco, but on a much bigger scale including extremely (in my experience) expensive dresses and limos.  But I’ve noticed what it is designed to do is to give the seniors a good send off out into their lives.  Everyone is there and they all get to say goodbye to each other.

Graduation

Graduation is a big deal, even in High School.  Caps and Gowns and of course, a new outfit underneath just so you can walk across the field to get your diploma.  I’m not really sure what the diploma is for, it doesn’t enable you to get a job as you haven’t taken any exams to get it (but that would be a whole other blog discussion).

When I left school we did our exams at the end of term (O levels, A levels and the like) and once they were finished we didn’t go back, or look back – we went out and got a job!  There wasn't any big hoorah or even a goodbye from the school.

High School Reunions

People I work with talk about going to the school reunions.  They seem to be every 10, 20, 25, 30 years – I even know one lady who is planning on attending her 60^th school reunion!  Can you imagine how many people will be at that one?  I’ve often wondered how the planners know where you live.  What a great thing – getting to see all your friends again!

 

But getting back to my original thought.  There are so many names I recognize in that Facebook group that I just wish I had a Year Book so I could put a face to a name.  I still might not know who the heck they are, but at least I could use it to try and jog my memory.

 

And it looks like there might be an actual reunion in the works!  Whoo hoo - now we too can all go and judge our school friends and pretend we are something we aren’t – which I have been told is what really happens at such events. 

I don’t know why anyone would want to judge me though, I just grew up into a tanned, blue eyed, California blonde!!!  J