It pains me to say that out loud. It really gives me the willies! Yes, ladies and germs, yours truly attended her 10 year high school reunion yesterday. Brrrrrr. I can honestly say though, that it certainly doesnt feel like 10 years have passed at all!!! And all the girls that attended felt the same way. Lots has happened since we parted ways, but Im glad that I went and managed to catch up with some old friends and classmates.
After a short stint at Jeppe Prep, I went on to Jeppe High School for girls in Kensington, on a hot summer’s day in 1993. Lol, that sounds corny. Going to an all girls-school seemed a bit daunting at first for a shy but boy-crazy girl like me, but soon it proved to be the best choice I could have made. I was able to be myself, concentrate on my studies and make some of the best friends a girl could ever ask for. I still keep in contact with most of them, though sometimes it can be quite an effort as we go on with our separate lives!
Some of my best years were spent there, though at the time I didn’t seem to think so. All I wanted was to get out of there and get on with my life, and experience new and crazy adventures. I don’t miss the horrible green uniforms and black and white blazers (!!) but I do miss the carefree, fun-filled days spent with my friends at break and during class, getting up to all sorts of mischief and laughter. (Remember that time I got hold of the microphone during exams and sang “Only You” at break? Hahahaha, good times).
There are lot of stories I could tell, but I will leave that for some other time. As most of you know, I recently visited my best friend, Wendy, who lives in London. She was supposed to come down this week for the reunion, but due to unfortunate circumstances, was not able to make it. I would lie if I say that I wasn’t disappointed, because I really really was! We had a lot of plans for the week, but the last thing I wanted to do was make Wendy feel guilty as this was really beyond her control.
I considered not going to the reunion as I wasn’t up to facing most of these girls on my own. I hadn’t seen any of them since high school save for a few that attended some of my classes with me at varsity. In the end, literally at the very last minute, I sucked it in and went to our little reunion that was held at the Secret Garden in Fourways. Immediately I was welcomed with open arms and didn’t take long to break the ice and get back into the swing of things. The proceedings were opened by the Deputy-Head Girl who read some announcements, including a note from the Head Girl, who unfortunately couldn’t make it.
It was interesting to see that after a bit of mingling, everyone sat down with their picnic baskets in much the same sort of groups we had in high school. In one corner you had the “Blonde Brigade” (as Wendy once christened them. Never mind that she is blonde too! Haha), on another you had the intellectuals, on the other you had the Portuguese girls and on the other, you had, well us, the non-conformists, I guess you could call us. The wild, party girls? Hahaha. To be honest, I cant really give a name to our group. We were all unique, diverse, and I dare say, smart girls that complemented and supported each other through the tough and confusing high school years.
I was sad that my closest group of friends, as in Wendy, Kim, Tamsyn and Tanya, were not present, but at least I could catch up with other good friends that I hadn’t seen or spoken to all these years. I’m going to make an extra effort to remain in contact with them, and now with the wonders of facebook, its all the more easier to do so.
Its was also a bit daunting to see that while I’m still single and partying up a storm, others have been settled for years and are now proud mothers of one, two, three (!!) kids! Some even already have 9 year old kids! (pregnant during matric, you ask?) No, I didn’t get broody at all, in fact, I was quite scared, but it was interesting to watch these girls running after their kids, when it seemed that not so long ago, we were kids ourselves. Me, Im Peter Pan, dammit!
So where does that leave me now? Well, Im still going to carry on, living the life I have been living so far and have wanted to live so far. Im sure there are more adventures waiting for me out there, and Im ready for them, whatever’s out there. Like our school motto says “Forti Nihil Difficilius” – Nothing is too difficult for the Brave.
(ok, that was corny too).
Some of my best years were spent there, though at the time I didn’t seem to think so. All I wanted was to get out of there and get on with my life, and experience new and crazy adventures. I don’t miss the horrible green uniforms and black and white blazers (!!) but I do miss the carefree, fun-filled days spent with my friends at break and during class, getting up to all sorts of mischief and laughter. (Remember that time I got hold of the microphone during exams and sang “Only You” at break? Hahahaha, good times).
There are lot of stories I could tell, but I will leave that for some other time. As most of you know, I recently visited my best friend, Wendy, who lives in London. She was supposed to come down this week for the reunion, but due to unfortunate circumstances, was not able to make it. I would lie if I say that I wasn’t disappointed, because I really really was! We had a lot of plans for the week, but the last thing I wanted to do was make Wendy feel guilty as this was really beyond her control.
I considered not going to the reunion as I wasn’t up to facing most of these girls on my own. I hadn’t seen any of them since high school save for a few that attended some of my classes with me at varsity. In the end, literally at the very last minute, I sucked it in and went to our little reunion that was held at the Secret Garden in Fourways. Immediately I was welcomed with open arms and didn’t take long to break the ice and get back into the swing of things. The proceedings were opened by the Deputy-Head Girl who read some announcements, including a note from the Head Girl, who unfortunately couldn’t make it.
It was interesting to see that after a bit of mingling, everyone sat down with their picnic baskets in much the same sort of groups we had in high school. In one corner you had the “Blonde Brigade” (as Wendy once christened them. Never mind that she is blonde too! Haha), on another you had the intellectuals, on the other you had the Portuguese girls and on the other, you had, well us, the non-conformists, I guess you could call us. The wild, party girls? Hahaha. To be honest, I cant really give a name to our group. We were all unique, diverse, and I dare say, smart girls that complemented and supported each other through the tough and confusing high school years.
I was sad that my closest group of friends, as in Wendy, Kim, Tamsyn and Tanya, were not present, but at least I could catch up with other good friends that I hadn’t seen or spoken to all these years. I’m going to make an extra effort to remain in contact with them, and now with the wonders of facebook, its all the more easier to do so.
Its was also a bit daunting to see that while I’m still single and partying up a storm, others have been settled for years and are now proud mothers of one, two, three (!!) kids! Some even already have 9 year old kids! (pregnant during matric, you ask?) No, I didn’t get broody at all, in fact, I was quite scared, but it was interesting to watch these girls running after their kids, when it seemed that not so long ago, we were kids ourselves. Me, Im Peter Pan, dammit!
So where does that leave me now? Well, Im still going to carry on, living the life I have been living so far and have wanted to live so far. Im sure there are more adventures waiting for me out there, and Im ready for them, whatever’s out there. Like our school motto says “Forti Nihil Difficilius” – Nothing is too difficult for the Brave.
(ok, that was corny too).
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