Hilltop High School, Class of 1975 50th Reunion held on Sept 13, 2025 at the Bayside Pavillion is now in the history books. Videos & pictures of the event will be forthcoming.
Reflections of my 50th High School Reunion
Oh where to begin! For me, it was a coin toss whether to attend or not. I mean with the availability of social media now, I was already in touch with most friends I hung with back then. I knew I survived previous reunions in one piece, even enjoyed them, giving everyone the once over to process how they've changed. So I decided to attend this once in a lifetime event, for old times sake. First thing I wanna say is that 50 years post-graduation, we are all the same. No one is "popular" anymore. And if you think you still are, you're not. Not to the majority anyway. Be honest, you haven't thought of most of your graduating class in, oh say, 50 years? Although I did notice a table or two of 'populars' who were still glued together just like the days of old. The dreaded clique! 🙄 It's okay, though. You are who you are, still. The more things change, the more they stay the same, I suppose.
That said, most tables were a nice mix of people from different 'boxes'. That was refreshing to see and most attendees were beyond friendly. I even spotted one of my old gym teachers there, Mrs. Balsley, who blended inconspicuously with everyone else. She aged well, some of us not as lucky 🤔! Unfortunately I didnt get a chance to chat. Hopefully next time. Oh yea, I won a nice raffle prize, a cruise for two on City Cruises. Maybe next year for my 48th wedding anniversary? Yep. 🥰 BTW, there was a bar in the back?! I would have ordered a '70s classic Harvey Wallbanger for nostalgia sake if I'd known it was there earlier in the evening!🥂
I'm pretty sure we were all squinting at the same nametags identifying the person who said hello to us. More than at any previous reunion, this one proved that age was the great equalizer. We're tall, short, ample, thin, not necessarily as we remember each other. Many of the long haired guys back then are now bald or balding, causing me not to immediately recognize 90% of them. 🤷 Disappointing, but a reality of having 50 years pass. We had great fashion sense in those days, didn't we? Girls with hair parted down the middle (if you were lucky enough to have locks that lent itself to that sort of thing), hip huggers and crocheted vests for the girls. Yes, fashionistas!
Today things are not as carefree. Now, some of us are fighting cancer. Some of us have already lost. Most have lost one or both parents. Some have lost a spouse or partner from disease or some other horrible act. The 35+ names in the "In Memoriam" video, nearly 10% of the entire class, are haunting, and a reminder that life is fragile. The jocks, the hippies, the cheerleaders, the stoners, the geeks, the loners, and MIT grads have turned into doctors, landscapers, car dealers, college professors & retirees; some who lost their way & some who exceeded expectations turned into mothers, fathers, & grandparents ... or maybe none of those. And we were all here tonight, escaping the sad divisiveness of the world today, to not so much celebrate who we were in 1975, but that we survived to reunite so many decades later. Here's to the next reunion, if you are lucky enough to make it. - NSandauer
When we graduated, Janis Ian's #1 hit "At Seventeen" was released in July of 1975. She won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance that year. Her voice still stops me dead in my tracks & I have no choice but to listen all the way through to the very last chord. Soothes the soul. Timeless.