Yesterday was my five-year college reunion. Although many aspects of the festivities were quite nice, the gathering was fraught with any number of uncomfortable situations:
long gaps between events...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBAQN4SUIEnrtrtd13x3JEmoajKgaaQhrSacLDtKOPU0ZwjeJDYghN_p6muqvUzkMdt4aZZVL4_Nubcx3F6JfecuOojjGvI58Mr8-WAO9U4rhHTWsI4ZEOnPQuYvgXKNh_fYkdblOeK8/s400/Homecoming+BBQ+small+talk+small+talk+Homecoming+barbecue.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqsnecCe1vxaO0eehp3u450YuWzYJuglnfYoWgn7UoSnaMT7fw0mTiCMIWmVUjTbNvM0KMJ9D1ZpWafxOUYJS3et2OI_5gI2LreTlpb0Ljs6-ilzmStmdikdYe7vYjBIrCrhFTa_50Mw/s400/wait+wait+sitting+around+awkwardly+waiting+for+next+event.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLzOYTMqCtmOQP3Ld9qYiVbijyfW0HXw5jGE0mwEIADTd7RILH34jgNRPWzgapo5eLBHOuSvI14EVyiMADB94GmqiB79UcgMOmM89Bms1PBxJFDqI-9C4Z5YdpRfos3A71KVopIFv2Q8U/s400/%252706+reception+this+way+small+talk+small+talk+non-alcoholic+wheaton+punch.jpg)
coping with campus alterations...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyPYnUaQ_t3hloQyH7CnMQSp2ppteYwAIpek1nWPc03PMAg4ylbfhMCLaEZyJCNf3UqDjx6nQ4FRH-1_vwfMeZibxFrRE2loaB_TZ4rRACrZUQgiHe_x-9J2NmVBmag4g52AL0BRnN59A/s400/the+new+science+center+is+awesome+they+tore+down+my+house+to+build+it.jpg)
running into the same people multiple times...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3QeLRygPtGRRN4V7HEV4s5a6XyievKA1r_a3GhSomVEYmYZb07hCyj3riqSayq5D1C5COahiDSCEzJR1fkM7fAaKZlV2sLxKnjns_UjV1PSJ7P9uSi_Ur2fap6gD_2Je-jGsOQJCAg0/s400/See+you+later+bye.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiAZuosYB53CzmFvAtBxtJAtIp0IMbGnFLO3mV0zO1ugk3atpexH-mSb2EuCl-fjHc5mlpZZJFyWwEMdtNt9U67TUx0S-EL8sSHjzx-xK9fQ3TlGsv6nVEQjs8wLwjN3CbugOaWtA5-A/s400/Pretend+you+don%2527t+see+her.jpg)
unknown professors at departmental open houses...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbt1jXCilOmasLKiODZs-zCcQy9-ILWyFHyc6Za71Z-mm_01qYpXn-xQDusUDCy83kW6GdDmuePohAfHt0WRF8nSS_xXmqPAnqwAfnZokRLkGg_7y5IkX8fXcP1Xg7GJIfYvm-_JSXMo/s400/I+graduated+in+%252706+I+was+hired+in+%252709.+new+professor+old+student.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXiUl_vY7K9M5IBc0MOOOHcsmbhpKqJUEi-6RRVrh7bVuz47vDcUgFFsbwN4s5Pc1m8EdA3JOgCPj9opR61SNNaxWitLn0Wctn7tBFFH2KO3ryIHXy5d7xkOEIJfXWZb_Jwqj829fwR9c/s400/Awkard+silence+alumna+and+new+professor+staring+at+each+other.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26l3pLuBhfg5FmgVhir8HvLP0MC-G9UjVu97SR3Kt8hzVO6UafQ11xs8sGVmsgYGAl-R0FuwMeRxRI6eVBWFzN3X65ujmmyublVdcCcKJoNUnNSiJPKj2Jerv2vWo9uVilF8xNA7_qBM/s400/Awkard+silence+alumna+and+new+professor+staring+at+each+other.jpg)
encounters with vaguely familiar classmates...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCMdj0lzzhi_H7fNnz6FORonGpI6QatbB762xbC0kJ9KGKdIYhCKIy6WW352FdIfYoeFzPFQlNjRxelLwM8huQDh6Yt_at72MpvbAD2CD8qAlBd0ny-4Kn7emRCC8h3HhNFRWQCsIqZgM/s400/I+think+someone+told+me+your+name+once+sometime+junior+year.+Yeah%252C+so+I+don%2527t+really+know+you+at+all.jpg)
... and a surfeit of babies.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitt7YMrCUOLGZYHykKOKrrruOV-d5boVgIQaCSfayn3pOuSHrJtzjMTop2pVJi7__HBGKid8DVmRxVMk1NyO8suR_BlCHTqizr61-mStqnpabrd8xYLLJAMABaiNgVyfl_zn9PqWWVDkI/s400/1+baby+%253D+potentially+cute+when+observed+from+a+safe+distance+aww...+greater+than+or+equal+to+10+feet+distance+separating+Lori+from+baby.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSen-kkLVjuKv11px59nO4y4a9P0C7dwV2bAsTshVtYev8k7eDQ6TMLO4ov7qgTGrBrSgDL0OqKguoPEV1ga3dNEe5VUuRIRXPdysu52Dgyk9WaVXati08bnFgWU5oO5-sMwnPNty6bXI/s400/20%252B+babies+%253D+downright+terrifying+swarm+of+proud+parents+veritable+army+of+young+ones+just+so+happening+to+block+escape+route+cute+run+away+slightly+larger+but+just+as+scary+even+more+proud+parents.jpg)
Stay tuned for ideas on how to improve a reunion.
Disclaimer: I saw some very dear friends, had fun chatting with several casual friends, and even enjoyed meeting a friendly new English professor. There were still high levels of awkwardness, however, and on a couple occasions I barely managed to resist shouting "Look over there!" and then sneaking away.
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