I was afraid social media may have ruined the high school reunion, but nothing compared to seeing my class 25 years later

Jamishia J.J. SmithJan 14, 2024, 20:30 IST

The reunion planning committeeCourtesy of The Real You Photography

People often talk about how social media has ruined the high school reunion since we have constant updates from the people we grew up with.
Still, I have been to every official high school reunion, including our 25th, and joined the planning committee.

In high school, I remember imagining what our reunions would be like in the future.

Would everyone still look the same? Would anyone be famous? Would I still be friends with 'my crew'? Would I become the writer I often saw myself being living away from Detroit? Would my high school boyfriend and I be married with kids? Would our reunion be the Black version of a corny Hallmark movie or an episode of 'Martin'?

Twenty five years later, I traveled back to my hometown of Detroit to Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School to experience that moment in person.

The author's alma mater, Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High SchoolDetroit Public Schools Community District

Recently, I’ve heard many people suggest that class reunions are a waste of time or a thing of the past in the age of social media.

The author with her high school's 25-year reunion planning committeeCourtesy of Iconic Photo Booths and Events

I am what most people would consider an extrovert.

The author's class of 1998 yearbookJamishia J.J. Smith

We’ve had three official reunions since graduating, our 10th, 20th and 25th. I have been there for every single one of them.

An invitation for the author's 25-year high school reunionCourtesy of Custom Designs Lab

A few months, 10 Zoom meetings, and about 1,998 text messages later, our seven-person planning committee put together a 2-day reunion with a $0 operating budget.

The reunion planning committeeCourtesy of The Real You Photography

Despite having a short amount of time and limited resources, the reunion was a success.

Photos from the reunionCourtesy of Jamishia J.J. Smith

Tamia's hit "Can't Get Enough" brought everyone out onto the dance floor.

Everyone began line dancing during the Tamia track.Courtesy of The Real You Photography

On Saturday, we hosted a more formal event to close out the weekend.

The author planning for the Saturday event.Courtesy of Jamishia J.J. Smith

On Saturday, I got to hang out with friends from my favorite group chats. I laugh daily thanks to these people who have been in my life for decades.

The author reuniting with friends at the reunion.Courtesy of Jamishia J.J. Smith

I even got to hang out with two of my oldest friends who I’ve known since elementary school. We cried while catching up with each other.

The author with her friends from elementary school.Courtesy of Jamishia J.J. Smith

We hired fellow alumni DJ Mixx to provide the entertainment for the night.

The author with DJ MixxCourtesy of Jamishia J.J. Smith

Prior to our reunion, a group of my classmates and I had gone to see Beyoncé make her Renaissance tour stop in Detroit.

The author at Beyoncé's Renaissance tourCourtesy of Jamishia J.J. Smith

The entire reunion experience ended up being unforgettable.

The author's high school friends, now married with a familyCourtesy of Dixon Family

We knew this reunion wouldn’t be as big as our 20 year weekend due to hectic schedules.

A classmate who could not make it to the reunion photoshopped himself into a group photo.Courtesy of Anthony 'Spice' Adams

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