Yay! My First Ever Class Reunion Was Awesome

Besides running into one at some event, meeting another at a wedding, and exchanging a couple of messages with a few others on Facebook, I had lost touch with classmates from school. So when I heard about the 10 year class reunion, I immediately decided that I wouldn’t go. Well, I admit that it looked like it was going to be a lot of fun but I feared having to answer prying, personal questions that I imagined being asked, I dreaded the thought of anyone commenting on my weight (sensitive topic) or on how little I had changed, and since my closest friends weren’t going to be there, I didn’t want little ol’ me to feel left out.

Still, I couldn’t help the excitement I felt each time I thought of seeing old classmates. I soon realised that my mind wasn’t quite as made up as I thought. I became indecisive, giving excuses not to attend this minute and thinking of reasons why I should the next. In the end, my curiosity took over. Oh, but I was curious! Then I thought of all the fun and excitement of catching up and reminiscing I would miss if I wasn’t there. Plus, I knew it’d be nice to see everyone after forever. So, yes, I went and here are my most memorable moments from the event.

When Modupe said, “I’m happy to be here”

I’m an emotional person. Whether I’m having an angry outburst or breaking out in goose bumps while watching ‘Beauty and the Beast’ or crying over a romantic story on BellaNaija Weddings, I get helplessly emotional. And I got just as emotional when after introductions … well, reintroductions … Modupe Animashaun said “I’m happy to be here.” I mean, I had to fight back the tears. She took the words right out of my mouth. Everyone was pleasant and fun. There were no prying questions like I had feared and there certainly was never a moment of awkward silence. We chatted excitedly and wanted to say everything we hadn’t said in years all at once, yet no one struggled to be heard. Everyone looked genuinely happy to be there. It felt more like a family reunion than anything else.

The laughter, the excited giggles and shrieks, the hugs, the reminiscences, the selfies … oh, of course, the food and drinks too!

I walked into one of the warmest, coziest gatherings I’ve seen in a long time and got a bear hug from everyone (You know how much I love bear hugs!). We talked, laughed, giggled, shrieked, poked fun at each other like we had never been out of touch. We reminisced about school, lecturers and project supervisors – the good, the bad and the ugly, the crazy courses we had to take, and all these over good food and drinks. Of course, we didn’t forget to talk about the romantic relationships that developed in class and eventually led to marriage. Don’t we all LOVE great love stories – just like Tope and Fisayo Aribasoye’s! They were always so cute together in class, and at the reunion, years after being married, they still looked like love struck, starry eyed teenagers. We literally had to keep them apart, and even then, I caught Tope stealing doting glances at his wife from across the table.

Gifts, gifts, and more gifts

Like we weren’t already having enough fun, the MC announced that there would be gift presentation. Funmi Arogundade of Fummy Clothing, a stylish fashion outfit, gave out beautiful gowns to selected winners, while Joke Ladele-Adeboyejo of Sincerely Yours, a bridal outfit that caters to all bridal needs, gave out a cute turban, and Olubusola Olanrewaju-Dopemu promised that her consulting company would offer services at a discount to any of us travelling. Yay! Niyi Badmus, the perfect gentleman, generously supplied alcohol.

Everything was going so well, we didn’t want the night to end. Ugochi Nwokeji, who helped plan the event, did a good job coordinating, making sure the food and drinks went round and all else went according to plan. Coincidentally, she runs an event management company (so y’all now know who to call for your next event planning). The MC, Joke, also made sure we had fun and everything was in order. And oh, btw, a professional MC or alaga iduro, Funke Omoju, was also present.

The reunion was awesome. I honestly can’t wait to do it again!

Photo Credits: Facebook/Funke Omoju