Opinion: School reunions just aren’t the same in the social media age

Your former classmates’ social media presence has stripped away the excitement and intrigue that school reunions once provided, writes Gary Martin.

You have already watched your classmates’ globetrotting adventures unfold.

The school reunion was once the highlight on the social calendar, presenting the opportunity to reconnect with old classmates and share life’s journeys in person.

Now, thanks to social media, school reunions have been transformed from “save the date” spectacles to “seen on the screen” specials that have left these in-person gatherings on a rapid downward trend.

School reunions have always been less about friendly catch-ups with old school chums and more about a quest for redemption, recognition and reconnection.

Before social media up-ended our lives, we relied heavily on the classic channels of gossip, whispers, mudslinging and speculation to stay informed about our classmates’ fortunes and misfortunes.

Yet social media platforms today have turned our lives into a prime-time show, broadcasting both highlights and lowlights and often leaving very little to the imagination.

You have watched a former classmate’s globetrotting adventures unfold through their Instagram stories.

Another peer has been sharing milestones of their family life on Facebook posts – from weddings to a baby’s first steps to milestone birthdays.

There are those who voice opinions and share insights by turning their feeds into a mix of personal diary and public forum.

Meanwhile, on LinkedIn, a former classmate regularly posts about their climb up the corporate ladder, complete with challenges and triumphs.

The point is that our interest in former classmates’ lives has not waned.

But their social media presence has stripped away the excitement and intrigue that school reunions once provided.

There remains a chance that school reunions will regain their original appeal.

Even if he prospect of attending a school reunion in person might seem outdated or unnecessary to some. Yet there is something irreplaceable about reuniting with old classmates in the same room, sharing stories and reliving memories together.

So maybe it is time to skip the screen for an evening and head to a school reunion to embrace the direct, genuine interaction that many of us enjoy.

Professor Gary Martin is a workplace and social trends specialist

Originally published as Opinion: School reunions just aren’t the same in the social media age