✨ Class of 1980: What My 45th High School Reunion Taught Me About Confidence
This weekend I came back to Athens, GA, for my 45th high school reunion, Class of 1980, Clarke Central
High School. Walking into those reunion spaces felt like stepping into a time capsule, except some faces
blurred, some stories slipped away, and plenty of people looked nothing like the teenagers I once knew.
Some classmates looked like life had been heavy on them. Others stared at me with shock in their eyes,
like they couldn’t believe how much I’d changed or hadn’t. A couple even asked me if I had children. That
one made me laugh. Of course I do! Maybe they didn’t remember, maybe they thought I was too
insignificant to care back then, or maybe they just couldn’t imagine me with kids. But the truth is, I had
mine before I even left this small town.
That conversation pulled me back in time, to the way I used to see myself as far back as 15 years old. Back
then, I hated my inverted triangle body shape. My inner pep talk was survival: “Well, at least I got a pretty
face and good hair. That’ll make up for the rest.” Chai, what a mentality. But that was the way so many of us
thought at the time. Today, I look back at that girl with humor, grace, and gratitude. Confidence isn’t
about compensating anymore—it’s about embracing who I am, all of me, at every stage.
💬 The Meet & Greet Vignette
The weekend started with the meet & greet, and let me tell you, it was an experience all its own. My
cousin came down from Newark, and, as fate would have it, our hotel rooms ended up right next to each
other. I wanted my own space (lol), and I think she was a little offended. She accused me of having a
sneaky link 🤣🤣. I told her no; I just sashayed into the entrance like I owned the place.
One classmate smiled, shook my hand, and even bought me a drink. And of course, me being me, I spilled
it within minutes (clumsy then, clumsy now). I asked the waitress if I could order another, but that same
classmate had already ordered one for me. And I know it wasn’t cheap; this college town has prices like
New Orleans now. Bars on every strip, music in the alleys, and yes, even a Waffle House holding court
down the street. I remember when Athens didn’t look like this. Time changes everything.
💡 Reunions aren’t just about who remembers your name. They’re about who remembers your spirit and how much you’ve learned to embrace your own.
Tangye Ward
Chic at 60 & Freelance Freedom
