High school reunions are a daunting concept, right? Toward the end of Year 12 you might — might — be clinging to those final, Impulse-scented, euphoric days, promising your mates that, no matter what happens, you’re going to stay in touch. Years go by, life gets in the way, and you lose touch. On the other hand, those final days of high school mean leaving those bullies who made your teen years a living hell well and truly in the dust.
High school reunions mean not only having to face those bullies for the first time in years, but it also means awkwardly reconnecting with those you promised you’d never part with when, in reality, you might learn you have nothing in common. Yet those same confrontations can give way for a chance to rekindle old friendships, and even get to know your ex-classmates without all of you going through the endless trash fire that is puberty.
This is the tightrope walk that Prime Video’s new series “Class of ’07” centres on. Well, all that with the added bonus of the reunion being struck by a natural disaster, leaving attendees stranded and fighting for survival. With Emily Browning, Caitlin Stasey and Megan Smart leading the all-female comedy, the titular class of ‘07 are fighting for their lives and fighting with each other, as old wounds resurface, all in the face of truly apocalyptic circumstances. Cool cool cool cool cool!
If you’re iffy on going to your high school reunion, you can at least be assured that it (hopefully) isn’t on an island hit by a freak storm that leaves you, your bullies, your ex-friends and your ex-teachers stranded. But there are some key things you should keep in mind — some pros and cons, if you will — if you’ve just gotten that high school reunion invite you’ve been dreading.
PRO — You Get to Flex Insufferably
Look, you might still be working through some issues that were instilled in you thanks to your high school experience. Personally, I’m still working through getting the smell of my high school’s toilets out of my nose. But maybe, since you’ve left school, you’ve accomplished the career dreams you always hoped to. In that case, the high school reunion is a great place for you to flex and humblebrag like never before. Whether you arrive by chopper or not is up to you, but there’s no better time to show those who once made your life miserable how happy you are now.
Just make sure you’re prepared to back it up in case people start asking questions. In “Class of ’07”, for example, Renee lies about being a doctor to save face seeing as her life hadn’t panned out the way she’d wanted. Lying about being a doctor to people you’ll never see again might come consequence-free. Lying about being a doctor to people you’re stranded with? Not so much!
CON — You’ll Be Around People Who Want to Flex Insufferably
Despite everything I just said, if you don’t really care about sticking it to your bullies, then you might be affronted with people who want to make their literal lives a competition. You’re too old for that, you’ve got taxes to pay, shows to binge, appointments to schedule. Do you really need to submit yourself to that kind of social torture, especially with people you haven’t even thought about in years?
PRO — You Can Look at It Like an IRL LinkedIn
Say you’re not willing to make any new friends, or even rekindle old friendships. Live your life, do what you want. But, if your Facebook news feed is anything to go by, your high school peers all followed dramatically different life-paths. Some might be doctors, some might be tradies. Some, like “Class of ’07″s Zoe, might be ex-contestants on a dating show and the whole country, let alone their graduating class, might have seen them make an ass of themselves on national TV.
But, in lieu of the connections you haven’t had with these people in some time, a reunion might be the time to scope out what people are up to, and if there’s any opportunity for collaboration (or even an opening to jump ship from an old job to a new job). Networking is, whether you like it or not, a huge part of any career, and the first step is just showing up.
CON — Old Emotional Scars Might Be Re-Opened
In “Class of ’07”, the three principal characters all have some strained relationship with one another. Saskia and Zoe were once long-time friends but haven’t spoken for years. Amelia was bullied by Saskia in high school, who may have even commandeered Zoe’s friendship from Amelia. Zoe, in the midst of this friendship triangle, might also be responsible for making Amelia’s school life hell, despite the two once being friends.
We all know bullying is a real problem, and it can have a long-lasting impact on people years after graduation. It can be confronting, intense and you might want to just avoid reopening those wounds. Who can blame you, really? You’ve moved on, you’re in a different place, and you might not see the point of seeing people that, at the end of the day, you just shared a classroom with.
PRO — But People Change. You Did, Right?
Do you ever look at your old MySpace photos and are repulsed by just how embarrassing you were? Did the word MySpace just send a shudder through your spine? You might no longer identify as a scene kid, you might no longer be shopping at Diva, and you’re probably no longer blasting Fergie on your HipTop as you walk home from the bus stop. You’ve changed, you’ve grown up, and it might be time to accept that your friends and foes of high school probably have as well.
Upon the return to Ridge Heights Catholic Ladies College in “Class of ’07”, Saskia — the resident school bully — directly reckoned with how she acted at school. To put it in frank terms, she says: “I was a c*nt in high school.”
When other people at the reunion begin to pick on and make fun of Zoe for being “unwell” — i.e., correctly warning the cohort that disaster is about to strike — Saskia is the one that steps in and puts a stop to it. An act of kindness like that alone can help set up the foundation for reconnection, or even learning more about someone you never gave the time of day too, and now you’re wishing you had.
If you need any more reasons to convince you to go to your high school reunion, or even send that long lost friend a DM, “Class of ’07” might inspire you. Or it might remind you that disaster can strike at any time and you’d much rather be with people you like come doomsday. In any case, Prime Video’s newest series is going to have you laughing, crying and reaching for that old Supre hoodie.
“Class of ‘07″ is now streaming on Prime Video. Start your free 30-day Prime Video trial today.
