reunions

In June 200x, I participated in the 10th-year reunion of my Princeton University class. I drove over from Eatontown, New Jersey, where I was living at that time. The drive took about an hour. Some of my classmates flew in from far-off places like California or even other countries. The situation was different fourteen years earlier, when I was among the new students who had traveled the furthest to get to Princeton.

Reunions are an annual affair. They are always held in June soon after graduation ceremonies. The clever timing of reunions makes it convenient for many members of the graduating class to attend. There are, however, also members of many other classes gathered on campus for reunions. Some classes show up in larger numbers than others. Other than the graduating class, those who have graduated 1 year ago, or a multiple of 5 years ago (especially the 5th, 10th and 25th), often show up in force. I imagine its more fun going for reunions in a multiple-of-5 year than in an off-year (I say "imagine", because I can't speak from experience about that). If you've ever driven a Toyota Forerunner or Lincoln Towncar and shared the road with a bunch of compact cars, and somehow felt good about yourself while doing so, you know the feeling of showing up at a big reunion year.

The sun was hot. I don't know why, but I just remember that the heat was intense those couple of days. It was one of my most vivid recollections of the reunions. The various impressions of orange and black also stood out. Orange and black are the colors of Princeton. The Princeton mascot is an animal with orange and black stripes - the tiger. At reunions, each reunion class has its own reunion theme, which includes its own jacket and paraphernalia. Usually, these would come in orange and black, especially orange. My class 10th reunion theme was construction, so we each received and proudly donned a hard hat. Then, our heads protected, we challenged each other to head butting duels - well, not that I actually witnessed any such thing, but with that many of us there, I'm sure someone must have been tempted.

The campus is divided into many sections. Each section is occupied by a group of classes, often one of the big reunion classes together with neighboring classes. Makeshift tents are erected in grassy courtyards surrounded by ancient ivy-covered old buildings that have long served as dormitories for students during their sojourns at Princeton. Under the (usually) orange coverings, class officers and volunteers are busily distributing class jackets and gifts, or dishing out food and drink. It is common to find people sipping beer while listening to live music. There are often tables for people to sit around and chat.

People find long lost classmates and exchange greetings. "Oh my God, you haven't changed!" is a common one. However, the resemblance to the person of 5, 10 or 25 years ago is only superficial. People find all kinds of fascinating ways to change during that time! It can be quite disconcerting. It may appear to you that the face doesn't match the person, somewhat like a personality switch, a la John Travolta and Nicholas Cage in the movie "Faces." It's the most ironic thing about reunions - you plan to get together and have things like they used to be - only to find that there's no going back. In chasing the past, you confirm its disappearance.

What's worse is that you yourself may have changed (and if you haven't, poor you - maybe you need help!). You're still the same old chap? Don't be too sure - you may be horrified to find others treating you differently. Usually this means they don't see you as the cool, sophisticated person you have developed into, but as the silly, immature brat you used to be! You know, the persona you thought was gone and out of your life forever; it comes back to haunt you!

So we have a convergence of people from all over for a brief while in a small place, with a common purpose. It is like the south of England on the eve of D-day, the different Allied armies gathered together preparing to cross the English channel and into battle. One difference is that folks are wielding not weapons but orange hard hats. Or orange and black canes and so on. But we do have our own marching out to battle. It's called the "P-rade". It's a parade of all the classes through the campus. That's the time when it's most cool to be patriotic about the university. I once even saw a live tiger in a cage at the P-rade.

During the P-rade, you wait with your classmates from earlier classes to walk by you. Perhaps you amuse yourself by suddenly pretending to be fascinated by a classmate's tales of prowess in suing nasty corporations, or another's stories of exploring the Amazon. Ten years of complete disregard for someone's life can be easily swept away just like that! Finally, you get to walk with your classmates along the familiar path that you walked years ago just after your graduation. Long hidden emotional memories return, of when you were on the brink of going out to a world ready for you to conquer. It's almost like old times again.

And then in a few days, the tents will be gone, some patches of grass may be flattened, and there may be the odd piece of something discarded here and there. Meanwhile, the grand old buildings will remain, unperturbed by the passing of the years and the passing through of class after class. Imagine if Tolkien had written a trilogy about Princeton. He'd have brought the buildings to life. They would be ivy-cloaked slow-moving creatures that took their time to get anywhere. They would speak in deep and lengthy tones, much like their distant cousins, the ents.

One more thing about orange and black - it's orange and black, not black and orange. Yes, it matters. Go, Tigers!