That’s what I did last weekend. Literally.
John Mayer was right … there is no such thing as the real world. Sure, the only thing consistent in life is its inconsistencies, but despite the changes in our lives over the years, there’s one thing that never, ever changes … our nightlife.
This I learned last weekend after going home to Hometown, Va., for Harrisonburg High School's class of '99 10-year reunion.
Other than some added responsibilities, bills, mileage, experience and Facebook friends … not much has changed in a decade.
What did we do in high school? Party. What did we do at our high school reunion? Party. Just like we did in 1999 — except we handle our liquor (and actions) a little bit better now. And just like in high school, when I came stumbling in late I got a lecture from my mother. Another thing that never changes in life are true friendships. My current band of best friends is the same band I played with in high school … the “Spice Girls” and we still do the same things together as we always have — we just hire babysitters and invite our …(their) … husbands.
Unfortunately, however, there is another thing that doesn’t seem to change, and that's the gossip — people talking behind others' backs and spreading rumors. While my class graduated from hating on one another, you never graduate from having haters in your life. The real world has those, too, and they can cost you a lot more than your high school reputation. But my theory is that if someone talks behind your back, you are just two steps in front of them. And haters serve as great motivational speakers because nothing’s more motivating than someone discrediting you. I guess you can say the only thing that changed for me over the past 10 years is that I grew out of giving a damn.
Good thing because is it just me, or does the Charlotte social scene sometimes seem like Nightlife High?
Just like I did in high school, I hear things about myself that I didn’t even know. Note: A girl can be one of the boys without having to be one of their girls, if you know what I’m saying. And ladies, please don’t talk badly about other girls to me. Not only do I not want to hear it, but I no longer want to talk to you because I know you’re talking the same bull spit about me behind my back.
But the funniest rumor I’ve heard about myself is one which had a life span of about 10 years since I graduated high school … that I dated Michael Vick. I barely exchanged two words with the guy, let alone bodily fluids, but that rumor went through my high school circuit my freshmen year at Virginia Tech and followed me to the real world where a media person asked me about it. The only good thing about this rumor is that it started when he was still a hero at Virginia Tech, but still, it’s about as true as some of the stuff you read about celebrities on gossip magazines. Speaking of which … why do we love gossip so much that it has its own place in the literary world? I guess it’s all part of never growing up.
But hey, if my classmates didn’t think I was a slut in high school, they do now. Our old principal was reading off letters from old teachers, and my old business teacher, Mrs. Chapman included in hers this little diddy: “and then there was the trip with 7 guys and Brittney Cason the only girl.” The principal even paused, laughed and said “Wow, I didn’t know about that!” It was an FBLA convention and I stayed in the hotel room with Mrs. Chapman.
According to Wikipedia, a party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation and recreation. A party will typically feature food and beverages, and often music and dancing as well.
Until we change the way we party, we never grow up. Sure our professional lives grew up, but our personal ones never get old … and is some cases, never mature. But like a fine wine, we only get better with age.
Cason-Point: the one thing that does change … our hair.
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