To debunk the myths about reunion attendees, events, and interactions with classmates

To convince an unprecedented 50% of the Class of ‘89 to attend the 15^th reunion

Still on the fence about whether to attend the reunion? Convinced you’ve got the perfect reason not to attend? Read on! Myth Busters will make you realize those reasons are more like urban legends than accurate reflections of the reunion experience.

“I don’t think I’ll go to the reunion because…

I’m a full-time parent so I won’t have anything to talk about with all my career-obsessed classmates.

It shouldn’t surprise you to learn that many classmates had children at our 10^th reunion, and the families are growing! Just looking at the reunion committee, we have two classmates with three (count ‘em, three) children each. Bring yours to the reunion and add to the brood!

I’m unemployed so I don’t want to face my career-obsessed classmates.

You don’t honestly believe you’re the only one who got “downsized” in the recent economic downturn, do you? Rest assured, you’re in good company! And you’ll be in even better company if you come to the reunion to commiserate with your classmates. Who knows? That legendary Harvard network might help land your next job!

I’m not really a “reunion” kind of person.

Wow. Rather than debate the philosophical and existential implications of that statement, let me just say that the class continues to be a diverse microcosm of the “community of educated men and women,” and even includes survivors of the 5^th and 10^th reunions who had declared they weren’t the reunion “type,” either. They got over it. So can you.

It’s too expensive.

Actually, if you register early (before April 30), the price is the same as it was for our 5^th reunion – just $189 for the whole weekend!

No one I know is going.

Nonsense! Lot’s of people have already said they’re planning to attend. Check out www.harvard89.org to see the list. Register today so we can add your name!

I’m not a doctor or a lawyer.

And your point is…? As it happens, our classmates have chosen to be everything from a private detective to teacher, musician to editor, writer to actor, entrepreneur to professor. They’re all great jobs – it’s part of the diversity that brought us together in the first place. Who knows, maybe we’ll start a new Harvard tradition by having a panel spotlighting non-traditional jobs. We’ll need you there to represent yours!

I’m still in school, for goodness sake!

Well, it’s not like you never left, is it? I mean, you’ve done something else in the meantime, right? Either way, you’re definitely not alone. We tend to be academically inclined even after college, so come and join your fellow lifelong learners, and commiserate about that paper you’re working on.

I’m still single and I don’t want people to think I’m using the reunion as a dating service.

This one is really busted. If you consider the reunion committee a representative sample, then nearly half the class has never married – and seems happy about it. Come hang out with other securely singles and celebrate singularity!

I’m divorced and I don’t want people to think I’m using the reunion as a dating service.

When we checked in with our classmates via the 10^th reunion survey, we found that many of our classmates had already put a marriage behind them. Join the crowd.

I’ve got “orthodontic appliances.”

Lots of people are revisiting the junior-high joy of braces. Some of us are even experiencing it for the first time. At least this time we can forego the “tinsel teeth” taunts!

So you see, there really are no excuses! Come join the fun and help us set the new bar for classmate participation. Looking forward to seeing you in June. (I’ll be the singleton with the non-traditional job and wearing braces.)