Andrew Selepak authors opinion piece on the importance of class reunion attendance

Andrew Selepak, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Media Production, Management, and Technology associate instructional professor, is the author of “How Facebook and other social media killed the class reunion – and why we are worse off for it” published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on Aug. 3.

Selepak reflects on a time when college and high school reunions were a rite of passage. Today only about 30% of graduates attend their high school reunions and this points to a problem with how people connect.

“High school and college years were formative, surrounded by people who, at the time, were our world,” he writes. “The fact that we didn’t like everyone from back then, or maybe didn’t enjoy our time in school, was partly why reunions were so popular in the first place.”

People now are more connected digitally and less connected in the real world. However, it’s the real world that matters.

“So, when we get a change to go to a class reunion, maybe instead of using our phones to see who has stumbled since high school, we should book a flight or hotel to see them in person. If movies and TV shows have taught us anything, maybe our high school bully has matured and wants to apologize, or maybe our college sweetheart wants to reminisce,” Selepak writes. “No matter the experience, it is better than wasting our time trying to impress those people on social media. Life is short and it shouldn’t be spent looking at a screen.”

Category: Alumni News, College News
Tagged: Andrew Selepak MPMT Social Media
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