I am off on an adventure this week, and I am feeling a combination of excitement and anxiety, as befits a journey into the unfamiliar.
University of Sheffield graduation, Summer 1985.
I wrote in a previous post about the death of an old friend from my university days.
Some of us who had kept in touch made efforts to contact others, plans were hatched, and five of us are meeting up in London on Friday.
The five in the photo above.
It's been 25 years since I saw three of them.
There have been flurries of emails, proposals and arrangements made, and the teasing has started already.
I might be partly responsible for that...
It appears I am the only one with any photos of our university days, and I don't actually have that many. Film was expensive, so was getting it developed, and more often than not, the photos were blurry and dark.
But what I have, I will share with the gang, and I might even leave them unaltered; some of the pics are funny enough without any photoshopping tomfoolery.
Denim waistcoat and sunglasses - charity shopped
Sandals - retail (sale)
Indian leather bag - vintage fair
Necklace - gift from Leisa
Here I am in 1984, aged 20.
I was wearing a fabulous 1950s brocade dress and jacket. I wish I still had them.
No one called old clothes vintage back then, they were just secondhand.
And this was at my mum's house in the summer of 1984, when Martin and Alex came to stay.
Look how they are studiously avoiding the camera; it wasn't always so!
I'm really looking forward to seeing my old friends, and of course we will fondly remember S, who is sadly no longer with us.
I wonder what we will make of each other after all this time?
We won't be the same people, of course. But are the ghosts of those bright and shiny 21 year olds in the graduation photo still in all of us?
I'll let you know.
Have a great weekend.
xxx
53 comments:
Have a wonderful time in London meeting your friends Curtise, a great blog post ,best wishes to you xxx.
I have that song going through my head now - always liked the Psychedelic Furs. You and your friends remind me of "St. Elmo's Fire" or one of those old "brat pack" movies from back in the 80s. I hope you have an awesome time - you look gorgeous!
I haven't been one to stay in close touch with friends from my younger years, but I have reconnected recently with several through the wonders of Facebook. It has been surprisingly lovely, and I'm sure you will find it so as well. My best friend from elementary school now lives a glamorous life as the wife of a London hedge fund manager (complete with exotic travel and enormous diamonds). When I saw her at Christmas, despite the vast differences in our paths and current lifestyles, I felt just as close to her as when I was in fifth grade. Amazing! Love your blues. The vest makes the combo.
I'm so glad you all stuck with the plans and are finally getting together. I honestly can't image seeing someone that you haven't for 25 years. That's just crazy! I think you all look so 1980's and I love it! I hope you all have a blast catching up and sharing stories and remembering your friend who is no longer here.
Love ya!
XXXXOOOOOO
So very touching post, Curtise! I understand how much it means to you, this upcoming meeting. I would feel just as you described too... Love the photos of you and your university friends - such a fun, bright, beautiful group! I am sure that there are things about us which don't change, the core doesn't change, the smile doesn't change... You will see your young and bright and shiny friends in their eyes!
You look very beautiful in this dress. The vest hugs just perfectly your gorgeous body. Have a blast in London! Only the best to you, dear!
Many hugs and much love xxx
Oh man, you actually get to my neck of the woods and you're already booked up! Poo. Have a great time though :)
What a wonderful tribute to your friend. I bet you're have a wonderful time catching up and reminiscing.
You've hardly changed a bit, I wonder if they have. You were just as gorgeous back then and yes, photos from those days are rare, we were all penniless and film and the subsequent developing cost a small fortune the kids of today don't know they're born, I tell you!
Love the eBay maxi and that denim waistcoat and the bag is perfect.
What are you going to wear?
Love you! xxxxxxxxxxxxx
The pics are amazing--you're the prettiest ever in that 50s dress!!!! Have fun with your old friends. I don't have a lot of old pics, either. Digital and camera phones changed everything :)
I have fond memories of my college days, I would loved to have been a career student! Love the dress with vest too! :)
Have a great reunion! What a beautiful blue dress, looks great with that denim waistcoat. Semi sheer too!
Thats so great ! I do hope that you have a great time . Ahh eighties -living in the eighties ... Killing Joke ...
xxxc
You're so right about the lack of photos from back in the day - so different from now eh? I'm sure you'll have a lovely time with your old mates. I went on a mini Sheffield reunion last year. I hadn't seen some people since 1983 - gulp - but it was absolutely fine and I'm sure your reunion will be too. xx
Have a fab time with your chums, after a glass of wine it'll be just like the old days! X
I'd be both nervous and excited. I'm sure you'll all have so much to talk about, especially the subject of your dear, departed friend. I hope you have a brilliant time.
Ha! I love your edited Prince Charming photo :D
Lovely images, as always xx
It was second hand clothes wasn't it? I bet you all will have an amazing time, lot's of chatting, sharing stories and remembering your friend. I'm looking forward to hearing all about it.
Getting film developed did cost an arm and a leg didn't it! most of mine came back with a sticker, all fuzzy! Love your outfit! x x x
I remember my 20th high school reunion. I had a difficult parting with the *group* at the end of high school, primarily due to breaking up with the *boyfriend*. It made sense for me to leave the pack because as much as I was liked, I was unlike them. Fast forward 20 years and a surprisingly pleasant get together. And no...I've not seen them since, but there sits within, a real contentment that those years were not lost years.
Your relationship with this group of five sounds much more secure, and I'm sure you will have a wonderful time!
Definitely channelling the Brat Pack in those pics! I'm so happy you're seeing your old pals even though what is bringing you together is a sad event. Actually, very much like The Big Chill, superficially. Hope you have a lovely time. Xoxo
How exciting Curtise! I hope your reunion lives up to your expectations and you have a marvellous time reminiscing about the past. I'm sure it will be fine, you knew these people well, albeit a while ago... unlike those strange bloggers (me) you met up with and didn't know from Adam.
And what ARE you going to wear?
xx
O, WOW! This is going to be amazing and crazy and gut wrenching and confusing and wierd and fecking awesome!!! Can't wait to hear every last detail! The pix are fantastic......I wish you still have that divoon brocade number, but that's just how it goes! I wish I had all the secondhand hand-now desirable vintage crap Iw as running around in back then. I cringe to think how much of it I butchered, too...eeep!
Brace yourself!!! And pull on your pee pants!
Loving YOU! XXXXXXXXXX
What a wonderful adventure, Curtise. I hope you have a glorious time, reminiscing and catching up. What a lovely young woman you were/are, and I still think of college days with complete fondness. xoxo
I'd love to meet my old uni friends!!! Hope you have a lovely time x
How fitting that a sad event has brought you all to meet up again - a chance to remember the good times and your friend who cannot be with you all. Have a lovely time.
Good luck Time Twin - you'll have a blast xxx
Here is to absent friends and to new times with old ones. Have a brilliant trip. Xxxx
Sometimes it doesn't matter how much time has gone past ... with "real" friends you can just pick up where you left off all those years ago. I hope you have a fabulous time.
xx
Have a wonderful time with your friends. I didn't know you were having a reunion when I was at work today, I made everyone listen to The Cure radio on pandora.....it's was 80's day!
Squeeeeee. I'm so excited. Are you going to wear that blue dress? You should. You look awesome.
You look so good in that blue dress and denim vest I do hope you will be packing that. What a fun adventure even though it was inspired by a sad event. I don't really have ties to my past like that-no people I would be excited to meet up with or a group that would even be possible to round up. Can't wait to see your photos and hear all about it! Have fun!!
xoxoxo
Yes, those young adults will still be there, with their wise and funny grown-up counterparts. I bet you'll have a wonderful time together, and when you meet again in 25 years you'll remember how young you were in 2014!
And film/developing is STILL expensive. I just forked over a good chunk of change getting two rolls developed.
Occasionally, someone will contact me rather out of the blue and we'll pick up as though there hadn't been a gap of so many years. Most people don't change too dramatically with respect to personality, so if you liked them 25 years ago, you probably still will.
And you...you haven't aged in 25 years! You didn't make some sort of Faustian bargain with the devil to keep looking so young, did you?
I suspect that you all have the same vibrant spirits you did in school, but more layered. I look at who you are now and imagine how interesting and sparkling you must have been then as well. I hope you all leave the meetup content with the paths you've taken. Make sure you have a designated driver. Get silly! Show us what you wear. Love your maxi with the denim vest.
I have butterflies in my tummy for you! But I bet it'll be like you were never apart. Have a lovely time Curtise xxxxx
What I've experienced is that when you meet with your old pals, you become the old you, at least for a short time. All the passing years get forgotten and you feel like you are 20 again. Enjoy your time with your old friends!
I reckon you'll have a lovely, funny time catching up with your old friends. The big question is: what are you going to wear?
x
Ah, have a lovely weekend Curtise. The very best friends just pick up where they left off. Enjoy! xxxx
Toasting absent friends is best done in the company of those who remember them. This is a good thing you're doing, Curtise.
Do, please, take lots of photos!
Have the best of time this weekend ,it will be history in the making. You are so good at connecting people.
I absolutely love the Adam and The Ants photoshop! Have a wonderful time. I have a funeral myself next week where there will be a lot of old faces, shame we have to meet again under sad circumstances.
Look at you looking all adorable in the mid-80s! Love the one of you at your mum's with the boys and the big smile at graduation. Nobody does photo teasing like you do, love the 80s tribute photo. I have almost no photos of me between when my father stopped taking photos and i started doing selfies. Mind you, from the few that exist, that's probably a blessing! Have a great time in London town. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy! Xxxxxxx
Love the photoshop! Yep secondhand and often smelly clobber back then. I have two photo's of myself from college days and a smile would have cracked my face.And the make-up. How the selfie has changed all that! Have a fabulous time looking back and remembering.
Loves ya.
xxxxxxx
oooh, this IS going to be interesting. I only kept in touch with one person from my university days, and after about 10 years, a few letters and a couple of visits we dropped out of touch. I did go to my 10th year high school reunion but 25 years is a long time to go without seeing people. I hope you have (had - if it happened already) a good time, shared some laughs and some stories, a few cocktails, and vowed to meet again in another 25 years! Photos please....
I seem to have missed reading your past two posts....Boo! How gorgeous are you in a classic maxi with a touch of denim. LOVE the navy. I hope you have a riot of a time catching up with your uni friends. I was able to meet up with my old school friends at my 20 year reunion, & have re-established some long lost friendships since then. Funny how things change yet some things stay the same! Xx
First, your maxi and vest ensemble is Fabulous (yes, I love this word and love your blue fabulousness matching your flowers, cool!!)
And second, it's amazing and frightening that you're going to met with old friends!. So delightful 80's pics, I remember those kind of hairstyles very well!
besos & suerte
I bet you will have a good time one way or another. Reunions are pretty funny things, I have been to a couple of school ones. The blokes seem to change the most, I suspect that is because of hair loss. Pretty in blue and your Irish pic is beautiful. The garden is looking so alive, mine has that brown dead look going on at the moment.
i hope you have a sweet time at your reunion
Brett
In the 80s I once swam in a hotel swimming pool at midnight with Mars from the Furs......have a fab time!!
Have a wonderful time!! I'm sure they will all be gobsmacked at how fabulous you are!
You look wonderful in your maxi! I hope you have a wonderful time with your friends - I feel like I have been very lucky with my group of friends from Uni, we have managed to stay in touch - now we are spread between Auckland, Wellington and Melbourne. But at one stage we were spread between London, Melbourne, Wellington and South Korea. I'm sure whilst many things will have changed, others will be exactly the same xoxox
I recently caught up with a friend I hadn't seen for nearly twenty years. Nervous? My bangles were jangling! But it was just wonderful. Was as if we'd never been apart and I was so upset when she had to go home. You'll have a blast! x
I recently caught up with a friend I hadn't seen for nearly twenty years. Nervous? My bangles were jangling! But it was just wonderful. Was as if we'd never been apart and I was so upset when she had to go home. You'll have a blast! x
Wow, I'm so excited for you Curtise. I totally agree with Helga that it's going to be crazy and weird and gut wrenching and fabulous. I can almost sense the anticipation and nervousness that revisiting the past can give you. There is some serious hair in that first picture - it couldn't be from any other era but the 80's. Your college days look like they were loads of fun. I'm looking forward to hearing about it xxx
I like your bohemian dress. You look like in 1984 :) Very nice!
I am so excited for you. I don't see my friends from college nearly often enough, and usually for dreadful reasons, like a death, but when we do get together, it's like time stopped and we just pick up right where we left off.
You are lovely in blue. I desperately wish I still had some of my secondhand prom dresses from the When-I-Thought-I-Was-Madonna phase lol.
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