Online Yearbooks: Welcome to the Digital Age

I am dating myself here but do you recall serving on yearbook when we used real, hard copy photos?  It was necessary to label each photo and tell where it was to go on the template you chose from a manual provided by the yearbook company. You also had to type and print out the captions for each photo and indicate which caption belonged with each photo. Submissions had deadlines and had to be snail mailed to the yearbook publisher in order to arrive by the stated deadline. Everything for each page-labeled photos, captions and template all went into one large white envelope for each page. Then the several pages for that deadline were put into a box and sent to the yearbook company. If someone had told us online yearbooks were in the not-so-distant future we’d have been shocked

When digital cameras arrived the process was streamlined. We didn’t have to “crop” photos by marking the corner of the photo section we wanted to use. Photos could be cropped on the computer and emailed directly to the yearbook company attached to an email describing the template and the copy for that page. Envelopes, photographs, tagging and mailing were all eliminated.

Copy was done on a word processor and sent as an email attachment to the company with instructions as to the page. Instead of counting words and agonizing over space, copy could be inserted right into the template of choice via a software program bought from the yearbook company. You simply typed your  copy into the space and adjusted for font and size so that it fit. Typos were virtually eliminated by spellcheck and the fact that they did not have to be retyped.

Wow! Didn’t we think we had arrived? We had no inkling that hardcopy year books were about to become dinosaurs.

With the number of graduates from high schools, colleges and universities who move from city to city or even country to country hardcopy year books became less appealing. I don’t believe they will ever become truly extinct. Some grads will always want hardcopy yearbooks for book shelves and coffee tables. Libraries, school offices and police departments still want hard copy yearbooks.

However, with the digital age, mobile Internet devices, and social networking, more and more people want electronic versions of things like warranties, manuals, novels, and even yearbooks. It’s possible then to carry the yearbook in your smart phone, tablet or laptop. You can read it while travelling and call it up to check something anywhere and anytime.

Online yearbooks are more than convenient. There is a significant cost saving by opting for an online version. When hard copies do not have to be printed printer’s costs and materials are saved. Just as Amazon now sells more e-books than softcover and hardcover books combined, yearbook companies are selling increasing numbers of online yearbooks.

Online yearbooks can provide wider options in visual presentation. Covers can be animated. Team photos have been replaced by slide shows and video clips of the teams. Online yearbooks have more visual appeal than their hardcopy counterparts..

For more information, I recommend Memory Lane yearbooks.

A Stress Free High School Class Reunion

Too many individuals spend too much time thinking about all the aspects of their high school class reunion that worries them. By wasting your time worrying about the event you will not only make yourself feel worse all the way up to it, but you will make yourself enjoy it less as well. Rather than worry about it at all just reassure yourself that if you decide you don’t want to go to it that you won’t, that way you won’t have to worry any longer.

Grudges aren’t that important, especially old ones. Keep that in mind at your reunion and don’t worry about what someone did 10 years ago because chances are they probably don’t even remember it. If you don’t worry about the grudges you won’t get dragged down by the drama and you will have a better time.

One great way to enjoy a reunion is to gather up a group of friends to go with before the actual event. This gives you time to reconnect with old friends and you will feel more comfortable while you are meeting all of the other people you went to school with if you have a supportive entourage to rely on during the event.

It is easy to get sidetracked by past animosity but chances are the people you are angry with probably don’t even remember you, or they don’t remember ever holding a grudge against you. Even if you feel like the issue is still unresolved just avoid the person throughout the night, don’t even give them a second thought and you will have a better time because of that small effort on your part.

Talking to people you don’t know that well any longer is tough. You will feel awkward when you first talk to them if you are like most people but you can smooth that moment over with an observation that you can both relate to. Pick something nearby that is pretty neutral so that you don’t offend anyone and go with it. Talk about the music, the decorations or the food and you will be good.

It is stressful when approached by people that you just can’t remember no matter how hard you try. If someone remembers you and you do not recall them you have to draw attention away from that the best way that you can, by broadening the impact. Admit that you don’t remember them but don’t fail to include that you don’t remember much about class XYZ either so they feel like they are just one of the many you can’t remember and praise their good memory at the same time to make them feel good about you forgetting them.

Don’t ever let yourself feel like you have to go to a reunion no matter what anyone says to you. If you are worrying too much you will have a poor experience and then you will avoid them all after that missing out on some really great times. By skipping the first when you are really apprehensive you can prepare to enjoy the next one and you will have a better time when you eventually make it there.

These steps should make it easy to avoid any stress that goes along with a high school class reunion so make sure to follow them closely.

To learn more about high school class reunions, visit Classmates.com.

Fresh Perspectives from a High School Reunion

There are many people that enjoyed their time during high school. They were able to grow and have many adventures with their friends. After high school, many people lose contact with their friends because of their paths in life. After so many years, a high school reunion is organized, giving people the chance to reconnect with their old friends.

Many teens begin college as soon as they graduate from high school. Their first year is normally rough on them because they don't have any of their friends to talk to. As these teens and young adults adjust, they find new friends and begin building a new life for themselves. As their life progresses, they find they are no longer looking for old friends.

Once college is over, the old high school friendships are a thing of the past and not something that many people think to resurrect. Normally, they find that their graduating class is having a high school reunion and they look forward to the opportunity to see old friends. Once they get the invitation, these young adults begin to think of the many things they did with their friends in high school.

Most high school reunions are planned to be held every five years after a class graduates. This is so that people can continue to grow with their classmates. When people attend their reunions, they are able to celebrate their successes together and continue old friendships.

There are some people that attend their school reunions because they are looking to find closure. There are some people that didn't enjoy their high school experience and don't like the thought of going to a reunion. When they do attend their reunion, they begin to look at their experiences from an adult perspective and begin the process of healing.

Most people like to plan their high school reunion to be held on school grounds. They do this for many different reasons. The biggest reason they choose to do it is so students will remember the times they spent on campus and the fun they had. This is a time that former students can see the differences in the school and the changes that have taken place since they last walked the halls.

There are many things that begin to happen when people attend their reunions. There are some people that see old friends and renew their friendships. There are others that see their friends and realize they have grown and guided their life into a different direction. These reunions are sometimes bittersweet to be a part of.

Adults that choose to attend their high school reunion have different reasons to. There are some that want to see their old friends and reconnect. Others find themselves attending so they can put their nightmares behind them. The reasons behind their attending the reunions normally bring peace and a lot of laughter with those they haven't seen in years. As they leave the party, they are happy to return to their life after high school..


To learn more about highschool reunions, click here

HIGHSCHOOL REUNION - LOVE IT AND HATE IT

For guaranteed high drama of the everyday sort, it’s hard to beat a highschool reunion. They can surprise us either way: with all-too-familiar humiliations or wonderful and lovely surprises. In particular, the highschool reunion that occurs ten years after escape from secondary education has acquired a reputation for excessive amounts of joy and disappointment.

Only a decade out of high school, less than a decade out of their teens, alumni tend to regard their tenth reunion with high anticipation. The potential for disappointment can be equally large. Attendees will vary widely between those well on the way to the peak of their career to those still hanging on in post-graduate schooling. The highly successful graduates may be just as insecure as the searchers. A few deaths and divorces may already have occurred.

Just the prospect of a highschool reunion may reawaken hopes and fears about one’s physical fitness and attractiveness. People may wonder whether anyone else will be particularly impressed by their achievements. Some may fear they’ll regress to the stereotypical roles they got assigned back in their school days. Men and women will try to solve their body issues at the gym, pushing to get that perfect figure, or at least as good as they’re apt to have. Shopping malls and boutiques may expect to see women on the prowl for a winning outfit.

In sum, it’s generally acknowledged that many folks try too hard, both in anticipation of the tenth highschool reunion, and on the nights and days of the event itself. Naturally, this has provided excellent dramatic fodder for Hollywood films and cable TV shows.

The 1997 comedy “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion” depicted a pair of 28-year-old LA blondes who go back to Sagebrush High in Tucson, Arizona for their tenth reunion. They make up a false story about their supposed success in life, and dress in business suits, but of course it all goes wrong.

That same year, a comedy thriller called “Grosse Pointe Blank” also used a tenth highschool reunion as a hook in its plot. The hero, a professional hit man played by John Cusack, returns to his upper-class Michigan hometown for a job but really doesn’t want his classmates, especially the old girlfriend he dumped, to know what he does for a living.

That movie incorporated another cliché of the genre: running into an old flame at the highschool reunion who turns out to be just as wonderful, or totally unappealing. Another angle is the person worshiped from afar back in high school who turned out to possess similar but equally secret feelings in return. This happens often enough at real-life reunions that the notion persists in people’s fantasies. Quite a few people actually do rekindle a romance and marry an old high school girlfriend or boyfriend, after divorce or death has taken their spouse in the mean time.

It was probably inevitable that highschool reunions would enter the realm of reality television. The WB network debuted such a show, imaginatively titled “High School Reunion,” in 2003. A successor on the TV Land cable network opted to cover twentieth reunion classes in Richardson, Texas; Chandler, Arizona; and Las Vegas, Nevada.


For more helpful information, I recommend Memory Lane.

Is There Anything To Worry About When High School Reunions Come Up?

Opening up your Facebook and seeing that there are high school reunions popping up in your area can feel quite daunting and scary. After all, what is everyone up to these days? Just make sure to remember that these events are meant to bring back pleasant memories of the years past. Even if you did not have the best time in the past, you should go and see how all of your former classmates have turned out. Chances are you’ll have a great time and potentially reconnect with people you have now seen in years. Now that you have made up your mind to go, is there anything you can do to prepare yourself? Check out some of these helpful tips below.

Do You Have Style?

Do you enjoy going from store to store in casual clothing or do you prefer to dress like Ryan Gosling and dress well at all points of the day? While your everyday style doesn’t matter too much, you should focus on looking great when you head out to these various events. You don’t need to appear snobby and try to “one up” everyone else that is there but by dressing well, most people you encounter will be very impressed by your effort. If your closet mostly contains sweatpants and old wrinkly clothes, it’s time to head to the store to grab yourself something that will look great and fit you nicely. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars. Simply buy a few things that present you in a great way and look nice.

Don’t Downgrade Yourself

Once you have finally convinced yourself to go and have shown up at these different events, you must appear confident and talk about yourself in a positive manner. Everyone typically hates if you are describing your current situation or even the past and you begin to talk negatively about everything. It brings down the mood and makes it seem like you aren’t much fun at all. This does not mean that you need to brag about your life but talk about your lifestyle, family, or career in a positive light. Your former classmates will like to hear what you have been doing since it has most likely been years since they have last talked to you. Even if you are between jobs or live by yourself, speak confidently and explain yourself. You’ll have to discuss these topics multiple topics, so have fun and stay happy.

Keep In Contact Afterwards

The one thing most people don’t realize when they attend these events is how important networking actually is. If you want to grab a new job or just want to hang out with old friends again, getting their contact info is a very smart idea. When talking to these people, ask them if they’re on Facebook or if they have a business card that you can grab. By doing so, you can hang out with these people once the event is over and you won’t have to wait another 10 or more years to potentially come in contact with them again.

Now that you have plenty ideas regarding what to do when you get invited to high school reunions, it’s time to utilize many of these tips. You should buy a new outfit from the mall, always stay positive during discussions, and try to get the contact information from all your old peers. Do all of these things and these events will be filled with moments you’ll never forget..


Click here for a good informational starting point.

Making the Most of the High School Reunion

It is not every year that you get to go back and see all of your old friends that you haven’t seen since you were in high school. Your high school reunion provides you with an opportunity to see old friends and to find out how they are doing in life. It is an interesting experience that can be very enjoyable if you go about it in the right way.

The first step to enjoying a reunion properly is to get any negative thoughts out of your head before going there. If you go into the event worried about what people will think of you, or thinking that something bad is going to happen you aren’t going to have a good time. Instead focus on all of the positive experiences that you are going to have and go from there.

After you are in the right mindset it is time to get the right clothing to make you feel good. This means that you should take your time and pick out an outfit that you really like to wear. You will be surprised at how much better you feel when you are and clothing that you like.

After that you need to make sure you look your best in other areas. Make sure you have a nice haircut and that you are clean shaven, or at least clean in general. Boost your appearance to boost your confidence and keep from second guessing yourself.

As soon as you get to the event go and talk to any of your old friends that you want to talk to. Talk about whatever you want, and don't try to control the conversation.

The last and most important piece of advice is to stay positive while you are there. It does not matter if people around you are big negatives, do not let yourself be drawn into their negativity, and instead make sure that you are having a good time. By being positive you will be more enjoyable to be around, and more people will have a good time at the reunion because of it.

Throughout the entire event make sure to keep a positive attitude and don’t let any of the negative people get you down. There is always going to be someone who isn’t having a good time, and just because they are not enjoying themselves does not mean that you have to follow suit and ruin the party for everyone including yourself.

With some help from this advice you shouldn’t have trouble enjoying yourself at all. The high school reunion will help you make fresh memories that you can cherish and you may be surprised at how many of the people there have changed and how you have changed as well.


To learn more about highschool reunions, visit Classmates.com.

HIGH SCHOOL CLASS REUNIONS - PASSION AND CHILLS

Americans often experience extremes of emotion at high school class reunions. Since education to at least the age of 16 is compulsory in the U.S., high school is one of the few nearly universal life experiences, along with death, birth, parenting, and marriage. The teenage years are also one of the times of greatest change and passion in one’s life. High school class reunions may bring all those experiences flooding back.

The stakes can be highest at a tenth anniversary reunion. Only ten years out, former classmates have completed their first decade of career achievements and living as a legally responsible adult. No wonder so many fear their professional path, physical shape and health, and basic maturity might fail to measure up against the achievements of their former classmates.

Males may find themselves working out more, in order to look their best come reunion weekend. Similarly, women may put in extra time at the gym, and shop for new clothing. Both think of presentation, how best to describe their lives to others, and wonder how they’ll compare to their classmates in their fortunes after graduation.

The preparation for and experience of high school class reunions provide a backdrop for many Hollywood comedies. In 1997, “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion” followed a couple of LA blondes back to their reunion at Sagebrush High in Tucson, Arizona. The title characters, played by Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow, overdress and devise a ridiculous tale about their professional achievements. John Hughes wrote and directed “Class Reunion,” a 1982 National Lampoon project. In that film, former classmates gather for a tenth reunion of the “Lizzie Borden High School” class of 1972. The movie spoofs the slasher genre by having a psychotic killer attack former classmates because they played a cruel trick on him during their senior year.

The 1997 comedy thriller “Grosse Pointe Blank” makes fun of the anxiety people experience over their career achievements at a tenth-year high school reunion by centering on a hero who is a professional hit man.

Meeting an old flame at a reunion is another common idea raised in “Grosse Pointe Blank.” The person might turn out to be exactly as you remembered, or totally different.

An additional popular plot involves learning that the person you had a crush on those many years ago was just as interested in you, but just as unable to admit it. People who attend high school class reunions actually do re-connect with an old flame often enough in reality that the idea perpetuates itself.

Although Americans travel and relocate far more than they used to, the World Wide Web has assisted organizers of high school class reunions. Classmates.com, Switchboard.com, and Reunion.com are among many sites that assist people in tracking down fellow alumni from the past. There are also websites that make reunion organizing easy, such as CreativeReunions.com, AlumniClass.com, ReunionPlanner.com, and MyEvent.com’s reunion websites.

Also, professional reunion planners take the weight off high school class reunion volunteers. They can be located with the assistance of NARM, the National Association of Reunion Planners.


Click here for a good informational starting point.

What to Expect While Planning a High School Class Reunion

Planning a high school class reunion can be a huge undertaking, but the reward of seeing classmates share stories and renew old friendships is well worth it. With the right planning, a high school reunion can be a very memorable event, full of fun. Everyone is sure to come away from their high school reunion with many memories.

When a large milestone approaches, like the ten year anniversary of graduation, it’s time for a group of alumni to form and begin planning. They should be able to work well together and divide the work among themselves so that everything is done on time and with a level of care. One, or more, person on the team should be in charge of keeping track of the budget and making sure the spending doesn’t go over. Others can focus on contacting everyone in the class while another can book a venue, caterer, or a band.

The very first thing that needs to be figured out is the budget. If the budget is going to be really large, set up an account at the bank specifically for the event and set it up so any transaction requires two people to sign for it. Right away, you want to figure out how much each alumni attending should pay. That number is their share of the cost of the venue, catering, entertainment, etc. Once the overall budget is decided and how it will be divided among the guests, someone needs to make sure that the spending stays within the budget from start to finish.

Another task that needs to completed in the first stages of planning a reunion is gathering contact information of everyone in the class. This involves using online tools and any contact information that the school has to make a list of everyone that will ultimately receive invitations to the class reunion.

The event is also going to need a venue that will accommodate the entire class. Pick out a date for the reunion and shop around for venues. At that time, you should also ask hotels in the area if they can offer discounts to anyone coming into town for the reunion. Once the date and the venue have been picked out, use the list of everyone’s contact information to send out invitations detailing the reunion. Someone in the group ought to keep track of responses as they come in so that you all know exactly who is planning to attend

Next, the team should focus on the structure of the event, and how the reunion is going to play out smoothly. If the reunion is going to stretch out over a weekend, the team may decide to plan a cocktail party on Friday night, then a formal dinner on Saturday which would be the main event, and end with a laid back barbeque on Sunday afternoon. This is when details of catering and entertainment become important.

Even though the class reunion is about mingling and catching up with everyone, you want some structure to the event. Plan entertainment like a live band of a DJ, and invite a surprise guest like a classmate that became famous after graduation or an old teacher that everyone loved. But gathering information about the alumnis before they arrive, prizes can be arranged for things like who flew the farthest to get to the reunion.

Everyone remembers their high school years, so a high school class reunion should be memorable as well. Give everyone a chance to catch up with old friends and create new memories by carefully planning a great event. It takes a hard working group of people to pull together a high school reunion, but everyone in the class will appreciate the work they did when the event is a huge success.


To learn more about class reunions, click here

Going to Your Class Reunion

When it comes to your class reunion, you might not want to go, and this is true for a lot of people. No one wants to be seen if they do not look as good as they do when it comes to being in high school, or perhaps you’re not yet where you want to be in your life. This is true for a lot of people when the time comes. This is something that you have to think about going to, and there are benefits to going to your reunion when you think about it when the time comes.

You might have many reasons on why you do not want to join up with the reunion, and they might seem like good reasons but you want to make sure that they are taken care of. This is because you need to know that they are making the most out of it when the time comes.

You want to ensure that you have the best time at your reunion when it comes down to it. This is because you want to ensure that you know people there and that you feel comfortable and confident when you walk through those doors.

You want to find something to wear to this reunion. This is because you can choose many different outfits, but you want to choose the one that stands out from all of the rest. This is important when it comes down to it. You should know how to wear something, and that everyone is going to love it when it comes down to it.

You want to ensure that you have everything when the time comes. This means knowing who you are, and what you want from life when it comes down to it. Nothing should be left to question when you walk into the reunion with your confidence flaring. This is something that you want to ensure that you know without having to worry about anything.

Choosing everything that you need from the reunion is perfect. You want to make sure that you know what to do, where to go and so much more. Not only that, but you want to show all of your old class mates that you have made it. This can be something that might be hard to do but with a little confidence, you can make sure to go a long way when the time comes.

You should think about everything that has to do with the reunion, and know that it will be okay when the time comes. You know that you’re getting everything that you need and more. While also being able to see a lot of your old friends.

So get out there, be confident, and go to your class reunion when the time comes. You can have the best time and more when it comes down to it. Reconnect with old friends and have the time of your life.


Check out this site for more information!