(By Hallie Hammack, eHow Contributor)
Class reunions are a great opportunity to catch up with old friends but they can also be stressful. Walking into a room full of people that you haven't seen in years can be a bit nerve-wracking, but the reasons for attending a class reunion including catching up with old friends can outweigh the nervousness.
Visit Your Old Stomping Grounds
If you moved away after graduation, chances are you haven't visited your old stomping grounds in a very long time. A class reunion gives you the chance to see what's changed and what old favorites are still around. Check out the new football field, take a drive past your old house and see if that out-of-the-way diner still serves the best cheeseburgers in the state.
Catch Up with Old Friends
While you may have stayed in touch with a few people from your old group of friends, there's probably a much larger group you haven't seen since graduation. Even if you weren't especially close with all of your former classmates, you spent several years with them and probably have at least a passing interest in how their lives are turning out. While social networking sites make it easier to stay in touch than ever before, nothing can take the place of a genuine, face-to-face conversation.
Reminisce
Class reunions are a great way to get together with a group of people who shared similar experiences during their formative years. Who else can commiserate about the wrath of a particularly tough teacher, remember the exciting outcome of the big game or joke about all the hip fashion statements that you thought you were making? Getting together with old schoolmates may rouse a surprising number of fond and funny memories that you wouldn't think of with anyone else.
Get Out of the House
Let's face it, once the adult world sets in, it's easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day demands of life. A stressful career and a busy family life make it harder to find time to enjoy a night out. A class reunion provides the perfect excuse. If you live far away, take a few days off work and turn your reunion into an extended vacation or simply hire a babysitter and enjoy a night out on the town.
