Have you ever wondered what your university classmates might look like/be like 36 years after you graduated?
This was exactly what the BSc Honours Biochemistry class who graduated in 1987 pondered as seven of the 21 of us met up in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire on Sunday 16 July 2023. I have to confess I felt a little nervous - would I recognise them? And more importantly, how would we get on after such a long time?
We need not have worried. After each of us gave a brief ‘life history since university’, describing our jobs and families, it was like we had never been apart. We reviewed two class photos and to stave off dementia, tried to work out who was who; particularly their surnames. Some were more memorable than others! We recalled instances from our university days; especially our little room in the turrets of Marischal College. Our 'chats' with the Head of Department on our future plans, and a Christmas party where we used the 12 days of Christmas to dress up as our lecturers (we have photos!). We were able to sample some excellent hospitality from Ali Russell, and partner Toby. Ali also had us out strolling round the local loch to walk off our lunch.
We had a number of classmates who couldn’t make the event, which was organised at quite short notice. A stolen passport and family arriving put pay to the plans of a couple of others living outside the UK to attend. We missed these classmates, but resolved to meet up next year, with more notice of the date and maybe meeting in to London make travel easier for a few more.
So if you are considering a class reunion, even after decades, I say go for it! The Alumni Relations Office was incredibly helpful in sending out letters to those it had contact details for and we think we now are in touch with over half our class in a dedicated WhatsApp Group. We have donated £180 on behalf of the class to the University’s Greatest Need fund to acknowledge the important part our university education has made to our lives.
Written by Pamela Reid on behalf of the BSc (Hons) Biochemistry 1987 graduating class.
