Validating Charles J. Wheelan at my Ten-Year University Reunion

On the first weekend of June 2024, I attended my ten-year class reunion at Georgetown University. Obviously, I had my core group of friends that I wanted to see and converse with. Nonetheless, speaking with other classmates that I met from 2010 to 2014 that weekend was beneficial too. I returned back to Montreal, where I’m currently residing, reinvigorated and delighted that I took days off to reconnect with my most valuable network of people.?

That reunion weekend, the biggest thing I learned was that Professor Charles J. Wheelan of Dartmouth College was correct. In his book, 10 ? Things No Commencement Speaker Has Ever Said, he has a chapter titled, “Your Time in Fraternity Basements was Well Spent”, which focuses on relationships and building community. The chapter references a Harvard University study that followed 268 Harvard College sophomore men from 1938 to the present in order to discover the keys to longer, healthier, and happier lives. Out of that lengthy research, the major factor that emerged as the biggest indicator of greater life expectancy and happiness was relationships to other human beings. Personally, I was not a party animal, but I was extremely social and involved in extracurriculars in my undergraduate career at Georgetown. At the reunion, I greeted and spoke with many of my former classmates at the class festivities. ?

The biggest indicator of greater life expectancy and happiness was relationships to other human beings.

Besides learning about my undergraduate classmates’ life and career developments, I felt joy while engaging in the camaraderie. Reuniting in-person after living shared historical (COVID-19) and human (marriage/divorces, careers, parenting) experiences was meaningful because of the opportunity to interact face-to-face. Walking away from Healy Hall that Saturday afternoon before returning for the final class party, I reflected on the impact Georgetown had in my personal relationships.

In today’s age of social media, it is easier to maintain contact with friends or other networks while keeping a distance. This paradox has led to greater isolation and depression in some members of my generation, Millennials, and Generation Z. Therefore, one must attempt to join an association or take a class to meet people with similar interests. Per Wheelan’s book, “Joining a group that meets once a month has the same effect on your sense of well-being as doubling your income.” I will also add that making an effort to see people from your university, scout troop, prior employment, retreat, seminar, or any other organization which you value in a reunion is rewarding. The act of seeing people from these groups after a long period of time has passed from the last encounter renews the drive to continue living life to the fullest.

Realizing that others have lived through or are undergoing human hardships in these social get-togethers eases the painful burden of feeling like you're the only person in the world enduring these difficulties. Meeting new former classmates from the same year, catching up with friends, and networking at these events facilitates the sharing of these setbacks and rekindles companionship. Thus, if one has the resources and the time to attend a reunion of some sort, I strongly recommend it. Make an effort to leave the house and revisit the bonds that helped you in the past! The people you socialize with at these reunion events and the friendships you restore may be willing to listen and remain available to stay in touch with you afterwards!