Last summer, I spent three weeks tracking down every member of my high school debate team for our 25th reunion. What started as a simple Facebook search turned into a full-blown investigation involving LinkedIn stalking, Google deep-dives, and even a phone call to our old school secretary (who, amazingly, still worked there). But when I saw Mark Rodriguez walk into that restaurant—Mark, who’d vanished after graduation like he’d been swallowed by the earth—the look on everyone’s face made every hour worth it.
That’s when I knew I had to write this guide. After years of helping friends, family, and eventually paying clients track down old classmates, I’ve developed what I like to call my “digital detective” methods. Some work better than others, and I’ll be honest about which ones are worth your time and which ones will leave you frustrated.
Why Reconnect? The Enduring Value of Old Friendships
Before we get into the nuts and bolts of online searching, let’s talk about why this matters. I mean, really matters—not just “wouldn’t it be nice to catch up” matters.
Your high school and college friends knew you during your formative years. They remember your terrible haircuts, your biggest embarrassments, and your wildest dreams. There’s something irreplaceable about that shared history. When my old roommate Lisa and I reconnected after twelve years, she immediately brought up this ridiculous plan I’d had to become a professional travel writer. I’d completely forgotten about it, but talking to her reminded me why I’d been so passionate about writing in the first place.
Here’s what I’ve observed from dozens of successful reunions: old friendships often reignite with surprising intensity. You pick up conversations like you had them yesterday. But more than that, these connections can genuinely improve your life. I’ve seen people find business partners, romantic relationships, lifelong friends, and even kidney donors through reconnecting with old classmates.
The networking aspect alone is worth the effort. Your former lab partner might now be a hiring manager at your dream company. Your college study buddy could be starting a nonprofit that aligns with your values. You just never know.
The Digital Detective’s Toolkit: Essential Online Platforms
I’m going to walk you through my systematic approach to finding people online. This isn’t a “try Google and hope for the best” situation—it’s a methodical process that builds on itself. Start with the easiest platforms first, then move to more specialized tools if needed.
Facebook: Your First Stop (and Often Your Last)
Facebook is still my number one recommendation, but you need to search smarter than just typing in “John Smith.” Here’s my exact process:
First, search their full name in quotes. If you get too many results (or none), add your school name: “John Smith” “Washington High School.” Still nothing? Try adding the town where you went to school or their hometown if it was different.
But here’s where most people stop, and they shouldn’t. Facebook’s real power is in its groups. Search for your school’s alumni groups—almost every high school has one, and many have multiple groups for different decades. Join them and search within the group. Post a “looking for” message with a photo if you have one from yearbooks.
Privacy settings can be a pain, but they’re not insurmountable. If someone’s profile is locked down, search for mutual friends. Check if they’re tagged in other people’s photos. Look for comments on your school’s official page or local business pages from your hometown.
One trick I learned by accident: search for their name plus “works at” or “lives in” along with companies or cities you think they might be associated with. Facebook’s search algorithm picks up on profile information even when profiles are private.
LinkedIn: The Professional Connection
LinkedIn is my secret weapon for finding people who’ve gone radio silent on personal social media. It’s amazing how many people who’ve locked down their Facebook profiles maintain detailed LinkedIn profiles for professional reasons.
The key is using LinkedIn’s advanced search filters effectively. You can search by school, company, location, and industry. If you remember what your classmate wanted to do for work, or what they studied, you can narrow results dramatically.
I once spent weeks looking for my college roommate through Facebook with no luck. Five minutes on LinkedIn, searching for our shared university and the English department (her major), and boom—there she was, now a high school principal in Oregon.
LinkedIn also shows you when people have viewed your profile, which can be helpful for reaching out. Sometimes people will find you first after you’ve viewed their profile.
Specialized Alumni & Classmate Websites
Classmates.com was my go-to back in the early 2000s, and it’s still around, though not as popular as it once was. These sites can be hit or miss depending on how active your school’s alumni base is, and some features require paid memberships.
What these sites do well is aggregate information specifically for reunion purposes. They often have yearbooks, class lists, and reunion planning tools. Some maintain memorial pages for classmates who’ve passed away, which can be valuable for getting the complete picture of your graduating class.
Don’t overlook your school’s official alumni association website. Many schools maintain searchable directories, and these are often more current than you’d expect because alumni offices work hard to maintain contact information for fundraising purposes.
Google & Other Search Engines: The Broad Net
Google searching is an art form, and most people do it wrong. Here are my go-to search strategies:
Use quotation marks around names: “Jennifer Martinez” “Lincoln High School” 1995. Add words like “wedding,” “obituary,” “reunion,” or “award” to catch life events that might have been covered in local news.
Search for variations of their name. Jennifer might go by Jen now, or Jenny, or use her middle name. If they got married, try different combinations of maiden and married names.
People leave digital traces everywhere—race results, charity event listings, professional directories, court records, local news articles. I once found someone through a newspaper article about their prize-winning rose garden.
Try searching for your school name plus “alumni directory” or “reunion.” Many schools maintain lists that are publicly searchable, and reunion committees often create websites with class lists and contact information.