It hadn't changed a bit, thought Phillip Bullivant, checking out the principal's office for the first time in 40-plus years.
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"I'd know because I spent a bit of time there," he said, cheerfully owing up to his more colourful times as a Murray High School student.
This time though the visit to the principal's domain was all in good fun, with a lot of reminiscing as the Albury resident and his fellow crop of year 7 to 10 classmates from 1977 to 1980 attended a reunion.
The get-together on Saturday, February 10, kicked off with a tour of the Lavington school followed by a party at Soden's Hotel, celebrating long-lasting friendships and a still-strong spirit of camaraderie.
About 100 former students reminisced about the buildings and hallways, many noting how everything looked "exactly the same", and about the times they shared.
The school opened as a new place of study in 1977.
"When we arrived it was all brand new and shiny," Mr Bullivant said.
"There were kids coming from all different schools, and we had to wait until it was completed.
"It's always been a good school though."
"Wow, you don't forget do you," she said.
"It's still the same place, all the people are all the same too."
After forming a committee a few years back the aim was to have the reunion a bit earlier to mark 40 years, but "the other two times got squashed with COVID".
"Third time lucky," she said.
What made the reunion extra special was the classmates were the first students to go to the school, entering in years 7 and 8.
"We wanted the reunion to be inclusive of everyone, even if they didn't graduate," she said.
"Some of the students were apprehensive about coming because of that reason, but that's why we made it open because we wanted everyone to come."
Mr Bullivant said it was great to reconnect with students they hadn't seen in a decade, even "some I haven't seen since I left school".
"Some of us have been friends all the way through and have rekindled the relationship thanks to social media," he said.
Ms Salter said about 145 former students were contacted and 105 responded, with some not able to be traced because of name changes.
The after-party included a fashion parade with a few old uniforms, a cake and a memorial honouring those who had died, as well as some dancing and music from the era.
Mr Bullivant said he was proud of his whole year.
"The real world has been good to us," he said.
"Most of the people that we know of have done well for themselves, we've had a pretty good run."
