It’s that time of year again. It’s two weeks before the beginning of the semester here at MPOW, and I’m starting to think the quiet is feeling more like the calm before the storm.
To that end, Beloit College has again given us a list of the things that help to form the Class of 2016:
3. The Biblical sources of terms such as “Forbidden Fruit,” “The writing on the wall,” “Good Samaritan,” and “The Promised Land” are unknown to most of them.
Interesting. I wonder, then, if we use the term “Good Samaritan” if they know what we’re talking about?
9. They have never seen an airplane “ticket.”
13. They can’t picture people actually carrying luggage through airports rather than rolling it.
I remember the first time I saw a piece of luggage with wheels on it. Thought it was the Best. Idea. Ever. All this as I was schlepping my luggage through the airport.
48. They grew up, somehow, without the benefits of Romper Room.
Frankly, I would have thought this applied to many classes before this one. It didn’t go off the air until 1994!
Have a look for yourself. It’s a fun trip down memory lane, if nothing else.
ARGH! I wrote a lengthy comment and it disappeared. I despise this WordPress login thing, and I despise Gravatar!
I find this list slightly annoying, as if these freshman are some kind of exotic species we will never understand. Many things remain the same. They are inexperienced kids who have much to learn and think they know everything — JUST LIKE WE WERE! I’m tired of the Facebook posts disdainful of anyone who doesn’t want to live life on their phone and dare to (gasp) pay with a check. I’m tired of the trips down memory lane with pictures of rotary dial phones and floor-based bright auto light switches. The technology changes, but we still use it to fulfill our basic human drives to connect, create and find meaning.
And I… yes, I am becoming a grumpy old lady although I’m only in my 40s.
Susan, I agree. While it’s interesting to note the things these students haven’t experienced, they’re really not all that different than we were at that age. I like the Mindset list, but I think it might have run its course.
In an interesting side note, I was in a meeting last night that included two of our sophomores. When we asked the best way to get the word out on an upcoming event (Facebook? Email?) we were told, “word of mouth.”
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose!