What Incoming Freshman Know -The Beloit College Mindset List

Sometimes I get a room full of blank stares when I make a cultural reference. Then I remember why. Although I'm "only" 48 (which means that I have books that are older than many o my students), the world has changed in so many ways since I was in college.

Every year, Beloit College publishes their "mindset" list of "cultural touchstones" that have shaped the lives of the incoming freshman class (who were mostly born in 1988). Here are some of the items on this year's list struck me:

2. They have known only two presidents

9. A stained blue dress is as famous to their generation as a third-rate burglary was to their parents'.

11. A coffee has always taken longer to make than a milkshake

19. "“Google"” has always been a verb.

20. Text messaging is their e-mail.

31. They grew up in minivans.

34. They have always known that "“In the criminal justice system the people have been represented by two separate yet equally important groups."

38. Being techno-savvy has always been inversely proportional to age.

51. Michael Moore has always been showing up uninvited.

58. Bad behavior has always been getting captured on amateur videos.

64. LoJack transmitters have always been finding lost cars.

74. Ringo Starr has always been clean and sober (who?)

Read the whole list here. An in case you're interested, here are the previous mindset lists:

Class of 2002 Class of 2003 Class of 2004 Class of 2005 Class of 2006

Class of 2007 Class of 2008 Class of 2009