As I reflect on my college years, I can’t help but notice how much has changed since then. Back in my day, we were glued to shows like Friends and spent hours decorating our dorm rooms with posters and knick-knacks. Fast forward to now, and we see a different world for today’s college students. Beloit College’s annual “Mindset List” gives us insight into the unique experiences of the incoming freshman class, highlighting just how different their lives are compared to ours.
Compiled by a professor and an administrator, the list reveals that today’s students, born in 1997, have never even known a world with a live Princess Diana. The generational gap is stark; for instance, when my husband handed out blank envelopes for final exams, not a single student knew how to address it!
Here’s a look at some things today’s students won’t experience in college that we did:
- Dashing across campus to submit a paper before the midnight deadline.
- Borrowing reserved materials at the library.
- Debating whether a crop top was too risqué with low-rise jeans.
- Adjusting the TV antenna for optimal reception in the common area.
- Taking notes the old-fashioned way—with pen and paper.
- Searching for a pizza place in the yellow pages.
- Ordering pizza over the phone while feeling a little too relaxed.
- Navigating the library using a card catalog.
- Driving to classes using a good old-fashioned paper map.
- Changing a typewriter ribbon when the ink ran dry.
- Using a phone card or making a collect call.
- Filling out a withdrawal slip at the bank for pocket money.
- Communicating with a friend by writing notes on her dorm room whiteboard.
Change is inevitable, and while we enjoyed our time without strict rules at campus mixers, today’s students will never know the thrill of watching classic 90210 episodes with their dorm mates or writing heartfelt letters home.
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In summary, while the college experience may evolve, the memories shaped during those formative years remain timeless.
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