THE CLASS OF 2005

[N2]

THE CLASS OF 2005
> >
> > Just in case you weren't feeling too old today,
> > this will certainly change things. Each year the
> > staff at Beloit College in Wisconsin puts together
> > a list to try to give the Faculty a sense of the
> > mindset of this year's incoming freshman.
> >
> > Here is this year's list:
> >
> > The people who are starting college this fall
> > across the nation were born in 1982.
> >
> > They have no meaningful recollection of the
> > Reagan Era and probably did not know he had
> > ever been shot.
> >
> > They were prepubescent when the Persian Gulf
> > War was waged. Black Monday, 1987 is as
> > significant to them as the Great Depression.
> >
> > There has been only one Pope.
> >
> > They were 11 when the Soviet Union broke apart
> > and do not remember the Cold War.
> >
> > They have never feared a nuclear war.
> >
> > They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up.
> >
> > Tianamen Square means nothing to them.
> >
> > Bottle caps have always been screw off and plastic.
> >
> > Atari predates them, as do vinyl albums.
> >
> > The expression "You sound like a broken record"
> > means nothing to them.
> >
> > They have never owned a record player.
> >
> > They have likely never played Pac Man and have
> > never heard of Pong.
> >
> > They may have never heard of an 8 track.
> > The Compact Disc was introduced when they were 1
> > year old.
> >
> > As far as they know, stamps have always cost
> > about 33 cents.
> >
> > They have always had an answering machine.
> >
> > Most have never seen a TV set with only 13
> > channels, nor have they seen a black and white TV.
> >
> > They have always had cable.
> >
> > There have always been VCRs, but they have no
> > idea what BETA was.
> >
> > They cannot fathom not having a remote control.
> >
> > They don't know what a cloth baby diaper is, or
> > know about the "Help me, I've fallen and I can't
> > get up" commercial.
> >
> > Feeling old Yet? There's more:
> >
> > They were born the year that Walkmen were
> > introduced by Sony.
> >
> > Roller skating has always meant inline for them.
> >
> > Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show.
> >
> > They have no idea when or why Jordache jeans
> > were cool.
> >
> > Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave.
> >
> > They have never seen Larry Bird play.
> >
> > They never took a swim and thought about Jaws.
> >
> > The Vietnam War is as ancient history to them
> > as WWI, WWII and the Civil War. They have no
> > idea that Americans were ever held hostage in
> > Iran.
> >
> > They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are.
> >
> > They don't know who Mork was or where he was from.
> >
> > They never heard: "Where's the beef?",
> > "I'd walk a mile for a Camel," or
> > "De plane, de plane!".
> >
> > They do not care who shot J.R. and have no idea
> > who J.R. was.
> >
> > The Titanic was found? They thought we always knew.
> >
> > Michael Jackson has always been white.
> >
> > Kansas, Chicago, Boston, America, and Alabama
> > are places, not rock bands.
> >
> > McDonalds never came in Styrofoam containers.
> >
> > There has always been MTV.
> >
> > They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter.

[preppie]

Here is this year's list:
> >
> > The people who are starting college this fall
> > across the nation were born in 1982. I was born in 1982, and started college last fall.
> >
> > They have no meaningful recollection of the
> > Reagan Era and probably did not know he had
> > ever been shot. Regan was shot, but what about Brady?!? Yes, I do know all about the Brady bill and it's implications/circumstances.
> >
> > They were prepubescent when the Persian Gulf
> > War was waged. Black Monday, 1987 is as
> > significant to them as the Great Depression. Actually, no, I have relatives that went through the G. Depression, and I can definitely say that it has changed my perspective on $. Black Monday was a drop in the bucket compared to the Depression.
> >
> > There has been only one Pope. Yes, but how many people of older generations can name all of them, or even realize what the significance of the Pope is.... I can.
> >
> >
> > They have never feared a nuclear war.
> >
> > They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up.
> >
> > Tianamen Square means nothing to them. Oh really?
> >
> > Bottle caps have always been screw off and plastic. No, they haven't, but hey, I like the improvement.
> >
> > Atari predates them, as do vinyl albums.
Atari was actually pretty cool, and I still play records....
> >
> > The expression "You sound like a broken record"
> > means nothing to them. Sure.
> >
> > They have never owned a record player. Still playing it....
> >
> > They have likely never played Pac Man and have
> > never heard of Pong. Played Pac man, and definitely heard of Pong!
> >
> > They may have never heard of an 8 track.Most definitely heard of an 8 track!
> > The Compact Disc was introduced when they were 1
> > year old.Actually, I think I was about 10 when CD's became mainstream.
> >
> > As far as they know, stamps have always cost
> > about 33 cents. Nooooo, I still have some of the 29 cent variety.....
> >
> > They have always had an answering machine. Actually, just got one this year out of nessesity, I really don't like it at all though!
> >
> > Most have never seen a TV set with only 13
> > channels, nor have they seen a black and white TV.
They have always had cable.
> >Grew up without cable, never turn my TV on, and my old black and white TV that was my mothers is still in my bedroom at home. I'd rather read....SHOCK!
> >
> >
> > There have always been VCRs, but they have no
> > idea what BETA was.
> >
> > They cannot fathom not having a remote control. I don't use one.
> >
> > They don't know what a cloth baby diaper is, or
> > know about the "Help me, I've fallen and I can't
> > get up" commercial. I think that was one of the biggest one liners when I was about 10. I've actually seen cloth baby diapers and think they are adorable.
> >
> > Feeling old Yet? There's more:
> >
> > They were born the year that Walkmen were
> > introduced by Sony.
> >
> > Roller skating has always meant inline for them. Never has, never will, I'm a little better on spaced apart skates.
> >
> > Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show. But Johnny is still better!
> >
> > They have no idea when or why Jordache jeans
> > were cool. Had a couple of pairs...
> >
> > Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave. Nope.
> >
> > They have never seen Larry Bird play.
> >
> > They never took a swim and thought about Jaws. LOL. It's every kids nightmare!
> >
> > The Vietnam War is as ancient history to them
> > as WWI, WWII and the Civil War. They have no
> > idea that Americans were ever held hostage in
> > Iran. Actually, it's ancient history to alot of people, but I can fully explain the purpose/meanings of each war. And I do realize that American's were held hostage in Iran.
> >
> > They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are. Yes, I can.
> >
> > They don't know who Mork was or where he was from. Ork....Robin Williams.
> >
> > They never heard: "Where's the beef?",
> > "I'd walk a mile for a Camel," or
> > "De plane, de plane!".
> >
> > They do not care who shot J.R. and have no idea
> > who J.R. was. Wasn't it all a dream sequence?
> >
> > The Titanic was found? They thought we always knew. Um, no, we didn't.
> >
> > Michael Jackson has always been white. Yeah, and his nose has always been small too....
> >
> > Kansas, Chicago, Boston, America, and Alabama
> > are places, not rock bands.
> >All I wanted; All Roads Lead to You; Amanda; Sister Golden Hair; Dixieland Delight. I've seen Chicago live several times, I LOVE them!

> > McDonalds never came in Styrofoam containers.
> >Yeah they did, and it was discontinued b/c of harmful pollution effects.
> > There has always been MTV.Unfortunately.
> >
> > They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter.Typed all of my papers on one until 10th grade, isn't technology great though....no more white out!

I guess the point I'm trying to make here is that I find lists like this really stereotypical and degrading. It's not like these are random pop culture facts here (well, some of them are) there is alot of basic knowledge on this list that if people don't know, they should! It's really demeaning that just because I might have not been born when the cold war was in effect that I have no knowledge of it. It seems as though this list is spreading the generation gap even further rather than helping the faculty at the school. It is basically saying, well, since they don't know these basic things, what are we going to talk about if I was to strike up a friendship with a student. This kind of attitude is ultimately hurtful to the student and the faculty, the student feels stupidand looked down on b/c they are younger, and the faculty member feels out of the loop and may look down on the student. They might be pleasantly surprised. Perhaps instead of instilling the "younger generations are idiots" attitudes in the faculty, this list of facts should be given to students, to really see what they know before making an assumption.

[This message has been edited by preppie (edited July 21, 2001).]

[33girl]

preppie, I totally agree. Just because you weren't born when something happened doesn't mean you are clueless on it. I remember things from when I was teeny, like the Beatles and men landing on the moon. I also definitely have a recollection of Agnew resigning and Watergate. Plus a lot of these things assume you grew up in a rich environment (i.e. always having cable).

[AlphaChiGirl]

Wouldn't the Class of 2005 consist primarily of people born in 1983? These things, which I sincerely doubt were published by an institute of higher learning, are really annoying, and like someone said, demeaning. I remember when the one came out for the class of 2003...it's remarkably similar to this one. Although I am two years older than the class of 2005...

I remember EXACTLY where I was when Challenger exploded. Same thing for Tianamen Square.

I remember Johnny Carson's last Tonight show episode.

I played Pong and Pac-Man...on an Atari, no less!

I remember watching old NBA finals (usually Boston vs. LA)...and watching Larry Bird play! Egads!

Going to the video store in the mid-80s and being asked if you wanted a VHS or BETA tape doesn't really seem that long ago.

"I've fallen...and I can't get up!" was a joke in 5th grade.

Also, we must not forget that due to TV, most of the things that I did in fact miss or was too young to remember have been etched in my memory...the Zapruder films, anyone? LBJ's resignation speech, Reagan's assassination attempt, and the royal wedding ALL come to mind.

[GiantsChic]

lol, i think this was meant as a joke guys... I thought is was funny- it was geared more at older people and how young we are... didn't you guys ever look at the freshmen in your high school and think "we were never that small"? lol, kinda cute

Originally posted by GiantsChic:
lol, i think this was meant as a joke guys... I thought is was funny- it was geared more at older people and how young we are... didn't you guys ever look at the freshmen in your high school and think "we were never that small"? lol, kinda cute

I agree. This month, New Student Orientation is going on at my campus. I look at our incoming freshmen and I also have that "was I THAT small when I was a freshman?" feeling.

About the post...I also took it as a joke. Though I'm not much older than most of my chapter sisters, there are some of them that can't remember TV shows like Facts of Life, Different Strokes...those slippers (you guys call em flip flops) that criss-crossed your feet...things like that.


------------------
A single seed...becomes a Rose of incredible beauty.

A single grain of sand...becomes a Pearl of great worth.

A single great idea...becomes a Century of success.

Go Alpha Gam!

[Harmony]

Every time I see this I like it. Born in 1982, of course it's not all particularly accurate toward me personally, but generally, it's making a point. I think it's cute. It was in no way degrading, so please be more mature.

[juniorgrrl]

This email is BS. It goes out every year. And its never accurate. I know I got it when I started college, and I'll be graduating in May (class of '02)

I remember Reagan's assasination attempt. I remember the Challenger. I still have an Atari 2600. I was in 1st grade when Tiennamen Square happened. I remember Johnny Carson's shows *quite* well. IIRC, rollerblades never hit down here until almost 1990! At my 6th birthday party at McDonald's, we played "stack the big mac container" - those containers were styrofoam.

Don't believe most mass-forwarded emails. Most of them are just urban legends

[33girl]

Originally posted by AlphaChiGirl:
Also, we must not forget that due to TV, most of the things that I did in fact miss or was too young to remember have been etched in my memory...the Zapruder films, anyone? LBJ's resignation speech, Reagan's assassination attempt, and the royal wedding ALL come to mind.

I just want to say that if I see Walter Cronkite take off his glasses and announce President Kennedy's assassination one more time, I will go into a catatonic state.

[preppie]

Originally posted by Harmony:
Every time I see this I like it. Born in 1982, of course it's not all particularly accurate toward me personally, but generally, it's making a point. I think it's cute. It was in no way degrading, so please be more mature.

The point it is making is that basically the younger generation is full of tv crazed, comercialized driven imbeciles! If thinking that my generation is a bit smarter than that is immature, then I hope that I stay immature forever!

[This message has been edited by preppie (edited July 22, 2001).]

[Harmony]

I can go through the list, but I'll make some points...I DON'T remember the Challenger blowing up. I DON'T remember Reagan's assination attempt. I DON'T remember the Cold War. I NEVER feared a nuclear war could seriously break out. The list goes on. However, I do know about all of those things. They are not a part of my every day life though, not things that flow through my head every once in a while. For my parents, though, those are events they know quite well because they were there as full adults with an adult's perspective of these things when they happened. It's very different than what I remember. The Soviet Union broke up when I was in 2nd grade. I remember it happening, but I don't remember feeling a huge loss because the USSR had only been around for about 2 or 3 years from what I could remember. This wasn't written espicially for you, but to take it so personally IS a very immature perspective-me, me, me.

[preppie]

Harmony- Thank you for attacking my viewpoint. Your maturity shows.

[PenguinTrax]

Although this topic never really applied to membership recruitment, I allowed it. It's being transferred to Chit Chat.