Class of 2004

[countrigal]

      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 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 Walkman was 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.



Do you feel old yet?  Pass this on to the other old fogies. But don't send it back to me, I feel old enough.



(Just had to share since we were owning up to ages in the Cafe)            

[radaro]

I bet they never saw a phone with a dial on it so have no idea why we "dial a phone number" when in fact, we push buttons.



We just put my old electronic typewriter out at a garage sale (brand new and "high tech" in 1987) and no one even asked the price.



They probably have never seen a 5" floppy disk.



They have always had velco and digital clocks.



They don't know what "slam dancing" is but then again, I don't want to be in a mosh pit.



They probably don't know about gaucho pants (how did these ever get in style?)



That's it, I'm old and depressed!

[laundryhater]

Either I'm too young to know this or I was one of the uncool people not wearing them when everyone else was. What are Gaucho pants and when were they in style? I think I missed the boat on that one.



Also, I thought people still slam danced. I guess it's been a while since I've been to a concert.

[chris68]

Okay everyone at work still calls me a youngster, but  now I definetly feel OLD!



Chris68

[bethanial]

I just have one thing to say . .. NEVER PLAYED PAC MAN!!!  The poor deprived children.  They don't know what they are missing!

[countrigal]

Don't work Bethanial... Playstation or whatever that handheld gameboy thing is still has PacMan and Ms PacMan for the kids... and when we bought a Playstation we got PacMan too.  There's hope for the poor kids yet.    

[radaro]

Ah yes, gaucho pants?  Were they pants or were they a skirt, no one really knows.  They really looked like a below the knee skirt but, surprise, they were pants.  Yes, I wore them. No, I don't know why.  I can't even remember when I wore them (late 70's early 80's???)

[countrigal]

Ok, now I feel like my closet is dated (and my language!)  I thought that was a skort.  Looked like a skirt (knee length or longer) but was shorts.  And I have one of these in my closet today.  I wear it in the summer when I go horseback riding and it's too hot to wear jeans (or I want something looser!).  Oh well, times change but who says we have to?      

[elleny]

Their coming back y'know.



Ellen (I knew I boxed those things up for a reason) in TX  

[radaro]

I may be off base on this one but a skort (in my definition) is shorts in the back with a wrap around flap in the front so it looks like a skirt in front (skirt   shorts = skort). Currently in fashion.



I think gaucho pants are a knock off of something "Latin American".  Gawd I hope they aren't coming back in style.



But we digress from the original topic.



They are also seeing platform shoes for the first time.  They probably think they are cool (like we did in the 70's) until they fall off of them enough times!

[whitesatin]

Anyone here remember "Earth Shoes"?



WhiteSatin  

[deedeeb]

REMEMBER Earth Shoes?!  I still HAVE a pair!  (I never throw anything away)  This is why everyone comes to me for costumes, etc., and why my daughter was the envy of everyone when platforms came back (they were much too small for her though).  I even provided DH's old leisure suit, shirt and all, for a couple who were going to a '70's party.  

[phoenix55]

I remember earth shoes; gaucho pants; hot pants; fringed, suede vests; peasant dresses; peace signs....shall I go on or is this as painful to all you other significantly over 40s as it is to me?

[execsec]

Yes, painful, very painful....  I used to wear gauchos too.  They remind me of either (a) very long culottes or (b) extra-wide capri pants!  They did look good over boots though.

[laundryhater]

Still don't remember gauchos. I do remember skorts though. Didn't own a pair but remember when they were in style.