Class of 2016

Every year Beloit College releases the Mindset List for this year’s entering class of first-year college students.  This year’s freshmen are the Class of 2016.

It’s always interesting to read the cultural touchstones that shaped the lives of students who are entering college this fall.  This list was originally created as a reminder to faculty to be aware of dated references.

A few items from the list:

This year’s class was born in 1994 and Kurt Cobain and Jacqueline Kennedy have always been dead.

For most of their lives, maintaining relations between the U.S. and the rest of the world has been a woman’s job in the State Department.  (Albright, Rice, Clinton)

They can’t picture people actually carrying luggage through airports–it has always been on wheels.

There have always been blue M&Ms but no tan M&Ms.

Simba has always had trouble waiting to be King.

The full list is available online.

What’s something you would add to the list?  This class has maybe never known a telephone attached to a wall.  Phones have been portable.