Times are ALWAYS changing...

Today I read an article over a new cup of coffee. I don’t know which one I enjoyed more, the Carmel Mocha Freeze or the article on the new in coming college freshmen. Now it was only 6 years ago that I was a college freshman at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana. Some of you remember my freshman year…and I again apologize for all of that. I am definitely like a fine wine…am getting more enjoyable every year. But anyway on to more important things that me…this coffee freeze was amazing. As you know my wife is a professional barista…for a coffee drinker, that is like an alcoholic owning a bar…it is a beautiful relationship. Any way, I was enjoying this coffee when I found this article on 7B of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, which by the way is a horrible paper. But it is all we have in these parts. So if I am going to read it, I read the good stuff with a good cup of joe.

This article was really interesting. I guess every year the Beloit College publishes the Beloit College Mindset List, an annual compilation that offers a glimpse of the worldview of each incoming class. And it came out today!! Yeah!! And the paper thought it would publish a few of it’s findings. I have listed them here for you to enjoy with me…but wait….get that coffee I had…it is so good…

The Culture of the College Freshman

1. Born in 1987
2. America’s Funniest Home Videos’ has always been on the air
3. A man named George Bush has been the president for more then half their lives.
4. They grew up with pay-per-view, voice mail on their phones, dirty dancing at school dances, and the United States as the only superpower.
5. The class of 2009 has never known Andy Warhol
6. They have never seen Jimmy Swaggart preach on TV
7. They have never seen a show of Arsenio Hall.
8. They all grew up with home computers
9. They have never known life with out a digital camera
10. Souped-up car stereos is not new to them.
11. Television has always blurred the lines between news and entertainment
12. This freshman class has no concept of the 6 o’clock news
13. Most freshman guys do not know how to tie a tie, let a lone own one
14. My favorite: They have always had “Starbucks”


I found this article intresting, and felt led to add some of my own. Since I do work with youth at many diffrernt level I thought I would add what I have picked up:

The Culture of a High School Student…

1. They have never known life with out a Wal-Mart in their town
2. They have never had basic Nintendo as their only game system
3. MTV has never played Music video’s
4. They have always had 3D video games
5. Sad but true…Dumb and Dumber (the original and only funny one) is too old to quote. They don’t get it…it is so so so sad. Does anyone want to hear the most annoying sound….blank stares….that is all you get…blank stares…so sad.
6. They have no conception of a military draft
7. They want to be around people who are different
8. They respect adults more than previous generations
9. Rebellion comes in different forms then just smoking, drinking, or sex, Rebellion is done publicly and openly
10. Homosexuality, has always been accepted
11. The church has always been for their parents
12. Coffee drinking is cool
13. They don’t know life with out email, or cell phones
14. AOL has always been around
15. AOL Instant Messenger is a primary way of communication
16. Text messaging is growing fast then a 30 year old trying to text “fast” on his or her phone.
17. Returning bottles is a foreign concept (except in Michigan where I am from)
18. Having a paper rout is so Andy Griffith…wait….they don’t know him either.
19. DVD players are old hates
20. They have always known school with shootings and open drugs.

WOW, as a person who invests His life into youth, I really have to be on the watch more then I am today, or the changing culture that is around me. If you have any more…please email me and let me know.

I got worms……….blank stares….blank stares….so so sad…