Inside look at the Class of 2016
Talk about generation gaps. According to the latest Mindset List from Beloit College, this year's college freshmen, born in 1994, have never seen an airline ticket, think bra straps are a fashion statement, and have always known Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain to be dead.
They are Justin Bieber and Dakota Fanning.
Co-author Tom McBride tells KTRH News the biggest difference is the Class of 2016's dependence on technology.
"They don't need keys with voice activation, no need to change a typewriter ribbon, no need to change a video or even get up and push something on the television set," says McBride.
And forget using a house phone, or even a phone at all to communicate. Most 18-year-olds text each other or use social networking sites.
McBride says they've always had cell phones and the Internet, and textbooks are now available online.
"Now of course a college student sees a new set of bound encyclopedias and asks us why they would bother to print the whole thing out?" he says.
Throw out the radio and cassettes too. This generation has MP3s and iPods. They also have never seen a tan M&M -- only blue ones -- and have no idea what a "Royale with cheese" is.
For them, reality shows and instant stardom are the norm, and women have always piloted the space shuttle or been Secretary of State.
Remember Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate?
The character Ben Braddock is now old enough to be this generation's grandfather.
