Khadka, Shubashree: Beloit List

The Beloit List is published annually in order to inform professors about the life experiences of the upcoming batch of freshmen. The most recent list presents the class of 2015 as the ‘Internet Class’ as most students in this class were born in 1993 when the Internet became the ‘happening’ thing that it is today. Now, almost two decades later, much of today’s society is built upon this glorious thing called the Internet, making it likely for this year’s freshmen to be hooked on technology. Because this list mainly focuses on students, Professor Bruce Krajewski came up with another mindset list for faculty born before 1980. This list deals with what faculty know, think, and believe. Both lists reveal differences between the mindsets of the new ‘Internet Class’ and faculty who are over 30 years of age. Both generations have problems recognizing prominent people from each other’s generation. For example, LBJ for those faculty born before 1980 would be President Lyndon B. Johnson but students think of LeBron James. Also, students know Arnold Palmer as a drink, Andy Warhol as a museum while to faculty, they were famous people.

Another difference is that both groups have their own verbal communication style. Today’s college students use “yadda, yadda, yadda” basically to cut a long story short. They use “like” in almost every other sentence. Faculty uses “wii” as an exclamation in order to show a feeling of euphoria. The means of communication also differs. Faculty use “I phone” to communicate but only as a part of speech and not the real cellphone from Apple. Students and their cellphones are inseparable. They prefer texting and Facebook over e-mail. On the other hand, their faculty faced books instead of using Facebook. From music to books, nearly all types of media are available on the Internet. Today, many students never meet their teachers due to the availability of online courses. The Internet has grown so much that people have even started to create their wills online.

The differences between the generations are not limited to technology. Each grew up in two different kinds of social environments. Freshmen grew up at a time when women served in Navy, the Supreme Court, and in the Catholic Church. They have always seen tax forms in Spanish. Faculty, however, grew up when there was no empowerment of women. They lived during an age when Martin Luther King Jr. Day was not celebrated in every state. The United States did not even have governance over Guantánamo back then.

These two lists present a brief outline about how different the mindsets of people of different generations tend to be. Instead of dividing the two sets of people, this list in fact helps them understand each other and come together for the common purpose of learning from each other. Faculty must have an open mind and remain updated about every change happening in a changing world. Similarly, students must respect what their teachers believe in and should consider learning about the reasons that led to those beliefs.