The Mindset Of This Year's College Freshmen, The Class of 2010.

Amid the flashbacks to 2006 and the short-term predictions into 2007, there is list of trend-setting factors for much farther into the future: the Mindset of this year's freshmen class, an annual disclosure defining the young and upcoming generation, courtesy of Wisconsin's Beloit College.
A student of history dwells in past tense. A stagnant, satisfied, well-entrenched lifer laughs with the Mindset list. The futurist has already locked and loaded it into memory.

And here are my notable ones from the Mindset of the Class of 2010:

• They are wireless, yet always connected.
• DNA fingerprinting has always been admissible evidence in court.
• "Google" has always been a verb.
• Text messaging is their email.
• Milli Vanilli has never had anything to say.
• Mr. Rogers, not Walter Cronkite, has always been the most trusted man in America.
• Madden has always been a game, not a Superbowl-winning coach.
• They grew up in mini-vans.
• They have no idea why we needed to ask "...can we all get along?"
• Brides have always worn white for a first, second, or third wedding.
• Affluent troubled teens in Southern California have always been the subjects of television series.
• They have always been able to watch wars and revolutions live on television.
• They never played the game of state license plates in the car.
• Ringo Starr has always been clean and sober.
• Professional athletes have always competed in the Olympics.

The complete list for 2007 and past years is here: Beloit College Mindset List.