Welcome to the second COVID graduation season! The class of 2021 spent a whopping one-third of their high school careers either on Zoom or doing hybrid learning, unthinkable technology 18 short years ago. They were born a year or so after the 9/11 attacks, when the US was fighting one ground war and about to start another. Like the class of '20 before them, their entire lives have been witness to all the trials and tribulations of the 21st century.
Since I wrote last year's list, the Beloit College/Marist College mindset list was adjusted for a more realistic approach to how this year's incoming college freshmen will see the world. I will continue undaunted to write mine the traditional way.
With that said, if you graduated high school this year...
...Saddam Hussein has never been President of Iraq.
...Tayyip Erdogan has always been leader of Turkey.
...it has always been possible for the US to start a war under questionable circumstances.
...Slovakia has always been part of the European Union.
...a NASA manned space shuttle has never exploded.
...Beyonce has always been best known as a solo artist.
...your mental image of Johnny Depp has always been of an eccentric pirate.
...there has always been Wifi in space (and on Earth, I guess).
...MySpace has always been around, even though you barely remember when it was relevant.
...cell phones have always had cameras.
...Toyota has always made hybrid automobiles.
...there has never been any noteworthy national landmarks in New Hampshire.
...the Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders have never played in a Super Bowl.
...there have always been 32 teams and eight four-team divisions in the NFL.
...Josh McCown has always played in the NFL.
...Udonis Haslem has always been in the NBA (yes, really).
...Michael Jordan has never been in the NBA.
...Jimmy Kimmel has always hosted a talk show on ABC.
...Bill Maher has always hosted a talk show on HBO.
...Simon Cowell has always been a judge on an American reality competition show.
...Kenan Thompson has always been a cast member on Saturday Night Live.
...Bob Hope, Mister Rogers, Katherine Hepburn, Johnny Unitas, Kim Hunter, Bruce Paltrow, Aileen Wuornos, Teresa Graves, Ray Conniff, Stephen Ambrose, Sir Richard Harris, Tom Dowd, Jam Master Jay, James Coburn, Billie Bird, Roone Arledge, Lucy Grealy, Joe Strummer, Herb Ritts, George Roy Hill, Sydney Omarr, Maurice Pialat, Maurice Gibb, Richard Crenna, Al Hirschfeld, Bill Mauldin, Nell Carter, Lana Clarkson, Dolly the cloned sheep, Sis Daley, Howie Epstein, Horst Buchholz, Michael Jeter, Edwin Starr, Little Eva, Nina Simone, "Miss Elizabeth" Hulette, Noel Redding, Dave DeBusschere, Robert Stack, Sloan Wilson, Mickie Most, Freddie Blassie, David Brinkley, Gregory Peck, Hume Cronyn, Asa Baber, Larry Doby, Roger Neilson, Leon Uris, Lester Maddox, Strom Thurmond, Joan Lowery Nixon, Buddy Hackett, Herbie Mann, Barry White, Buddy Ebsen, Celia Cruz, Uday Hussein, Qusay Hussein, Gregory Hines, Herb Brooks, Idi Amin, and Charles Bronson have always been dead.
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