Some Things Never Change 8/20/2023

By: Jennifer Richardson Holt

I work at a major university.  This makes for a variety of experiences in my workday. I cannot say that all experiences are glowing accolades of the American education system.  It does happen but not always. I also get a vast array of observations of the young people of today.  I am not exactly sure what adjective to use to broach that topic, but it definitely runs the gamut.  I feel like I may be getting wrinkles just writing this. It seems to me that I may be getting very close to tirades about “back in my day” and we all know that once one reaches that point that one is halfway to a rocking chair and doilies on tables.  But, in gathering my thoughts, I think I better start picking if I want painted or natural wood for my chair because yes, I am going down that road.  Things are not what they used to be, and my stars, the days of my youth aren’t centuries ago (despite what this blog may be implying) but the differences just a few decades can make are unbelievable.

My job calls for me to travel around to the different parts of campus and since fall semester has just begun, it is a bit like trying to navigate a stirred-up ant bed. A very big ant bed. And all the ants have phones. And none of the ants look up from said phones whilst they are taking their routes. And unfortunately, some of the ants have scooters, or bikes or, Heaven help us, cars.  They don’t usually use the aforementioned phones when they are in some sort of vehicle mode, but the lack of awareness disturbingly doesn’t seem to have improved. Only a few days ago I had the misfortune of witnessing a young lady with some terrifying methodology on a motorized scooter (which is apparently all the rage because a huge number of these students have them).  On a very busy, only two-lane road, she felt it rather clever to drive her scooter down the center double line between the two lanes of traffic. She also felt that the color indications of a traffic light were unnecessarily cumbersome to her so she, after migrating between the two directions of traffic casually mosied right though a packed intersection. The light was not giving her permission to do so but this didn’t seem to phase her as she never once slowed down as she went through the intersection, and on a few more hundred yards before she promptly turned left in front of an oncoming car, thankfully with quality brakes, and onto the sidewalk.

I need you to understand she never once glanced from left to right. Her facial expression never wavered from what I can only describe is unphased indifference. It was as if she were driving through an empty field.  The fact that she nearly caused multiple accidents, almost all of which would have resulted in her own demise, was not even a blip on her radar.  I see this every day. Maybe not to her disturbing extent, but every day there is something.  I know, I sound like an old so-and-so shaking my cane at the crazy kids on my lawn.  But it just wasn’t like this when I was in college. Of course, let’s be honest. If I had had the magic of the entire wealth of the world’s knowledge at my fingertips constantly like people today do, I might be more distracted as well. And I am already a professional at distraction so I can’t imagine I would be much different than the bulk of the youth today.

But then again, I think, despite distraction I might grasp that weaving between traffic in the streets might not be the wisest idea.  I say that, knowing that while that might not necessarily be on the list, I am sure I made my share of decisions that were lackluster in that age range.  I will say, however, that being unwise and being insane are two very different things. Poor judgement at times was definitely a possibility for me, but a death wish I cannot say I had.

Just returned from Wal-Mart. Going into the store two college girls were standing at automatic doors that were not opening. They stood there. They giggled awkwardly.  Then they looked around wondering why they couldn’t get the doors to open. They discussed the problem and were about to go around all the way to the far side of the store when they realized they were trying to go in the Exit.  Bless them.  They thought it was funny and laughed all the way to their shopping.  I would have had to check and if anyone had seen me do that, I may have to just leave.

I know. I have done stupid stuff.  I suppose we all have especially in our younger years.  Maybe things aren’t as different as I think really.  While the revealing ensemble of choice for a college girl these days is a microscopic tennis skirt, is that so different to the micro-mini skirts of the 60s?  Allow me to insert here that the sixties was two decades before I was even thought about, but I digress.  I suppose youth is what it always has been: clueless and distracted.  Young folk have always thought mostly about what’s fun and popular. Not that there aren’t exceptions to the rules. I am sure there are those that are looking at bigger pictures and making a difference. I don’t want to imply that there aren’t those world changers out there.  Maybe we just don’t notice them as much because they aren’t trying to enter at the exits.