A Brief Rant About Today's College Students

Now that I am breaking the door down on my thirties, I realize that I have become part of the establishment. I am "The Man," if you will.

But what I don't understand, and what I refuse to believe my generation was like, is the fact that there seems to be a complete lack of personal responsibility belonging to students today.

For example, and this is indicative of more than a few conversations I had over the past semester, enjoy the idiocy I deal with on a weekly basis:

Me: That was due last week. The due date was printed at the top of the document and it was sent to you over one month ago. And it was announced in class. On numerous occasions. You just had to upload it to the worksite.
Student: Yeah, well, I didn't have your fax number, so I couldn't submit it.
Me: KILL DIE IN A FIRE BURN.

Aren't these kids supposed to be internet superstars or something? Weren't they one of the first generations to grow up with a computer from birth?? Is it really that difficult to discover that information? If it were me, the first thing I would do is check out the sites to which I've been added and learn about due dates and policies.

I mean, these are kids who have never used a card catalog. They've probably never used the yellow pages in a real, actual phone book. I mean, I haven't used a card catalog in over twelve years, since I finished high school, I'm guessing.

When I was working at the dinosaur museum, I supervised several students who had never rolled coins before. And why would they need to learn that, what with Coinstar and its evil machinations? I mean, it's totally brilliant, don't get me wrong, but I am too much of a cheapskate to give them any percentage of my hard earned change.

I realize that I sound like - and am well on my way to becoming - the old lady who screams at the kids to get off her lawn, but I refuse to believe that my generation was this lazy. This non-committal. This... apathetic.

Of course, each generation hates those below it. So whatever. I'm the establishment, and they are NOT TO BE TRUSTED.