Page 2 / News, Trends, Gossip and Stuff To Do : Breakin’ and Acing ‘Frogger’

For some, the ‘80s were nothing but the glue holding together the ‘70s and ‘90s. But for those who grew up listening to Cyndi Lauper, who spent endless hours with Jane Fonda’s workout while continuously adjusting their multicolored leg warmers, who thought Jennifer Beals was the ultimate sex symbol and that Kevin Bacon was pretty cute, it is time to wax nostalgic. So what if the ‘80s weren’t the classiest of times. Someone had to grow up during that decade. It is for them that the staff at Beloit College has compiled a complementary roster to its popular Mindset List--a list of things “only a child of the ‘80s can explain,” the list’s creators warn. “Don’t ask us!”

1. They owned and operated a “Trapper Keeper.”

2. They can explain the “cha-ching” thing.

3. They know what a “burnout” is.

4. They know what “psych” means.

5. During time in the arcade, they actually lined up quarters on the top panel of the game to “reserve” a spot.

6. They know the profound meaning of “Wax on, wax off.”

7. They know that another name for a keyboard is “synthesizer.”

8. They can name at least half of the members of the elite “Brat Pack.”

9. They know who Tina Yothers is.

10. They felt ashamed when Rob Lowe got in trouble for sex with minors and videotaped it, because they liked him.

11. They know who Max Headroom is.

12. They could break dance, or wished they could.

13. Partying “like it’s 1999” seemed so far away.

14. They thought that Transformers were more than meets the eye.

15. They can, right now, hum the theme to “Inspector Gadget.”

16. They wanted to be on “Star Search.”

17. They can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off.

18. They wore banana clips at some point during their youth, or knew someone who did.

19. They owned a doll with “Xavier Roberts” signed on its rear, or knew someone who did.

20. They knew what Willis was “talkin’ ‘bout.”

21. They had to have their MTV.

22. They hold a special place in their hearts for “Back to the Future.”

23. They thought Molly Ringwald was really cool.

24. They actually thought “Dirty Dancing” was a really good movie.

25. They collected Garbage Pail Kids.

26. They actually saw Ted Danson as the MacDaddy he played Sam to be.

27. They remember when Atari was a state-of-the-art video game system.

28. They own(ed) cassette singles.

29. They were led to believe that, in the year 2000, we’d all be living on the moon.

30. They owned pieces of the Care Bear glass collection from Pizza Hut.

31. “Poltergeist” freaked them out.

32. They have occasionally pondered why Smurfette was the only female Smurf.

33. They know what a Doozer is.

34. They wore bike shorts underneath a short skirt and felt stylish, or knew someone who did.

35. They had Swatch watches.

36. They had Wonder Woman or Superman Underoos.

37. They know what a “Whammee” is.