The Object(s) of My Affection

The Circuits Section of today's NYT, features a centerfold of five college students discussing their object lust. The Times asked these 2 boys and 3 girls about the gadgets that they "needed" to have with them when they went back to school this year. And the students' answers ranged from a Motorola V710 cellphone equipped with Bluetooth, to an iPod, to Powerbook linked to a 23-inch Cinema Display.

Granted, it's now been a while since I went to college, but I recall my gadget collection being a lot less... what's the word?... present. This is not to say that we oldies didn't have a list of things we absolutely couldn't go back to college without. This is just to say most of those things ran on 4D batteries.

Below, my list of "MUST HAVE OR I'LL DIE" circa the 1994-95 school year:
1. Halogen Lamp (almost certain to catch fire or explode)
2. Hot plate (almost certain to be confiscated by fire inspectors)
3. Bong that looks like a pencil holder (ditto)
4. A Bedazzler
5. Sneakers that you could pump up
6. Dot matrix printer
7. Body jewelry
8. A VHS tape of "Reality Bites"
9. 12 types of hair gel (most of which are still in use)
10. My "Yes Man," an electronic plastic head that would utter phrases like, "Wow, I wish I'd thought of that!"

So maybe I was what you'd call a techie after all. If I've forgotten any objects of the '90s, lemme know...