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Think back to the childhood days of cartoon lunch boxes, macaroni art and in-class birthday parties - when the biggest worries were avoiding cholera, hunting buffalo, dodging hostile American Indians, and leading a covered wagon on a journey through the American West.
Are these the responsibilities of an average college student?
No, these are the obstacles encountered by nostalgia-driven players of the computer game Oregon Trail.
Alhough previously used as an educational tool, and despite its dated graphics, a buzz for this and other games of the past still lingers as students can now reminisce from their own computer portals.
"It reminds us of our childhood," said human biology sophomore Kate Kuebler who recalls playing the game in elementary school.
Like the re-introduction of bell bottoms to women's fashion and the popularization of vintage anything, the Oregon Trail nostalgia is just another example of the cycling trends of pop culture.
Recently, the Web site classicgaming.com introduced a downloadable version of the game, complete with the original graphics and story line.
"We tend to forget about (things of the past) and when they come back we tend not to forget about it," said Ryan Long, an English junior with a nostalgia for childhood games.
Inspired by the actual Oregon Trail, this game was designed to help children learn about the responsibilities of the American pioneer life.
The first version was developed in 1971, but wasn't introduced into the classroom until 1974 by the Minnesota Educational Computer Consortium.
