I hate "kids."

I hate the word "kids" when its used to mean college students. Some professors will call their students kids when talking to other profs. College students aren't kids anymore. Some are married, some with real kids. Most work. Some are nontraditional students coming back after a few years in the "real world." Some are coming back from military service. They aren't kids.

Worse than when profs use "kids" is when students call each other kids. I hear it often. A student will tell me something like "some kids are just lazy" or "he's a nice kid." Calling each other kids is like saying you're still in high school. At least that's the way I see it. So what should you call yourselves? How about "students," or "the men and women in the class?"