The kinds of people at a University

A university is a jungle of different kinds of animals...I mean people hehehehe just trying to sort them out

I took up my college degree in one of the prestigious universities here where I stay. It was a 5 year engineering course and I graduated after 6 years ( which was quite the norm i that University). In my 6 years stay I'd had my share of triumphs and failures, of ups and downs and the experience was worthwhile.

College life was a jungle of mixed life,yo get to deal with different kinds of people, especially in a big University. Sometimes you had to belong to a group to survive while others got along in the silence of the background.

Let me try to look in to the lighter side of the cliché's at my former university. I am basing this old school style because things have changed a lot around there. (circa 2000-2003)

SOCIALITES - These students can be seen at the CANTEEN. They have have the latest cellular technology, come to school in their own cars or have a driver, usually have Php 30,000.00 braces, have signature scents and HAVE LOTS OF MONEY. On long vacant periods they can be found at the mall sipping expensive coffee. On Saturday evenings there is this thing called BAR HOPPING they indulge in. They have designer bags and backpacks which are seldom used to hold school books. A small number of these people belong to the top of the class. A good number are just, well should I say just plain dumb rich. A good number of these students are children to wealthy Chinese Filipino business district.

THE VAIN - Most of these people are also associated with the socialite class but these people tend to be more concerned with their looks, their looks and their looks. Designer clothes, permed hair, make up, retouch. Some of these students are ramp models, the majority however just ramp around. These people are never out of fashion and even invent the latest fashion.


THE NERDS - All if not majority of these students are found in the library or at the local gaming cafe. In the Library they are often behind some large book solving some triple integration formula or developing some new scientific law. For relaxation a group of these students flock the nearest high end gaming cafe, assign teams and strategize each other to death with the latest on line gaming hit. Their parents are proud of them after every semester, organizations contend for their membership,the teacher's pet  and some of them get beat up for not sharing exam answers.


THE FRATMEN - (110% PROUD TO BE ONE) The campus bad boys, hanging out in their benches along the corridor, hallways and covered walks watching the passing people and letting time just pass by. Mostly male dominated.These crazy cavemen will unite and participate in riots and rumbles without any ounce of fear but will run away and hide from their female crush. On the serious side, these students are bounded by the paddle and by an undaunted spirit of service to the studentry and the school. Have their own rugged appealing beauty with their traditional long hair, wayfarer shades, white shirt and pants. The more senior fratmen would wear collared shirts but still the same dirty pants. However these head turners choose to remain in  their benches and just chat till the early hours of the evening.


THE MUSICIANS - (110% PROUD TO BE ONE)Some fratmen like me are associated with this group. The metal rockers (the talented few like me without groupies), the colored punks, the rastafarian, the British Indies the icons of the present music scene which either attracts or is abhorred by the crowd. In my time, the rastafarian wave of music which is very much in sync with the crowd dancing to a sluggish reggae beat. The female populace seem to be very fascinated with this colored punk,punk ska and emo thing and awe and respect are given to the talented few who can play dreamtheater during that era.


THE DEANS' LISTERS - The best of the best. The good grades, the teachers pets. Although there are a good number of nerds in this group there are some who excel, and also are part of the fratmen, the musicians or the socialites. Some of these people are down to earth, mingle with the common folk and help out a fellow student in need of academic assistance. These are the guys
who gain respect because they share answers during exams, also get drunk, are very calm and reserved.

Usually it is is the fratman or musician dean's lister that mingles with the common folk. The socialite dean's lister tends to mingle only with the student leaders and other socialites because they are making connections in the future. Expect to see them running the country or the business world in the future.


THE STUDENT LEADERS- Of the studentry, by the studentry and for the studentry. Yes This is the credo of these dedicated students who are in charge of making the student's lives easier and enjoyable. Many of the students coming from this group are usually dean's listers, the son or daughter of some rich tycoon and they usually follow their parents foot steps in the political or business world. Majority of them are well refined because of their background. That is why in my time, when there would be consultations between student leaders, the BARBARIANS(FRATMEN) and the CULTURED SOCIETY(STUDENT LEADERS) would sometimes never get to agree on certain student policies.

However,  student politics is the breeding ground for your modern day politics, so with the administration comes the opposition. and the activist groups that march in unison.


THE REBELS - and not just your everyday James Dean rebel but the rebels that might one day cause an uprising in our beloved country. The Leftists,the rightists the people waving their red flags shouting IMPERIALISM, CAPITALISM and other ISMS I don't understand. Some of these students flock to mountains and become full time rebels, some stay and become activist leaders. They can be intimidating but we can't deny their intelligence.


THE WORKING STUDENT - The group who almost has no time to attend any party or social event. Usually carrying the burden of being the family's sole hope of rising from poverty, much respect is given these students who work for their tuition fee.  In their free time, they can still be found in the offices where they work, availing of the free internet for research and the occasional browsing to rest. Some of these students are also coming form the group of Dean's listers so they usually graduate at the top of their class and with the University offering them work. I have a lot of friends in the working students group and I respect them very much for their hard work.


THE SHADOWS - Virtually no one even knows these students exist, they are the students who never say a word in class and we seldom know if they pass or fail. We know these people and just acknowledge them with a nod during the semester we were classmates with then after the vanish. They don't participate in school activities although they are diligent in attending classes.


THE COMMON FOLK - Composes majority of the student body. Just your regular student who goes to school, enjoys the occasional social event, passes and fails subjects, falls in love, gets drunk and graduates in the long run. The typical student you just encounter trying to earn one's keep int he university.


I might think of other cliché's but for know this is what existed during my University run.

Reviews

[Calypso]

I believe I'm a mix between common and nerd. I live away from campus and don't own a car. So then I spend my extra time of campus in the game-room (what I call the 'nred clubhouse' because they play Magic and watch cartoons) or in the library looking at books and talking about them to my crush.

[Moonwind Belmont]

well then, there will always be a nerd in us, despite the fratman and musician image I have, i am an avid gamer and in to Japanese manga and anime. Many a fellow will tend to belong to a certain cliche but still have a little something from the other cliches mentioned.