Students You'll Find in Every Classroom
Step into any classroom, and chances are you'll find the usual cast of characters: the teacher's pet, the class clown, the procrastinator. Heck, you might even fit into one of these labels. And, sure, even if some of these students make lectures drag on (like the student who loves raising their hand), others can make the classroom more enjoyable to be in. Here are 20 types of students you'll recognize instantly.
1. The Overachiever
Everyone knows the overachiever; in fact, you'll know who it is the moment you walk into the classroom. Just like the teacher's pet, the overachiever usually sits up front and center, right in the teacher's sight. This way, they have a clear view of the whiteboard and the projector screen, and they'll have plenty of opportunities to launch into lengthy discussions no one else wants to hear.
2. The Tardy One
The tardy student is the one who's, well, always late. Sure, class might have started 20 minutes ago, but they'll still stroll in mid-lecture with their headphones in like it's just another day on the clock. No matter how many warnings they get, they'll still pop in half-past the starting time.
3. The Napper
Okay, be honest—you've probably been the napper in the classroom as well. Maybe you don't always mean to sleep during important lectures, but sometimes you just can't help it. Even if it's only for five or 10 minutes, you'll often see students secretly napping behind huge textbooks.
4. The Procrastinator
Opposite of the overachiever is the procrastinator. This is the student who rarely gets anything done on time. Even if they put in the effort when they can, most of the time, they're cramming every project or assignment in the hour before it's due. They might even come up with a new excuse every week as to why their homework isn't done.
5. The Cheater
Sure, no student is going to admit it outright, but you'll likely see one or two cheaters in a classroom. They might do it subtly, like writing the answers on their wrists or desks, or they might do it more outrightly, like glancing over shoulders during tests or using AI (artificial intelligence) to help them.
6. The Quiet Genius
You might mistake the quiet genius for the overachiever, or vice versa, but the main difference is that the overachiever is usually pretty vocal about the contributions they make in the classroom, while the quiet genius mostly keeps to themselves. They're the student who'll score a 100 on their midterm, and then tuck it neatly back into their folders without saying anything.
7. The Class Clown
Everyone has met a class clown before. This is the kind of student who loves making people laugh, even if their jokes aren't really that funny. They're often either on great terms with the teachers (which is why they get away with the stuff they spout) or on horrible terms (which means they get detention almost every day).
8. The Hand-Raiser
The overachiever and the hand-raiser share a lot of things in common. But the hand-raiser is the student who'll, well, raise their hand no matter what's being discussed. They'll often launch into overly deep thoughts and opinions that no one else but them can understand.
9. Teacher's Pet
There's always a teacher's pet in every classroom. This is the student who'll show up early and stay late to help with anything their teacher needs, just to get on their good side. They'll claim to be best friends with the teacher and gush about them, even if they don't receive the same energy back.
10. The Jock
No matter whether you're in high school or college, you're bound to meet some student-athletes who end up in the same classroom as you. They're usually the ones who will make it known that they play sports, either by wearing their jerseys or team gear to class, or by talking nonstop about season stats.
11. The Otaku
If you don't know what an otaku is, you'll understand after we explain it. The otaku student is the one who's strangely obsessed with anime or anything Japanese. They'll wear graphic tees with anime characters on them, respond in Japanese, and know just about every single anime that has ever existed. You'll also see them doodle a lot during class.
12. The Social Butterfly
The social butterfly is the one who's friends with pretty much everyone in the classroom. It doesn't matter who they're partnered up with in projects—they'll get along with them right away. They're also the type to know exactly how to break the ice and make even introverts break out of their shell a little.
13. The Group Project Ghost
You've likely met this student in every classroom you've been in. In fact, you might have even had them in your group projects! The group project ghost is exactly what you think it is: the person who never contributes to group assignments and is always mysteriously "busy" whenever everyone is supposed to meet up and chip in.
14. The Partyer
The partyer is the one who's usually late to class because they're either hungover, stayed up way too late, or both (it's usually both). They know just about every club on the block and cool campus events that are happening, and can probably get you an invite to a frat party if you get on good terms with them.
15. The Fashion Icon
The fashion icon is the student who's always debuting new outfits every day of the week. You'll likely never see them wear the same clothes twice. They're usually fashion or design majors, and if you ever peek over when they're doodling, it's often a cool outfit idea.
16. The Clueless One
The clueless one is the student who never seems to know what's going on, so good luck if you ever need to ask them for help. Sure, they're often able to pull themselves together and still pass their classes, but 99% of the time, they have no idea what's happening in lectures and are just pretending to understand what's being thrown at them.
17. The Leader
You have the group project ghost, and then you have the leader. If you get them in your group, you're set—they'll know exactly how to guide everything through it. In fact, they probably already had a plan outlined before everyone even got paired together. The best part? They have the kind of personality and positive attitude that makes you want to listen to them.
18. The Troublemaker
You might not see the troublemaker too much in the classroom—they're often sent to the office before class even starts. Otherwise, they're a class-A prankster who knows exactly how to annoy their teachers or classmates, from asking weird questions to interrupting lectures.
19. The Social Media Addict
The social media addict is the student who films every lecture for fun and labels them as "a day in my life as a college student" to put on TikTok. If you don't want to make a cameo in these episodes, make sure to sit far away from them in the classroom.
20. The Tech Guru
The tech guru is the one who knows everything there is to know about computers. If your laptop is lagging or acting up, don't worry—the tech guru will know the exact solution for your problem, which is far more helpful than just asking you if you've "tried turning it on and off again."
