Every college has its stereotypical – and not so typical – cliques … and well, not to burst your St. Olaf bubble, but are things on the Hill any different than anywhere else? At St. Olaf, the basic groups of student can (very generally) be categorized by the following 9 ‘types’:
1. The music student
No matter where you go on campus (especially if you’re anywhere in proximity of the music building) you’ll see these people around. Usually surrounded by a group of other students singing haphazardly and holding sheet music, they’re a little hard to miss. They’re everywhere on campus, with guitars, ukuleles, or any assortment of wind instruments. You can always tell them apart by the music camp t-shirts and the binders stuffed with music scores. How to spot them: They’re usually humming something under their breath or carrying an instrument case, and can’t be away from a practice room or piano for very long.
2. The Athlete who isn’t quite sure why s/he’s here
Usually studying something like Economics, these guys (and girls) all happen to play sports, but otherwise don’t seem to fit the St. Olaf mold. We’re confused as to why they’re here, they’re confused as to why they’re here, but we love them anyway. How to spot them: Look for matching sweatshirts and sweatsuits, large groups of burly men, or a crowd sitting at the Pause on Sunday glued to the football game.
3. The “Legacies”
Their parents went here, their grandparents went here, all the siblings went here (except for the one they don’t mention that went to Gustavus) and now, they go here. These people are practically knitting Norwegian sweaters for their future children, and have been visiting St. Olaf since before they could walk. How to spot them: Any weekend where family comes, look for the huge family group all dressed up in St. Olaf gear with name tags saying “Bill, Class of ‘63” loudly talking about their time in St. Olaf. Look for cars that have “St. Olaf Parent” “St. Olaf Alum” and any sweatshirt that says “St. Olaf grandmother.”
4. The Hipsters
Angst embodied. They’re all over campus wearing plaid, and reading books with odd titles. They sit around and smoke, and they look effortlessly trendy. You wish you could copy their style, and you secretly want to be one. How to spot them: Use the checklist: Smoking? Wearing plaid? Slightly messy (and possibly wavy) hair? Reading something and looking philosophical? Listening to a band you don’t know? Check. Hipster.
5. The Math Majors
With a calculator in one hand, a pencil tucked behind the ear, and mumbling something under their breath about multi-variable calculus, they are a necessary addition to your group of friends. Usually hanging in clumps carrying textbooks that look like Greek (Literally, Greek.), they are shy, but friendly if approached correctly. How to spot them: Look for glasses, heavy textbooks, and papers covered in numbers, somewhere around Regents, and usually in a small group talking about the “elegance” of a proof and laughing at mere mortals who only placed into Calculus II.
6. The Dry Campus Partier
Studying physics during the day, partying with the best of them at night. Always fun on the weekends, these people know how to balance school and hangovers better than you thought possible, all while keeping a prim and polished exterior. How to Spot them: Wait for the weekend, and look for the clubbing outfits.
7. The Quintessential Midwestern (Also the majority of Norwegians on campus) Usually from Wiscaahhnsin, Minnesohhta, Iowa, the Dakohhtas, Chigaahgo, Ohio, these people make up the majority of St. Olaf. You’ll see them around campus only during the week, opting to go home for the weekends, and they’re all very… nice. Scarily friendly, and very polite. How to spot them: Listen for the accent. Seriously, they’re hilarious.
8. The confused Internationals – I’m not quite sure why someone from Tibet felt that St Olaf was the place for them. It seems a little… far from home. These people make diversity, they’re all incredibly friendly, and have fantastic stories about their home country, but you can’t help but wonder why someone from Malaysia felt the urge to move to Minnesota…
9. The people from warm places
You just want to hug these students, put a scarf on them, and pat their head at the silly questions they ask. “What are snowpants?” “What’s a blizzard like?” “It can get down to -15 degrees? Really?!” These people come from somewhere in the south, like Texas, Georgia, or Florida, and they don’t know what a ride they’re in for the winter. How to spot them: Wait for the first snowfall, and look for the person yelling “OH MY GOD IT’S SNOWING. IT’S ACTUALLY SNOWING!!!”