The 16 People You Meet in College

You meet a lot of people in college. Whether it's your first semester or your last, by the time you hit finals week, you will have made enough acquaintances to fill up a Rolodex (the paper version of your phone's contact list). It can get a bit overwhelming, with the different professors and classmates who do certain things in different ways. But the longer you stay at the same place, you start to notice those who stand out above and beyond the others - whether good or bad. What follows is a list of those people, in no particular order. See how many you've already met.

1. Your mom

Okay, so maybe not your actual mom. But you know that person you go to if you need comfort, a snack, a listening ear, or maybe just a hug? Yup. That's your mom.

2. Your dad

You know the guy with all the corny jokes and some of the best advice you never realized was good advice until it actually came up? Regardless of age, that's your dad.

3. The One*

Emerging adulthood is that time where your teenage hormones start to even out. Then you meet this person, and life is beautiful until they break your heart. You're surprised you survived. Then you meet...

4. The Actual One

Well, depending on how you feel about love, maybe not The One per se. But it's that person you fall for hard enough that you turn into dorky awkward mush. You may not ever date them, but they'll never break your heart.

5. The instructor who's younger than you thought

When many students see a "Dr." in front of a professor's name, they think one of two things: Time Lord or person of advanced age. But there will always be one prof who makes you wonder if they're still in school.

6. The staff member you confuse for a student

Much like the professor listed above, there is always one staff member (like your video production manager) that sometimes gets confused for a student. They hear it a lot, but it's no less awkward when they tell their age.

7. The overly spirited person

You know, the people who only wear college shirts, go to most every game and are part of all the clubs on campus? You will always interact with this super excited person. Usually, they're cool. But sometimes...

8. The person who thinks they're the coolest

They get good grades. They're a part of every club. They do so much around campus. And they're very well aware of it. These people are nice enough, but can they ever get on your nerves. On the other hand...

9. The quiet person who might actually be the coolest

They get good grades. They do a few things for a lot of people. And they're generally nice. But they're quiet (maybe the Tenth Doctor isn't the best example). But they are the coolest people without even trying.

10. The nerd

Oh, wait. That's all of us. Nevermind. Let's move on. (And I'd like to say that's the last Doctor Who gif, but...)

11. The one you know only as "that person"

There are different ways to define just what a "that person" is, but, briefly, it's one of those people who most would call a tool. The main difference between this person and person number eight? Well, it's in the picture.

12. That one professor

There will always be at least one professor that tells you an 89.9 is a B. The one who reads from slides and calls it a day. There are other examples, but we'll all have at least one bad one. But not all are bad.

13. The professor you'll love forever

A lot of the professors on a college campus are awesome. But what sets this one apart is how much time and effort they dedicate to you. They take you under their wings and help shape who you are today.

14. Your best friend from high school

You're technically already met your high school best friend, but people change in college - for better or for worse. You'll get to see a new side of them as you both grow, which is always fun. But make sure to invite...

15. Your new best friend

This time of your life is one of the most formative in terms of relationships according to psychology. Other than a potential life partner, you'll make your lifelong friends in college - as long as you get out there and pick right.

16. Yourself

It sounds cliché, true, but it's really true. College is the safety net you have to figure out how the adult thing really works. You learn about what things make you the unique human you are. You might even be a different person than you were when you came into college. If that's the case, good. It means you're becoming the person Mr. Rogers wanted you to be: yourself. So be open, be prepared to change, and don't forget to be awesome.

Enjoy college, young padawans.