And you thought cliques were a thing of the past. It is true that college is a place of self discovery and exploration and often that involves talking and getting to know a variety of people. Debating issues and discovering new interests and learning new skills. However, that being said there will always be certain groups that shall stand the test of time and will constantly emerge in college life - most noticeably while fulfilling one basic human need: getting food at the college canteen.
Athletes.
Not to be confused with the gym rats. They have gear with them sure but often sporting implements of some kind: helmet, bats, tennis rackets. Each sport team or player bands together and often judge and mock other sports players. You will most likely see them with massive plates of dinner in front of them. Traditional home cooked food: meat and two veg. They don't need any of that fancy foreign stuff.
Gym Rats.
Obsessed with the amount of protein and calories they consume daily. They will also have a huge plate of dinner in front of them which must include looks of chicken, green vegetables and some form of carbohydrates like potatoes or brown rice. There will also be a protein shake and some nuts beside them just in case. They are the 'bros' of college. They are a rowdy bunch that throw a good party, just so they can have people come around and tell them how sculpted their abs are. Unlike the athletes, they don't actually play any sport. They just work out. Because they are awesome.
The Mature Students.
Those men and women who returned to college and feel like they don't fit in with the younger crowd and so band together. You're secretly glad because all they do is complain about how young the professor is and how rowdy the gym rats are. they will most likely be studying because no way are they going to fail anything ever. The will have coffee and scones and will probably bring a packed lunch with them. They're not going to waste time and money on waiting in a queue for sub-standard food. Not when they can make themselves a gourmet lunch at home.
The Cos-players & Anime Fans.
Those students that take their fictional universes more seriously than their actual universe. Harry Potter fans that play Quidditch, anime lovers that are teaching themselves Japanese, L.O.L. players that actually bring their laptops in order to keep playing during lunch. They are too preoccupied with their extra-curriculars: they set up nearly all the societies in college, so they have only twenty minutes to each. They purchase the cheapest thing, or bring in a lunch. They have important things to do, like organize a Card-Captor Sakura screening.
Drama students.
Very loud, very flamboyant and vocal. You will be able to hear them from across the room screaming with laughter about all the fun they had the night before and how much wine they consumed and how silly Sarah looked as she puked all over her script. They love each other but hate each other because everyone is their competition. They live for the stage. If someone on the table is dieting then they all are. The most supportive and manipulative group of the lot. They are super super fun though. Unless they hate you...then stay away because they can insult like nobody's business.
Outspoken Protesters.
Every week they are protesting some new issue. They are involved in the student union and hand out a million fliers everywhere. You cannot escape them and they will make you sign some sort of petitions. Usually divided into two camps: those for and against. The two groups will sit relatively near to one another in case someone sparks a debate. They are all on the debating team and love showing off their skills. Eat food that isn't too messy in case someone instigates a food fight with the opposition.
Hipsters.
They buy their lunch from the organic artisan cafe just outside campus and bring it in so they won't miss lectures. They will be twitting about their food as they sip their obscure homemade organic coffee with their own coffee press. They are dressed head to toe in vintage clothes and look like something off a Pinterest board. They are so cool that they aren't cool anymore. Don't call them hipsters. You'll get the evil eye through large framed glasses and will not be invited to the underground gig on tonight that somehow only they know about.
Hippies.
They are just chilling. Eating vegan salads with their dreadlocks tied back and wearing flowers in their hair. They will be drinking herbal tea, its more therapeutic and are at peace with everyone. They are too happy and you want to punch them in the face. But you also admire them for being so relaxed and comfortable in their own skin. But they also annoy the crap out of you and you want to shake them and give them a smartphone and a burger.
Hungover Party-goers.
They came in solely to get cheap coffee and food because they have nothing in their house seeing as they go out every night and are too hungover in the day to do any shopping. They speak only a little, because they're too afraid that something other than words will came out of their mouths. They don't eat a lot, mostly fries or soup. Nothing too harsh on the stomach.
Models.
Effortlessly beautiful creatures who appear to be other-worldly. They emit a glow of perfection. Too intimidating to even make eye contact with. They would not speak to the other mere mortals gazing at them in wonderment. They only associate with their fellow beauties, but they are really nice. You don't see them eating much. But then how could you? Their looks are too distracting.
Mean Girls.
Just like the movie. They are pretty but caked in make-up. Reasonably popular but also known to be kind of slutty. They eat Caesar salads and crisps with a triple shot skinny cappuccino with no chocolate powder on the top. They are seasonal drinkers when it comes to their coffees: Autumn is pumpkin spice season, Winter is cinnamon or gingerbread syrup time. They are obsessed with Starbucks and all designer labels. They are judgmental but kind of 'fake' nice. Often leave all their stuff in the library when they come down for lunch so they won't lose a seat even though they never do any work there just check Facebook to tag and untag photos from last night's party. They were used to being the 'it-girls' and guys in their hometown and can't handle the loss of status that comes with college. Most likely business students. They envy the models and detest the anime crowd.
Foreign Exchange Students.
All nationalities all banded together. Most don't know what's going on but they will probably experience more of the college then any home student. They go to all the events and listen to all the debates. They may not understand it all but they are learning the language. They have the best case scenario. They look for the most traditional meals offered by the canteen in order to have an authentic experience of the college life: stew in Ireland, some kind of meat pie in Britain etc. even though all the home students will be eating pasta or noodles.
Writers.
Every college has them. Most likely English or Philosophy majors. They have friends in every clique and use this interaction to write columns for the college newspaper or as examples for their short story that they shall be reading out at the next Writer's Society gathering. Even though they hate clichés, they are the biggest clichés: big coffee drinkers. They have gorgeous notebooks in front of them as they workshop their latest poetry, or the latest great fiction. They are talking about the next writers event coming up: slam poetry night, dramatic reading of a play. They aren't very judgmental in public, they'll listen to both sides of the debating students arguments. As they need to hear everyone's side of the story in order to flesh out their fictional characters. Only get annoyed if you poke holes in their plots.
Everybody else.
Indefinable mass of the greatest and the worst people you'll ever meet. Happy to be here and stressed about being here. Not un-passionate but not passionate about anything in particular. Obsessed with the latest brilliant and popular TV show. Know everything that's going on in social media: who's trending, who's not etc. Could be eating anything. Too many possibilities to even speculate.
