Warning: The 17 types of students you’ll find haunting the library this exam season

As exam season descends upon the university library, it transforms from a quiet sanctuary into a chaotic, caffeine fuelled battlefield. Like a Dickensian novel filled with eccentric characters, every corner of the library harbours a unique breed of student, each struggling with the same relentless beast: The exam.

Some are battle-hardened, others barely holding it together, but all are undeniably a part of the great university experience. Welcome to the world of the 27 types of library students you’re guaranteed to encounter this exam season.

1. The coffee IV drip enthusiast

These library students are fuelled entirely by caffeine, their survival depending on the constant infusion of espresso. Much like Wilfred Owen’s soldiers in Dulce et Decorum Est, they march through their revision with eyes wide and bloodshot, clinging to their coffee cups like life support machines. Their desk looks like a battlefield, littered with empty takeaway cups and the occasional muffin wrapper.

Caffeine is their crutch, and even as their hand shakes with the caffeine rush, they soldier on with unwavering determination. They can’t possibly make it through the day without their hourly coffee hit, and should anyone dare suggest water or food, they recoil in horror. As their energy spikes, so too does their anxiety, but they simply push forward, convinced that no revision is complete without at least five shots of espresso.

2. The ‘I swear I’ve done this before’ procrastinator

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These library students spend more time convincing themselves they’ve already studied than actually opening a textbook. Much like the tragic characters in The Trial by Kafka, they procrastinate with the certainty of someone who has “been here before,” though they haven’t. They spend hours “reviewing” past material, but it’s clear they’re just looking for reassurance that they’ll somehow manage to pass.

The procrastinator’s greatest enemy is their own mind, which insists that they can always do the work later—until it’s too late. They’re convinced that the exam will magically be fine, even as they distract themselves with anything but revision. In the end, their “I’ve done this” attitude never quite manifests as the glowing confidence they imagine.

3. The silent screamer

The silent screamer is the student who, outwardly, seems calm, but is internally panicking. They are lost in the void of their own dread, their mind spiralling into the abyss with each passing minute. They sit rigidly at their desk, eyes wide and unblinking, staring at the pages, trapped in a cycle of silence and despair. They don’t speak much, but their presence is undeniably tense, as though they’re silently screaming for help in the face of overwhelming fear.

Much like a character from Wuthering Heights, they are in their own internal storm, disconnected from the world around them. They’re a ticking time bomb of anxiety, just waiting for the pressure to either explode or fade.

4. The loud snacker

Loud eaters are the master of distraction, their desk a shrine to every snack known to humankind. They believe that without their supply of crisps, granola bars, and chocolate, their mind would collapse under the weight of revision. They spend more time nibbling than they do studying, convinced that eating is part of the process.

They justify the snack breaks as necessary for their “brain function,” though it’s clear they’re avoiding the existential dread of revision. When they finally pick up their textbook, it’s often with a handful of gummy bears in one hand and a soft drink in the other. In the end, they can’t decide if they’re revising or just hosting a very well-stocked study party. But everyone on the floor knows they’re there.

5. The over achiever

The over achiever has every aspect of their revision schedule meticulously planned out, leaving no room for spontaneity or error. With great precision, they glide through their study materials, colour coding everything and ticking off tasks with almost obsessive fervour. Their desk is an immaculate display of organisational prowess, a study in flawless execution.

While others may struggle with their notes, the over achiever has already written out a detailed summary, ready for any challenge that may come their way. Their work ethic could rival that of a Victorian scholar, their focus almost unnerving. They seem utterly unfazed by the chaos of exam season, yet there’s always an underlying sense that their need to achieve is what drives them forward.

6. The last minute crammer

We’ve all been there. This student is the embodiment of panic and chaos, the student who always leaves everything until the night before the exam. They thrive in the excitement of last-minute rushes, convinced that they can absorb six months’ worth of material in six hours. They’re an enigma of productivity and chaos, skimming through textbooks at lightning speed and hoping for divine intervention. Their frantic scribbling and continuous page-flipping create a whirlwind of desperation.

They’re convinced that their frantic, all or nothing approach will somehow prevail. Of course, when the exam finally arrives, they are left wondering whether they’ll manage to bluff their way through—or whether their desperation will prove to be their downfall.

7. The tech support guru

The tech support guru is the one person everyone turns to when their laptop freezes or Wi-Fi fails them mid-revision. Much like a Willy Wonka of the digital world, they have an uncanny knack for fixing the unfixable, but when it comes to the actual content of the exam? They’ll politely tell you to Google it.

Armed with a vast knowledge of apps, shortcuts, and every online resource available, they’re always a step ahead in the tech game. But when you ask them about your philosophy essay or history revision, they’ll point to their glowing laptop screen and suggest a “virtual revision session” that definitely won’t help. They operate in a world where technology is king, but their grasp of academic material is far more tenuous. Still, for all their distractions, they are an essential resource in the library.

8. The sleep deprived zombie

A tragic figure, the mind and body of the sleep deprived zombie is exhausted from lack of rest. They shuffle through the library, eyes hollow, moving between tables in a fog of exhaustion. They’ve been awake for days, subsisting on nothing but energy drinks and the remnants of a half eaten sandwich.

Their revision is a blur of scribbles, half-remembered facts, and desperate attempts to stay awake. Their body may be there, but their spirit has long since abandoned them to the clutches of sleep deprivation. Despite this, they continue on with a grim determination, convinced they can will themselves through the chaos.

9. The social butterfly

The social butterfly flits around the library, never staying in one place for too long. They’ve mastered the art of study gossip, flitting between groups of friends with ease. To them, the library is not just a place of study, but a grand social event where ideas are exchanged and the latest gossip is shared.

These library students know about every party, every drama, and every detail of what’s happening on campus—except for, perhaps, their own revision. They may occasionally glance at their notes, but their attention is always drawn elsewhere. Somehow, despite their constant distractions, they seem to know just enough to pass.

10. The study group guru

The study group guru leads all study sessions, convinced that group work is the ultimate path to success. They gather the masses, leading discussions that often veer far from the original topic. Their confidence is magnetic, and before you know it, they’re guiding you through study sessions filled with as much socialising as actual revision.

These library students have got a method for everything, often presenting mind maps and organised plans like someone who has every aspect of life figured out. The problem is, their tips are often more about their personal approach than any objective facts. Despite their well-intentioned leadership, you leave their sessions more confused than enlightened.

11. The delusional optimist

The delusional optimist is convinced that everything will work out in the end, despite all evidence to the contrary. They walk through the library with a carefree smile, convinced that their natural intelligence will somehow carry them through. They haven’t actually read half of the material, but their unwavering optimism leads them to believe that the universe will bend in their favour.

When questioned about their revision, they will cheerfully announce that they are “on track” and “doing fine.” Their revision schedule is largely fictional, but they are undeterred. Their ultimate belief is that things will somehow just click at the last minute.

12. The hyperactive skimmer

The hyperactive skimmer moves quickly through textbooks, scanning pages as if speed reading were an Olympic sport. They claim to “absorb everything,” but their method is more about motion than understanding.

These daydreamers are physically present in the library, but their minds are lost somewhere in another universe. They’ll stare at their notes for a while, but their gaze often drifts to the window, contemplating the greater meaning of life or imagining what it would be like to live in a Bridgerton novel. Their desk is pristine, but their mind is anything but—it’s on a far off beach, or perhaps contemplating a distant and existential crisis.

Somehow, they believe they’re doing better than anyone else—if only because they look like they’ve covered more material.

13. The mysterious loner

The mysterious loner is the quiet student who always sits alone, headphones in, a fortress of solitude built around them. They don’t talk to anyone, don’t ask for help, and seem entirely absorbed in their work. Their gaze is intense, locked in their own thoughts and battling through the material without distraction.

They might seem aloof, but there’s an unspoken respect for their solitary approach to revision. They’re never in a rush, yet their steady, calm nature belies a deep, underlying focus. By the end of the season, they’ll be the ones who silently walk out of the exam hall, their work done with minimal fuss but maximum precision.

14. The perpetual napper

The perpetual napper is always in the library but rarely awake. They treat their study time like a series of catnaps, their head frequently resting on their desk while textbooks are carelessly left open around them. When they do rouse themselves, they’ll pretend to study for a few minutes before drifting back into sleep.

Their slumber seems as much a part of their survival as the revision itself. They may not have completed any revision, but they’ve mastered the art of napping in public places. By the end of exam season, their peers will have grown used to the sight of them slumped in a chair, only rousing when it’s time to go home.

15. The hermit

The hermit spends entire days in the library, avoiding any human interaction. They often sit at the back, buried under textbooks, with their head down, avoiding eye contact with anyone. They have no interest in group study sessions or even the casual conversations happening around them; their goal is singular: to finish the revision and escape the chaos of human existence.

These library students are a solitary figure in the midst of a crowded library, absorbed in their work, yet untouched by the surrounding noise. Their dedication is impressive, but it’s equally a bit disturbing as they become lost in the world of solitary study. By the end of exam season, no one may even remember seeing them, such is the intensity of their isolation.

16. The compulsive highlighting overachiever

These library students has booked themselves into every study session, seminar, and extra revision class that the university offers. Armed with an arsenal of neon highlighters, this student is convinced that colour coding is the secret to all knowledge. Their textbooks are a riot of colours, with every key point marked, underlined, and annotated. For them, the act of highlighting is as much about feeling productive as it is about studying. When questioned about what they’ve actually learned, they’ll only point to the highlights and say, “It’s all there. I just need to go over it one more time.”

17. The zen master

The zen master floats into the library with an air of quiet serenity, oblivious to the frenetic energy around them. Their revision strategy consists of calm breathing exercises, well-structured breaks, and mindful study sessions. They believe in the importance of maintaining equilibrium between work and relaxation.

They approach each textbook with a sense of calm, never rushing, always taking time to understand the material deeply. To an outsider, they seem almost too relaxed—like a Taoist in the middle of an academic storm. Despite their tranquil exterior, their exam results often reflect a deep, intuitive understanding of the material, proving that there is wisdom in calmness and balance, even during exam season.