Here are the five types of students you’ll find at an Exeter University lecture

As exam season approaches, you’re probably finding that there aren’t actually that many students left in your lectures at all, let alone enough to categorise. However, if you can force your memory back to January and the absolute chaos of campus being full of people swearing to get their life together (don’t lie, you were one of them), then these painfully Exetah stereotypes may ring a bell. By the way, if you don’t recognise any of these, then I hate to say it… but they’re you.

1. The Pret obsessed

Probably running into the lecture five minutes late after battling the excessive Pret queue, the Pret fanatic will take a seat with an overpriced oat milk, no foam, low fat, double shot, vanilla flavoured, iced latte and probably the most delicious looking pastry you have ever seen in your life. The only thing motivating this person to come to campus is the promise of a hard-earned sandwich at midday, and to be fair, who can blame them? Are they falling deeper and deeper into their overdraft because of their slightly worrying Pret addiction? Probably, but there are worse things to be addicted to, I guess.

2. Sportswear is the only wear

They’re either taking the need to bleed green very seriously or have training straight after the lecture, but there will always be someone in the signature colour (is it turquoise? Mint?) of the new AU kit. More likely to be carrying a lacrosse or hockey stick than a laptop, and likely a no-show to any Thursday morning classes after their Wednesday night antics, they are the definition of prioritising their uni sport over their actual degree. There’s a reason that Exeter is the top university for sport in the South West after all.

3. Took it too far the night before

Being hungover at uni is certainly not niche to Exeter, but covers an overwhelmingly large number of our lecture’s attendants (it’s okay, we’ve all been there). Often spotted on the back row with their hood up and water bottle in close proximity, it really makes you wonder if the hour-long lecture being read from the PowerPoint is worth it. As an observer, it can be slightly worrying watching them become a pale shade of green whilst visibly overthinking their life choices and what possessed them to drink that many Venoms. At least they braved it onto campus, their commitment to being an academic weapon is very real.

4. Only there for the social of it

Make way for the students who consider their compulsory lectures as limitless yap seshes. They seem to know everybody on the course and will most likely have their laptop closed for the duration of the class whilst they treat the however many hours as one big social. You’ll definitely have overheard far too much information on what they got up to at TP over the weekend, but maybe didn’t process so much of what your actual lecturer was saying.

5. The Apple ecosystem

How is it that there is always one student that struts in with the latest air pods and puts their shining iPad and iPhone 15 on the desk next to you. They nonchalantly check the time on their Apple Watch before preceding to replace their iPad with a MacBook because the battery has died. Before you can even process what has just happened, you spot an AirTag on their bunch of keys and the side of their wallet, and the realisation dawns on you that they have basically bought out the entirety of the Apple store for the same degree as you. I don’t think you can get more Exetah than that.

Related articles recommended by this writer:

• Here’s all the struggles you’ll relate to as an international student studying at Exeter
• Here are six expectation vs reality moments we all have as Exeter Uni students
• Here’s a rundown of the best happy hours for Exeter Uni students