17 Types Of Students You'll Definitely Meet In Ottawa

Do they even go here though?
Julia Rinneard

Carleton, uOttawa, Algonquin, and La Cité Collegiale; Ottawa's student population is boomin'! Although competition between these schools is intense and people still don't know what a GeeGee is, they share one thing in common: the type of students you'll meet. 

No matter where you're from, if it's first year or you're already in the process of attaining your PhD, you've definitely run into your fair share of different students on campus. However, this is a compilation of the ones you're definitely bound to meet in Ottawa:

1. The first years

Obviously. You can absolutely always tell if someone is in first year; they're normally super lost, have a backpack filled with every school supply that Staples offers, and asking you what bus goes to CF Rideau Centre.

2. Basic bitches

You'll see them on campus with their uggs, yoga pants, roots sweater, PSL in hand, and a messy bun. Normally in groups of 3 or more, you won't be able to tell them apart but trust me, they're not all the same.

3. Varsity athletes

If you attended the Panda game last weekend, then you know just how serious Ottawa students are about varsity sports. With that being said, if you go to school here, then you definitely grow accustomed to seeing groups of super buff guys around campus *swoon*.

4. Gym rats

No matter what time you go to the gym, you always see them there; these are the gym rats who breathe, bleed, and sweat protein powder. You lowkey wish you had their motivation and determination but until then, you'll stick to hating them for how long they take on the squat rack.

5. International students

Cruising in their brand new BMW or Mercedes on campus, decked out in Bape, Yeezys, and Supreme, you totally wish you could be adopted by their family. Often times, there's a language barrier but they have some interesting stories about back home once you get to know them. #travelgoals, am I right?

6. Youtubers 

I mean it's not like WolfieRaps, Sylvia Gani, and Ryan Swaze graduated from Carleton or anything. It's also juuuust a rumour that Nelk filmed a prank video there a couple weeks ago, or is it?

7. The "do you even go here?"s

You always see them on campus, but they're never in class or on their way to a class. They also look sort of old, like they may have graduated a couple years ago; sometimes you just want to pull a mean girls on them because "they don't even go here". They probably have a degree from Carleton and went back to school at Algonquin.

8. Members of the student federation

Either trying to get you to vote for them or making an announcement in class, these guys definitely get ignored a loooot. I'm sure they have some important things to say but I'm just trying to graduate, sorry!

9. Politics experts

To Trump or not to Trump? Probably the future prime ministers, these kids know everything and anything about politics. If you state your opinion, be prepared to get into a heated debate about it, regardless of if they agree with you or not - you'll honestly never know.

10. The fashionistas

They're probably IG famous, who really knows, but somehow they always manage to come to school dressed to the 9's. Hair done, nails done, outfits on point; when everyone else is in sweats and roots sweaters, these kids look like they just hopped off a plane from New York Fashion Week.

11. Small town kids

Usually from the small towns surrounding Ottawa, this is normally the first time any of these students have ever lived in such a busy city like Ottawa. Even though it's pretty lame, they think Ottawa is the shit because there was actually literally *nothing* to do where they're from.

12. Frat bros and sorority sisters

Even though frats and sororities hardly exist in Canada let alone Ottawa, I won't lie, they have some of the best parties. But sometimes, it feels like partying is allll they do! I'm sure joining a fraternity or sorority has other things to offer but I wouldn't know (nor will I ever).

13. Those who have no concept of time

This is definitely me. We know class starts at a certain time but we have things to do and we always over estimate how much time we really have. You'll normally see us walk into class 15 minutes late BUT at least we got our Starbucks.

14. Les Québécois 

No shade, no tea, but if you go to uOttawa, you definitely know what I'm talking about. Coming over from Gatineau, they'll make it a point to shit on you when you speak French because they want you to know Ottawans have the worst French accent.

15. Activists

They probably have a really important message to convey but you're already late for class. A part of you hurts every time you curve them in the hallways but your prof takes attendance so #swerved. They're probably the ones that protest on Parliament Hill.

16. STEM students

If you don't see them in the library, did you really see them? When they do have time off from studying, they're usually sending messages to "Spotted At uOttawa/Carleton" talking about how hard STEM kids work in comparison to other degrees.

17. Future Nobel Peace Prize winners

The kids that are featured in the Ottawa Citizen every other week because they just discovered the cure to an incurable disease and they're constantly collecting scholarships personally from the dean. Basically what you should be but won't be because they're every parents dream scholar student.