Here’s a fun article for you students out there! Or even adults looking to reminisce about your school days?
Ever wondered why stereotypes always seem to exist in every class, and why they matter? How about identifying yourself as one of the many archetypes in a classroom setting? Buckle up, because we’re here to take you through a personality test to find out who is who!
Get ready to enter the wacky world of self-discovery!
What REALLY are “Classroom Archetypes”?
So what are these archetypes that we’re talking about? To put it simply, it is the stereotype persona that you play in a classroom setting.
They are identified patterns in behaviour and actions that you may exhibit, which are identical or similar to said stereotypes.
For example, someone who is always cracking jokes during lessons and giving the class a good mood. Their peers will have a unanimous vote on who the “Class Clown” is after their first impressions.
Ready to find out what archetype you belong to? Read on to find the collective list of interesting personalities we have met over our school years!
What Archetype Do You Belong to?
[Freepik]
We classify these archetypes by these four categories. Extroverts. Introverts. and the Funny People.
Extroverts
1) The Social Butterfly / Class Leader 🦋
Are you the one who knows everyone and is always surrounded by friends? Well there we go, you’re the chosen one! Social butterflies love being around people, and have honed their skill in opening conversations because of this tendency.
Social butterflies are good at making everyone feel included and happy, but not at the expense of them having a good time themselves! Because of this tendency, they are always kept in the loop and are often appointed as leaders that keeps teamwork together.
However, they are bad at establishing deep and meaningful relationships with others due to the ‘busy’ nature of their social life. Social butterflies may also find it hard to keep personal boundaries with shared information, and might not be able to draw the line between sharing and oversharing.
2) The Social “Medalists” / Fashionista📱
A variant of the social butterfly, except they take to online presence to stay popular! You won’t see these guys not without their phones for a minute, as their social media accounts are constantly updated with selfies, group pictures and their OOTDs!
These confident individuals are well-networked, well-presented and can express themselves well in front of others.
But while Social “Medalists” may have a strong following online, they sometimes experience discrepancies with their real life connections due to an imbalance in time commitment for people around them. This is attributed to the high risk that these individuals face in being addicted to social media.
3) The Teacher’s Pet 🙂
These guys. Well, you must be familiar with them. Teacher’s pets are, in a sense, the model student. They are high achievers, set high standards for themselves and others, actively participate in class and have a strong work ethic to get things done.
But let’s face the obvious. There is a reason why people say “no one likes the teacher’s pet”. It is a derogatory term that shuns perceived favouritism. As a result, social exclusion can happen, leading to more serious issues like bullying. They may also become overly dependent on the teacher’s approval and validation, making it harder for them to take risks, voice independent opinions, or think critically.
Introverts
4) The Intellectual / “Nerd” 👓
Don’t always mistake the intellectual with being a nerd! While they are closely associated together, the intellectuals are often characterised by a deep passion for academic and genuine pursuits for knowledge.
With good critical thinking and problem-solving as their forte, they are the backbone to any class discussions or projects. They contribute well in group situations when their expertise is required.
These misunderstood individuals often face the social stigma of being emotionally incapable and cannot connect with their peers. This may be true as intellectuals have a tendency for perfectionism, leading them to be soft-spoken under stress and anxiety from their own expectations. Their self-esteem and confidence also experience a dive from people’s perception of them as the “unsociable ones”.
Other variants of the intellectual include the Shy Artist, a secret but introverted pro, and the Wallflower, the discreet opposite of a social butterfly.
The Funny People
And then there is the final category of classroom archetypes, and perhaps the most entertaining ones of all.
5) The Class Clown / Latecomer / The Slacker 🥸
The class clown is perhaps the most common stereotype that can be found in almost every classroom, as they are usually responsible for the mood of the class. They are easily identifiable from their tardiness, simple mistakes and the feeling of never taking things seriously.
Class clowns are essential at keeping the collective stress of the class down with their antics. They are important mood makers that remind their peers that students are allowed to have fun once in a while. If you aren’t one, then their presence must still be memorable to you as a student!
Laughter can be a good medicine, but sometimes they are directed maliciously unto others or themselves. Class clowns hold a sway of the class opinion, and targets for amusement can easily turn against them or people around them. They may also never be taken seriously by others, just like the child who cried wolf.
6) The Closet Mugger / Effortless Achiever
Some of us just aren’t cut out for studying, and we express them with open resignation of bad grades. But once in a while, we have the closet mugger, AKA the “”I’m also going to Fail” but Tops the Class Anyway” or the “I didn’t study” friend.
Towards the ones who have actually failed, we give these guys a stink eye.
7) The Complain King/Queen
You may also remember the “loudspeakers”. Ones who are terribly inflexible to unfamiliar things and the first to express dissatisfaction to everyone in class. Yet ironically, they are also good at advocating for change when pointing out imperfections in ideas proposed in class.
These “complain kings and queens” are the most empathetic bunch, and are often good friends who can help voice dissent that you are otherwise uncomfortable with speaking out yourself.
Black Sheep
We thought we wouldn’t mention them, but it’s good to reflect on the more controversial archetypes in hindsight. A class dynamic is never perfect, and thus we must also acquaint ourselves with the bad!
8) The Troublemaker / Ah Beng / Ah Lian
Call them the rebels, truant students or delinquents, these students are often in their darker stages in their youths. As a result, their behaviour can certainly be unhinged even before authorities and may stifle the harmony of the class.
We will not go too in depth into the reasons for delinquency in this article, but it is crucial that we lend these students some empathy. This persona usually doesn’t bode well for students as they transition to adulthood, and is among one of the few stereotypes that should be cared for and monitored closely to allow them to grow out of this phase.
If Nothing Else, You’re the Average and That’s OK!
Can’t find yourself in any of these stereotypes? That’s normal, you’re normal! Not belonging to a classroom archetype doesn’t mean that you’re devoid of personality. On the contrary, you may be more self-aware than others!
But if you’re still unsure, how about taking this personality test here? Some of these mini tests actually correlate your mannerisms to your studying preferences as well!
Stereotypes do not Define You
[Youthopia / Celeste Lim]
We should always isolate these archetypes as behaviour seen and exhibited only in school life. In the same vein, we can’t expect the class clown to fool around even outside of school.
While each archetype does share commonalities when it comes to a person’s traits, attitudes, behaviours and values towards certain aspects of their lives, it should not be the only metric to judge a person’s personality completely.
Everyone of us is unique, and it is up to us to explore the depth of a person’s character. Instead of fully entrusting your personality to a self-fulfilling prophecy, students should always strive to know their peers on a deeper level. That is how we avoid the bias of first impressions and develop meaningful relationships.
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