What is a student?

Someone who studies at University or college.
Well its been an eventful blog, I hope we've all learnt something.


But siriusly.
What I'm meaning is what is the average student stereotype? It's my 2nd week back at RGU now, just started 2nd year. I went to the freshers fayre and it was interesting to see how everyone advertised themselves to appeal to students.
 The most common stereotype I saw was - You are a student- you're life is now drinking cheap alcohol and eating out of pizza boxes.
It's weird because generally people who went to uni were in the quite intelligent 'good boys and girls' group at school. On the way home from their highers they'd see the neds drinking value vodka at Buckie play park while throwing empty pizza boxes at each other [I understand I'm talking personally here but it must happen everywhere]. We'd judge them as we walk past and feel sorry for what their life has become.
Then literally 12 months later the exact same person is a 'student', drinking value vodka at their halls throwing pizza boxes at their mates because its banter.
So students are people who drink a lot of alcohol. But by that logic so are tramps and 14 year old neds. Pizza Hut say on their advert they heart students next to pictures of people dancing and partying in nightclubs.So loving 'students' isn't really the case. They just heart people who drink alcohol and can't be arsed cooking.

Here is a diagram about who drinks- ie everyone at some point.

The other quite unfair stereotype of students is laziness. I remember when I used to watch Bargain Hunt the host Tim Wonnacott always jokes to the team of students 'oh so you wake up before lunchtime to watch Bargain Hunt do you?'
I particularly remember his smug face saying this as I'm in the rush hour queue out of Bridge of Don at 7.45am ready for a day of Uni that doesn't just get me up before Bargain Hunt but also makes me work through it.
Sure some students are lazy and don't bother but the majority I feel do. There are days off and early finishes but thats just kind of how uni works. Most students have anti-social work hour jobs they need to go to after as well- being a student does not mean you're living the easy life. Yet its joked about and gets a little chuckle every time lazy students are mentioned.
I'd love him to say the same thing to 2 unemployed contestants one day 'good to see you made it out of bed in time for lunch you lazy slobs.'

 

Tim Wonnacott - fascist

 



So there is the student stereotype as it stands- lazy people who drink a lot.
I understand the alcohol and party thing is true for most students living in halls living the 'student' lifestyle but what annoys me is when it's kind of forced.
I don't really class myself as a studenty student because I live at home, the only thing thats changed is I go to Uni now. I go out now and then but life isn't a constant party, I'm not surrounded by everyone going to the pub every other night. I'm surrounded by my family and street of old age pensioners.
I feel some people feel they need to change as soon as they get the student title. 'I'm at university now, i must drink ALL the alcohol! Go to ALL the parties!' People probably like this guy

 



'I've got so many lectures tomorrow but I don't care bout that shit! yolo!'

 

Being a student doesn't mean you need to change who you are, it's just getting a little bit older and having exams in January. Being a student is by no means a bad thing, its a lot of fun- an introduction to life. There's no need to be a 'studenty student' if you don't want to. 

So I ask again- who really is the textbook example of a student?

 The answer is basically still the top line of this blog post.