In preparation for Wildcat Welcome, Northwestern’s weeklong orientation, the Northwestern Flipside has prepared a field guide for the five different types of students you will encounter. Keep this information in mind and you will be prepared for any interaction with a new student.

The Early Admit

She came in the sweatshirt she pre-ordered online, and she’ll hit the bookstore for more swag to make her hometown friends jealous before the week is over. The Early Admit is sure to brush up on all of her NU lingo before she arrives on campus and she WILL go to Norbucks. She probably bleeds purple, but not in the metaphorical school spirit kind of way; she actually may have ingested something to alter the pigment of her innards (her skin looks weird).

The Home Schooled One

You can spot this elusive freshman by how enamored he is with the opposite sex, and the number of times he whispers to his mom, whose arm he clutches tightly. He will be most excited about how many different buildings he will have the opportunity to have classes in, and least excited about dining hall food. His dedication to avoiding eye contact is unwavering, as is his resolve to not let anyone know he was home schooled. You might start to feel a little bad about his awkwardness, but there is no need; he is so, so much smarter than you.

The One Who Was Waitlisted Somewhere Else

She came here, semi-reluctantly, mostly because her parents thought it would be a good idea. It’s not that she doesn’t like Northwestern, it’s just that, well, she’s a legacy at Princeton and she applied early, then got deferred, then waitlisted, and now she’s still holding out hope that her acceptance letter will come any day now, a little late, to be sure, but not completely unheard of, right? Do you think it’s because of her ACT score? She took the test twice but then decided only to report her first score, maybe that was a bad idea? Do you think it’s because she lives in Michigan? Waitlist girl will spend most of the week trying to will herself to want to be here, but will inevitably spend the whole time refreshing her inbox.

Your New Best Friend

Just Kidding! No matter what that sprightly girl you walked next to during the tour says, you will probably NOT be meeting your new best friend during Wildcat Welcome. Yes, we know you both love One Direction and made totally hilarious eye contact when your peer advisor said “Mance Darathon,” vowing to hang out all the time this quarter. However, this person is more likely to disappear until near the end of your junior year. You’ll see her outside the library and recognize her, but only kind of. You’ll think about maybe saying hi, or at least doing the “oh hey how are you it’s been a while” half-smile-nod gesture, but inevitably decide its best to fake text until she passes.

The Dude in a Letterman Jacket

This Guy. When he walks around his hometown in that woolly beauty with the worn leather sleeves, everyone knows he’s hot (those jackets really seal in warmth). He works that bad boy like he was born in it, his signature look definitely works for him. Unfortunately for the two time 3A football champ, this isn’t Majestic River Water High School, or whatever that cavalcade of consonants on his jacket stands for. Here, his letterman jacket says one thing and one thing only, “I am a high school student.” He will learn, slowly but surely, that his favorite wingman doesn’t have quite the same charm outside of the senior parking lot, and he will don the appropriate amount of shame.