Types of Students You’ll Meet in Every Nigerian University Lecture

If you think you don’t belong in any category, think again.

Written by Miriam Onyemenam

A Nigerian university lecture hall is just like a movie set and every class is like a live performance featuring all kinds of characters. Some are struggling to keep up, some are trying to prove they’re the next Einstein, and some are just there because attendance is being taken.

If you’ve ever sat through a lecture in a Nigerian university, you’ve definitely come across these students.

1. The Front-Benchers

These ones don’t joke with their academics. They secure their seats before class even starts, armed with a strong determination to catch every word from the lecturer’s mouth. They nod aggressively, answer every question, and even remind the lecturer about assignments nobody asked for.

2. The Latecomers

No matter what time the class is scheduled for, they will never get there on time. They’ll stroll in 30 minutes (or more) late, with an empty notebook and their energy battery on 11%. If the lecturer asks why, they’ll mutter something about traffic, even though they live like five minutes away.

3. The ‘Let Me Snap Your Note’ Crew

They come to class, but never take notes because they\’d rather take pictures of the notes. At first, they start by snapping the whiteboard because \”the lecturer is too fast.\” Then, when they realize they still don’t understand anything, they start targeting their coursemates’ notes.

“Abeg, let me snap your note,” then you’ll hand them your book, and they’ll take 57 pictures from different angles like it’s a photoshoot. But ask them if they’ve ever gone back to check those pictures. Never. Their gallery is just a graveyard of abandoned lecture notes.

4. The Noise Makers

These ones usually hold their own lecture at the back of the class. While the lecturer is explaining the principles of economics, they are busy arguing about football or laughing at a meme one of them just found.

And for some reason, they don\’t know how to control their laughter. Sometimes, they even make phone calls like they’re sitting in their father’s parlour.

Just like the noise makers, we always have something to say…but ours actually makes sense and the timing is always right.

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5. The ‘I Have a Question’ Crew

If a lecture is supposed to end by 12pm, trust this person to raise their hand at exactly 11:59am.

The worst ones will start with, “Sir, this is not really a question, but more of an observation…” At that moment, just know you’re not leaving anytime soon.

6. The Food Vendors

Some people came to class to learn, these ones came to sell their market.

During class, their business goes into full operation mode. You’ll hear them whispering, “Meat pie wa o,” “Should I bring zobo or coke?” and before you know it, the whole class will be smelling like a pastry shop.

7. The Sleepers

Nothing, and I mean nothing, can stop these ones from sleeping. It doesn’t matter if the class is early in the morning or late in the afternoon; once they sit down, it’s over.

They’ll start nodding head small small, and before you know it, they’re gone. Some even turn their bags into pillows and sleep like they don’t have a care in the world. And whenever they wake up, they’ll wipe their eyes and pretend like nothing happened.

8. The Phone Addicts

They claim to be taking notes or following the PDF, but if you check their screen, it’s Twitter, Instagram or any other thing but class work. The most shameless ones will even be watching Tiktok videos without an earpiece or any form of volume control.

Most of them only look up when they hear the lecturer say, “This will come out in the exam.”

9. The Attendance Warriors

They don’t care about the lecture, they just need to sign attendance and bounce. The moment the list starts moving around, they pack up their things, ask for a pen, sign their name, and disappear.

At the end of the day, every lecture is a mix of different characters all trying to get that degree. No matter which one you are, just make sure your CGPA is not doing hide and seek. Because at the end of the day, all of us go school, but na who graduate go collect certificate.

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