7 Types of Guys You Meet in College in NYC

Dating in NYC as a college student can be extremely exciting and discouraging all at the same time. It’s invigorating, eye-opening, and even frustrating. But, the city’s dating scene is something I actually appreciate because it ultimately helps with one of the most important parts of going to college in NYC: networking. Aside from the fact I may or may not go on a date with a guy just to become his LinkedIn friend, dating in NYC is something everyone should experience because you meet a lot of characters that you will remember forever. That being said, here are seven types of guys you meet in college in NYC!

1. The Indie

This guy is most likely the worse guy you will meet in college. An indie guy is like the modern-day version of a Myspace emo-punk boy. Sure, he might be wildly attractive and have some sort of depressive edge to him that makes him appealing, but he also has a ton of issues that are too hard to handle.

Spotting an indie guy is easy. He is always seen with the girl version of him. And no matter how many times he claims they’re just friends, you can definitely sense some type of sexual tension between them that almost seems incestuous, even though they aren’t related. Have fun looking like a cohesive couple because the indie guy either dresses like Urban Outfitters projectile vomited all over him, or he’s stuck in a decade between the 1960s and 2000s. He smells like cigarettes and incense, which he burns because he smokes way too much pot among all of the other drugs he does.

Even though he’ll show you his world of underground concerts and hidden gem bars, you won’t ever feel like you fit in with him because his group is too exclusive. Unless you become a self-loathing misfit, your relationship will probably die fast, even if you love The Strokes as much as he does.

2. The Philosophy Bro

The Philosophy Bro is argumentatively the shadiest guy you will meet in college. When you first meet him, he looks innocent. He has probably nailed the nerd aesthetic, and he has big puppy eyes that always makes you feel guilty for some strange reason. And don’t be fooled, because while most philosophy bros major in philosophy, they also commonly major in poetry and physics.

Although he’s super sweet and has a classic charm, he’s also extremely egotistical and pretentious. Get ready to see him gasp in awe when you haven’t heard of some obscure French poet or ancient philosopher (this will be the first red flag for him). And don’t even think about getting high or drunk with him, because all he’ll want to do is talk about the “deeper meaning” of life and the universe.

3. The Try-Hard

Oh, the good old try-hard. This guy most likely majors in something business related or is pre-law or pre-med. In other words, he’s totally going places. And if you can stick around during his end of the semester breakdowns, know-it-all mentality, and chaotic schedule, you’ll eventually be a rich housewife. The try-hard is always super attractive, mostly because he’s always well-groomed and wearing a suit.

You love that he’s way too mature for his age because it’s like dating an older guy without the disapproval of your parents because of the age gap. When the try-hard finally takes a break from his laptop and books, he’s one of the funnest people you will ever go out with. Seriously, this guy knows how to slam down drinks and go on an adventure (probably because he’s so high strung).

But, don’t be fooled because you will most likely never be able to have wild nights out with the try-hard, let alone see him on a daily basis, because his schedule is so jam-packed with school and internships.

4. The Displaced Frat Bro

Even though finding a displaced frat bro in NYC is like finding a unicorn, you won’t ever have to second guess whether or not you met him because he sticks out like a sore thumb. The displaced frat bro dresses differently depending on where he’s from. But, all displaced frat bros have the laid-back, party-all-day, natural jerk vibe that all frat bros have. Although the displaced frat bro definitely belongs at a state school, he’s most likely going to college in NYC just to try to one-up everyone else by networking and getting ahead in the career field before graduation (join the club, everyone in the city is).

When he’s not spending time with the boys or partying, the displaced frat bro is locked away in the gym. Even though sports aren’t super popular at colleges in NYC, he will always find a way to celebrate college football and blackout during every game, even if he does it from a bar or the living room of his apartment.

Aside from his faults, the displaced frat bro offers a sense of warmth and comfort that makes the little sliver of yourself that wishes you went to a state school happy. And this is why you will eventually become just friends with the displaced frat bro because it’ll be too hard to cut him completely out of your life.

5. The Foreign Guy

The foreign guy initially has all of the allure of finding romance while studying abroad, but instead it’s in the comfort of NYC. He has a sexy thick accent and dresses better than anybody you’ve ever met (he even dresses better than you). He’s worldly and cultured in the sense that he tells you all of these amazing stories and tidbits about life abroad. Oh, and he’s probably super wealthy because going to college in NYC is not cheap for foreign students.

But, don’t let his good looks and accent deceit you because he’s also really stuck-up and judgmental. He most likely misses home more than he would like to admit, so he takes this out on you by judging every little thing that’s different about his life now, as well as Americans in general.

Eventually, you’ll realize that maybe the culture barrier is a real conflict. So, you’ll take all of the tips you learned for where to go and what to do when you study abroad, and you’ll kiss the foreign guy goodbye.

6. The Native

The native is one of the best and worst guys you will ever meet in NYC. Since the native grew up in NYC, they know all of the hot spots for eating, clubbing, shopping, and anything else you could think of. Basically, the native becomes your personal tour guide, which is great because you won’t have to rely on Yelp or Google Maps anymore.

But, while the native is fun to hang out with, you’ll realize there are a ton of faults in the relationship, like the fact he will never put you first. After all,  he’s a native New Yorker, so he realizes that people come and go in his life faster than he walks. So, he’s programmed to put his ambitions and career first. Oh, and speaking about walking, he will always think you’re walking slow, even if you aren’t.

Hopefully one of you end up moving to a far away neighborhood because you can easily blame the breakup on the struggle of having to ride the subway for more than 45 minutes to see him.

7. The Artist

That brings us to the artist. The artist is like all of the guys on this list combined into one guy, even if he doesn’t meet the technical aspects of each type of guy. The artist includes guys who are struggling actors, directors, musicians, writers, and painters. Their depressive nature most likely comes from their choice of creative field. The artist will most likely suck you in with their incredible looks, charm, and wit. But, you’ll quickly feel the negative aspects of their unquenchable thirst to become famous and successful.

Have fun if you’re with them while they hit their big break because you’ll most likely witness a ton of diva fits, mental breakdowns, and ego boosts. There are two ways your relationship with the artist ends: either he becomes super successful and breaks up with you because “you just don’t fit his lifestyle anymore”, or he becomes lost and confused about who he is, so he sets off on a self-discovery trip across the U.S or Europe.

Either way, you’re in for a wild ride with the artist, and will most likely be used as their muse for something (hopefully it becomes popular).