We all meet friends along the way, forming our little circle. That’s great. More often than not, though, our circle ends up being five or six slightly different versions of ourselves, with maybe a black sheep or two. For a Penn Stater — or any college student — there are a few friends you’ll need outside of that little circle, friends that keep things interesting. Here are a few of those friends.

The Chauffeur

To kick us off, I’m going with an easy one. Everyone needs a ride sometimes. Maybe you want to hit Target or Walmart, need a ride to the hospital, or are just too lazy to walk across town somewhere. A friend with a car instantly becomes a necessity. It’s extra nice if they’re from the same town as you, and you can hitch a ride home for breaks. No question.

A tip. Walk around the west deck garage and approach anyone you see. I won’t help you with lines, but you can figure that out. I say west deck because it’s the nice one, you don’t want a lot 38 friend.

The Free One

Every once in a while, we all find ourselves bored with nothing to do. The regular group went home for the weekend, or are bores stuck in the library, and you want to go out. Maybe not even go out, just do something. Find yourself a friend who’s a zero. Someone with unbelievable FOMO. These friends, while not always the most fun, are always down to do something when you shoot a text. Get you a friend like that.

The Smart One

Okay, okay. I know we all study hard and crack the books, but you can’t be on go mode 100% of the time. Find someone who is. These are the people who sit at the front of the class, raise their hand in hundred-person lecture halls, and are always rifling through notes until the last second before an exam, even though we all know they’re gonna ace it.

Pick up one of these as soon as you can and ride their tails for the semester. The quicker you can pull it off, the more likely you’ll be allowed in their homework group and study sessions. Plus, if you become friends quickly, they’ll probably be less peeved if you slack off while they do the tough stuff. A friend like this will always be there for you when you need to study, happy to teach you the stuff you should’ve learned in class, and you might actually end up passing when the semester’s over.

The Kinda Scary One

These types of friends are tough. There’s no real way to meet them, it just happens. If you seek them out, you’ll probably find “The Free One”. The only thing about them is that they’re probably insane. You won’t learn their last names, you probably won’t save their contacts, but any time they text, you’ll wake up the next morning with a story for the books.

I’ve had a few of these. Despite the name, they don’t disappoint. Just don’t try hanging out with them two nights in a row. A good breather period is good for your health.

The One With Food

If you’re lucky enough to find one of these, I applaud you. Friends with meal plans they’re willing to share aren’t too uncommon, but the white whale comes in the form of a cooking friend. Hopefully Italian. Knows all the good grocery stores, the ones not on the map. Picks the right tomato through its “vibe,” with a Sunday dinner that’ll keep you tied over for the next month. It’s a dream.

The One You Forget How You Met

It’s always a good idea to mix up your friends. You don’t want to stick within the same circle all the time, branching out is healthy. Many of us discover that one friend in a completely opposite major and has no mutuals, someone who you probably met freshman year but both have forgotten by now. Usually, you text once a month, saying “let’s hang out” and never do. Every once and a while, though, the plans come to fruition and you end up doing something you’d never do with the normal circle. Branch out.

The Connect

There are always things a good Penn Stater needs. That’s where the connect becomes your friend. You don’t ask, you don’t know, but this guy knows someone. In the early pre-21 days, these friends are a godsend. Alcohol’s not the only thing, either…the connect knows a guy.

The Photographer

They say college years are some of the best of our lives, but who would know without pictures?

It’s always a blessing to have one friend dedicated to getting all the pictures. Get them to start one of those shared albums and bam: eternal spring of random pictures. You don’t want to end up this friend, so try to pawn it off on someone quickly, while they’re still figuring things out up here. Who wants to be on the wrong side of the camera?

The Popular One

This is the friend who somehow knows everyone. Every time you walk down the street with them, they run into five friends from different places. They know people with tailgates, they know every bouncer, and they’ll take you to places you never would’ve believed existed. Keep this one close.

Old Reliable

Sometimes, you just need a friend you know is there. They might be doing their own thing with their own friends, but if you call, they’ll come running. The friends I’ve mentioned above probably won’t end up your closest friends in the end, but this one is. When you’ve had enough of your main roster, hang out with old reliable for a little while and you’re good as new. Maybe an old friend from high school or someone you met the first week, old reliable is a friend who you never get tired of, and never gets tired of you. It goes both ways.