* Jocks: Often involved in sports, particularly popular ones like football or basketball. They tend to value physical prowess and team spirit.
* Brains/Nerds/Geeks: Primarily identified by their academic achievements and interest in intellectual pursuits like science, technology, or debate. This group has become more diverse in recent years, encompassing various sub-groups within itself.
* Populars/Preps: Often characterized by their social prominence, stylish clothing, and involvement in school activities. Their social status is often a significant defining characteristic.
* Goths/Emos: Often associated with dark clothing, alternative music, and a more introspective or rebellious personality.
* Band Geeks/Theater Kids: Students heavily involved in music and drama programs, often sharing a passion for performance and creativity.
* Art Kids: Students with a strong interest in visual arts, often expressing themselves through drawing, painting, sculpting, or other creative mediums.
* Stoners/Skater Kids: This group is often defined by their shared interest in skateboarding, alternative music, and recreational drug use (though not always).
* Outcasts/Loners: Students who don't easily fit into other groups, often by choice or circumstance. This is a very broad category and not necessarily a "clique" in the traditional sense.
Important Considerations:
* Overlapping Cliques: Individuals often belong to more than one clique or have friends across different groups. The lines between them are often blurry.
* Evolution of Cliques: The dynamics of high school cliques shift over time. What is popular or significant changes from year to year, and even within a single year.
* Harmful Stereotypes: It's crucial to avoid relying on stereotypes when thinking about high school cliques. Each individual within a group is unique, and making generalizations can be harmful and inaccurate.
Ultimately, high school cliques are a complex social phenomenon reflecting the diversity and social dynamics within a school environment. The specific groups and their characteristics will vary significantly from school to school.