The Impact of Social Cliques

This film documents the social dynamics of Middlebury Union High School. Three high school seniors interviewed numerous peers, as well as staff to highlight the current social groups at their school and their impact. Social cliques are a large part of our community but typically go undiscussed. This documentary attempts to resurface the importance of the divisions and opinions they create and bring to light their undeniable natural occurrence.

Conceived, Directed, and Produced by:

Bobby Ritter '15
Julia Rosenberg '15
Jesse Wulfman '15

Created at Middlebury Union High School - 2015

[IronPiedmont]

I myself wasn't really in a clique. I talked to people here and there, but other than that I was essentially a loner.

[jimmypaul]

No wonder suicide and prescription drug abuse are so common in the a living nightmare!!!

[steveboone]

The reason why most people join cliques is to basically fit in. A lot of times people get the impression that joining a certain clique will make them more popular but in reality they are no more popular than when they were the new kid on campus. I never joined any type of clique during my school years but I had friends from each clique. If you do plan on joining a clique in school, choose very carefully because it could possibly cost you your best friends in the long run.

[elsnacko]

I associated with who ever the hell I wanted to. I was my own person. never with that follower bs. hung out with all sorts of people. I have my preference, sure... but I'm a family/people person. and I keep it real. and always make sure to make somebody smile or laugh. I could relate because I was taught to get out my comfort and stretch your character, I was a artsy cool kid, shy, fairly out going, athletic, gamer. I was with popular and unpopular. I could care less. people piss me off with their petty tribalism. like, lets just chill. laugh, roast each other, talk about life, lets be creative, debate, play sports, etc. idc who you are. lets kick it.

[nocap]

1.Normal/smart kids
2.Outcasts
3.Jocks
4.Popular

[freebee]

cliques arent bad in itself, because there are cliques that are open and accepts new people and then there are cliques set to be a 3v1 type of deal, but really just snakes ready to eat each other.

[jonathanakerele]

"It's a sense of not wanting to be alone, so you need to be part of this clique if you're going to survive high school!" They should put a video up where they interview all the loner kids, because that's what I was all through my school years from elementary onward. I kind of got that way through peer bullying and stringent parenting. Not really up for the whole emotional element of human interaction since I find negative emotions (sadness, anger) very uncomfortable and I'm easily rattled by stimuli like sounds or being touched. In that sense, I'm the antithesis of her statement about not wanting to be alone since I'm introverted and get my motivation and life enjoyment from my own thoughts as opposed to picking the brains of those around me and absorbing their influences.

[willyd]

What really sucks especially in a smaller town or city is when the cliques carry on into adulthood. It makes it hard for outsiders or outcasts to do anything like find work or even find housing. And if one person in those cliques don't like you than your chances of getting anywhere are shot.

[mikabrown]

Where I live we don't have names proper cliques, but we do have


Social hierarchy in High school (UK)
1) Popular girls with home issues or mental health issues and will fight anyone physically (including teachers) Popular boys coming from a lower economic class who are very gobby and will pick physical fights with students but mental fights with teachers.
2) Popular girls and boys who are normal but get in trouble and are very gobby with everyone(teachers especially)
3) Generally nice people who occasionally get in trouble who are also somehow popular
4) Sidekicks to the popular kids (eg: Gay best friend, two faced gossip girl)
5) The average kids (doesn't have to be a nice person but can be usually friends with maybe 2-3 popular kids)
6) Smarter kids (sometimes friends with a popular kid)
7) Kids who socialise with the popular kids occasionally and can be considered a friend to one or two (usually held down by hanging out with outcasts and acting different around weirder friends)
8) Social outcasts (burnouts, weirdos and people with a hilariously strange sense of humor, usually fluent in memes)
9) Over the top nerds who will shout out very strange things from animes and memes and fandoms (Some pretend to not give a shit, but some of them really don't give a shit)
10) Kids who are annoying or quick to anger or have extremely big egos(Usually cannot see why people bully them)


Bare in mind I live in a deprived area and there are only about 2% of the teens have families who can afford preppy, expensive clothing and only 5-10% live in anything better than a semi detached house.
This means that instead of being rich, the more poor you are and the more 'chavvy' you act is what makes you popular.


I'm more of a seven, I talk to and am friendly with some popular kids, but I hang out with the social outcasts 90% of the time.

[italianstallion]

This behavior is actually completely normal, been going on in the natural ecosystem for millions of years. Sucks to suck but I was always one of the odd men out.

[gaileesims]

When I was in high school I’m glad I was never in a clique I did have group of friends but I was opened to talk to anyone, I never excluded them. Disappointing how this even exists in college as well

[tommyfoley]

type of friendship groups in my school
1.the jocks
2 and 3.the rival group of girls whp have been with so many boys
4.normal people
5.emo group
6.teacher pets

[harrisonhighland]

very well made, thank you! i'm going to show this to my class on this week as a lesson on american high school culture (it's a french high school).

[gmand]

my first highschool cliques was
1. jocks/preps
2. football
3. band
4. stoners
5. medillin cartel
6. bloods
7. crips
8. communists
9. facists

[orangeblurr]

Jocks
Popular
Rich
Normal
Emo
Gothic
Outsiders

[Mimi-urur]

In my elementary school, there were a whole lot of cliques. They left out some kids purposely, which made them feel like outcasts. For example, I was playing basketball and I wasn't "good enough" for it so they replaced me. I felt like everyone was trying to bring me down. I was invited to nothing. I had barely any friends, and everyone saw me as a "goody two shoes crybaby." They're calling me that when they can't tell the difference between "your and you're" and barely participate in class, that my teacher has gotten very tired over it. They did not have fun after that. At graduation, most of the students went home empty-handed, except for fake diplomas. I came home with 6 awards (including the valedictorian award) and the salutatorian came home with 3. Some other girl came home with about 7.

My pestering classmates mainly winded up in bad schools while I went to an ok school in test scores. Cliques bring you down.

My sister also went to one of the colleges given special thanks.

[Cracrayglitterbug]

My group and another group are connected, but not together as the same, we are 2 different friend groups, but were all pretty much friends with eachother

My group is the weird kids as I've been told

But I really more classify myself as a nerd but the fangirl kind

[russiandrago]

I'm just the type of person with average grades and draws a lot. Mixture between artsy, normal and drama.

[Jefff]

It's normal to have a circle of friends but when you refuse to even talk to those outside your circle, IMO, that is a clique. I refuse to let my friends dictate who I can talk to or hang out with.

[ApparentlyTemp]

Why does america have cliques i dont understand im pretty sure its only in america