The 5 Personalities of Your Average BostonianAn Unofficial Guide to the Personalities You’ll Find in Boston’s Streets

By Marianna Gavurmadzhyan

Graphic by Zoe Lyko

Boston’s narrow sidewalks, winding streets, and constant flow of students, commuters, and tourists turn everyday walks into recognizable roles that everyone falls into. Spend ten minutes navigating Commonwealth Avenue, Newbury Street, or any street near campus, and you’ll start to notice the same personalities appearing again and again.

The Speed Walker

First, there’s the Speed Walker. This person moves with unwavering determination, eyes locked forward, their pace aggressive, as if they are late for something extremely important, even if they probably aren’t. They always have their headphones on, listening to music, and probably playing out scenarios in their head while keeping their face stoic through it all.

They weave through crowds with impressive efficiency, sidestepping slower pedestrians and slipping through small openings in foot traffic as if it’s second nature. In Boston, walking quickly isn’t just a preference; it’s a skill developed over time. Speed Walkers know the unwritten rules of the sidewalk: hesitate for even a second, and you’ll lose momentum. Then you’re stuck behind a tour group looking like bored highschoolers.

The Speed Walker rarely stops, never looks around, and somehow always seems to know exactly where they’re going.

Sudden Stopper

Then there’s the Sudden Stopper, also known as the traffic jam. Maybe they’ve received a text, maybe they’re double-checking directions, or maybe something in a store window has caught their attention. Whatever the reason, the defining trait is the stop itself. Abrupt, immediate, and usually right in the center of the sidewalk. No gradual slowing down, no polite step to the side, just a full halt that sends the people behind them scrambling to avoid a collision.

In a city where walking is often treated like a competitive sport, the Sudden Stopper introduces an element of chaos and remains the Speed Walker’s worst enemy.

The ‘Lost-but-Confident’ Student

Close behind is the Lost-but-Confident Student. This pedestrian can usually be identified by quick glances down at their phone, followed by a determined stride. Google Maps says they’re going the right way, but the street layout suggests otherwise. Boston’s famously confusing streets don’t help, especially when a “quick walk” suddenly becomes three turns, a diagonal road, and a roundabout that never appeared on the map. Still, the most important rule of being lost in public is simple: never look lost. The Lost-but-Confident Student continues forward with conviction, hoping that confidence alone will somehow lead them to the right destination.

The Sidewalk Socializer

Next comes the Sidewalk Socializer, also known as the group of two to four friends walking shoulder-to-shoulder, deep in conversation. They’re not trying to block the entire sidewalk; they simply don’t realize they have. Completely absorbed in a story or debate, they move as a single unit, unintentionally forming a human wall that forces everyone else to navigate around them.

Occasionally, they’ll break formation to let someone pass, but more often they remain blissfully unaware of the quiet line of frustrated pedestrians building behind them. You may hate them, but chances are you’ve also been one of them.

The Runner

Finally, there’s the Runner, who treats the sidewalk less like a walkway and more like an extreme training course. Headphones in, focus forward, they sprint past pedestrians with practiced agility, dodging backpacks, coffee cups, and uneven pavement without breaking stride. While everyone else is commuting, they’re chasing a personal best. In a crowded city, their ability to maneuver through foot traffic at speed is honestly impressive. No sleet, snow, or storm will stop them from running past you with determination while you’re bundled up in your warmest clothes, silently judging them.

The funny thing about Boston pedestrians is that none of these roles are permanent. Depending on the day, the weather, or how late you’re running, you’ll inevitably become each of them. One morning, you’re the focused Speed Walker racing to class (or from it), the next, you’re the Sudden Stopper realizing you just walked past your building. Walking through Boston means constantly shifting between these identities, adapting to the rhythm of the crowd.

And once you start noticing them, you’ll see these personalities everywhere. In a city built for walking, the sidewalk becomes its own kind of stage, and whether you realize it or not, you’re part of the cast.