‘Greek’ is an accurate portrayal of life at OWU, according to this columnist
Television shows are always better than real life, right?
As a sister of one of our fine sororities on Ohio Wesleyan’s campus, I must say, “Greek” the TV show portrays Greek life quite accurately.
However, the show is way better than being an actual Greek on campus, because I am on the outside.
First, the drama that accompanies sorority life in this fictional world really does occur in real life. This is not a plot ploy, although it is usually somewhat exaggerated for more drama and/or comedy.
By putting any more than eight girls in one room at a time, you are severely increasing the chances of gossip and drama.
It is a fact of life. Girls love gossip. We eat gossip for breakfast. We gossip about other girls, we gossip about boys. It’s just what we do. But there comes a point when the gossip wheel gets old.
Watching this drama unfold on my television removes me from the situation and breathes new life into my tired gossip-worn body.
I do not want to hear about how much Person A hates Person B for being drunk all the time, unless it is on my television.
Secondly, I love that because this is a television show, I do not actually have to participate in any of the ridiculous events these sororities and fraternities cook up. I get to be on the other side again, laughing at the stupid things those crazy Greeks are doing.
I will admit that the events we put on are to raise money for our respective philanthropies.
This is a good thing. But deep down, even the most loyal sorority or fraternity member realizes how dumb half of these are.
To embarrass ourselves may put a smile on the faces of non-Greeks, but I will tell you, I am not smiling. Unless I am watching it on TV.
I realize that many of you reading this are also members of the Greek community here at OWU, and you might think I am wrong about all of this.
You might even be mad. Frankly, that does not bother me. You are probably the people
who are angry about my column trashing Oprah, and you are probably the people I hated on last week about wearing leggings as pants. (Emily Rose, you are allowed to wear leggings, but no one else.)
Hate me if you want to.
But I remember receiving an e-mail this past summer on the night the show was supposed to premiere. It was from my sorority.
The e-mail wanted us, as members of our fine sorority, to stand up to the negative and untrue stereotypes that the show was rumored to portray.
If you have ever watched the show, and you are a member of the Greek community, can you honestly say that most of the things that happen on the show have never happened, to your knowledge, here at OWU? Because I will say they have.
The show is not false in its portrayal of Greek life. Sometimes it might exaggerate a couple
of things.
But we all have secrets and our own gossip that circulates; first it is just the house, but then, given our small campus, it makes its way to all of the sororities. And there is the possibility of it extending further outside the circle of Greeks.
But, personally, I think the show does an adequate job at portraying the basics of Greek life
If you have not seen the show, check it out for yourself. It returns with new episodes March 24 at 9 p.m. on ABC Family.
FROM: Volume 146, Issue 18: March 6, 2008
