Columnist Erin Franczak discusses how some movies and TV shows offer an inaccurate picture of what Greek life is really like.
Media portrayals of Greek life are some of the biggest culprits of the conflicts that sororities and fraternities face every day.
Scream Queens is a new television show that highlights the worst of Greek life. The first episode alone broadcasted the horrors of how the outsider looks at the Greek life world. The main character, Chanel, is the typical stuck-up, bratty president of a sorority.
In reality, running for chapter president is more than a popularity contest. Chapter presidents have many duties that are necessary to keep the chapter running smoothly and continue the legacy. There is nothing easy about this role: It’s a major time commitment, and organizational skills are necessary.
Another inauthentic representation of life as a sorority sister is the idea of the expensive, white house. The mansions in the movies are nothing like the ones in real life. Sorority houses are large to fit all of the girls that choose to live there. The actual room size is no bigger than the average dorm room, and each girl still shares a room. Then there’s the topic of clothes. The huge wardrobes seen on TV are nowhere near the size of the normal sorority girl’s closet.
Within that closet is another representation of sororities that are incorrect: the idea of beauty and clothing. Movies, TV and other media always show sorority girls with perfect makeup and hair. These girls have to be perfect in every way to the point of unhealthiness. They're portrayed as clones.
In the movie Sydney White, the girls are forced to have daily checks to look for blemishes, and there's a list of the hottest girls in sororities.
In the real world of Greek life, this would never happen. Clothing and beauty aren’t the focus point. What’s more important is foundation: Sororities are founded on sisterhood and friendship.
Scream Queens also offers another perceived notion that is far from the truth. In the first episode, Chanel decides that her sorority needs to begin a blood oath. There is no such thing in real Greek life.
Next there is recruitment week, the biggest myth. It is a time to find your place and friends while learning more about the different charities and services the sororities help throughout the year. There is no hazing, no mean words and no “duck pond.” It’s about finding where you belong.
Media often portrays the Greek community in the most unrealistic ways, and many people continue to believe these stereotypes. The biggest problem is that most movies and TV shows try to entertain and not to inform. For this reason, the only way to go past judgments is to plunge into the Greek community for yourself.
Read next week’s column to learn more about dates and the details of informal recruitment as well as why you should check it out. You can find more at the All Greek Expo on Jan. 14 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Walter Rotunda.
Erin Franczak is a freshman studying journalism. Have you seen Scream Queens or Sydney White? Email her at ef441614@ohio.edu.
