Penn Sorority Girls: So Boring

Hey, Beige Block - which sorority will have the hottest pledge class this year? Which frats should you avoid at all costs?

No, it’s not Gossip Girl, but gossip Web sites can offer freshmen going through the rush process a wealth of information.

Hey, Daily Pennsylvanian, thank you for writing this story, because I bet it’s going to be awesome.

JuicyCampus features a running commentary of the sorority rush experience, with posters asking fellow rushees “who had the best skit?” and comparing the wait for bids to be announced to “purgatory.”

In addition to frequent posts rating Penn’s different chapters, both sites feature users’ observations about the organizations.

On College Confidential, members of Delta Delta Delta are called “the college equivalent of the high school cheerleader” and Kappa Alpha Theta members are described as “notorious cokeheads, though this is really more legend than reality.”

Look, I was right! Everyone knows those Theta girls are total lightweights.

Interfraternity Council president and Wharton senior David Ashkenazi said he doesn’t read any online gossip Web sites but said that there is “probably a lot of positive and negative stuff on Facebook and elsewhere online.”

However, he added that relying on these sites does “the fraternity system at Penn a disservice by not getting to know the frats individually.”

Similarly Panhellenic Council president and College senior Drew Tye wrote in an e-mail that she has never visited JuicyCampus “because I feel it unjustifiably labels people.”

The head of the sororities at Penn has never visited a gossip website!? What is going on over there! First the coke sorority is deemed a legend, and now the head of all the sororities is eschewing gossip? Someone needs to put things right at Penn, and fast.

Spotted: Online gossip creeps into rush [Daily Pennsylvanian]

Gossip Girlfriend

The oh-so-clever use of “gay” as an insult did not sway us: Gossip Girlfriend is back for one last hurrah. Yes, last night was the season finale, and since Sarah and I can’t plan anything past, say, this weekend, we’re declaring it the end of the feature youse all love so much, Gossip Girlfriend. But not before a recap of last night’s episode!

(Note: If you actually like the show, or hate it, or something, New York pretty much owns the Gossip Girl recap genre; one of the co-writers of NYM’s blog is Jessica Pressler, etc., etc.)

After the jump.

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Gossip Girlfriend

And you thought I’d forget? Puh-leeze. After the first installment was such a hit, it’s clear my girlfriend and I needed to do a second. Naturally, we managed to finish it a few minutes ago. But it’s perfect: Tonight is the Gossip Girl season finale, and what better time than just a little over four hours ’til it airs to recap last week’s episode and set the stage for the end of the first season.

After the jump, a bunch of jokes youse will probably whine about in the comments. Talk all you want, it will only make my resolve stronger.

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Gossip Girlfriend

Each week, my girlfriend and I plan to discuss Gossip Girl. No, really. It’s going to be awesome, and posted on Tuesdays from now on.

Three weeks ago, my girlfriend came over to watch the return of Gossip Girl, which she has become taken with: She has been reading the books and has been nice enough to regale me with awesome young adult descriptions like “a publisher of lesser-known beat poets” and a passage about buying weed in Central Park — clearly the only way for a rich kid to get drugs.

I was, of course, immediately taken with the show as well. These girls have more drama in one day of high school than I did in four years. (And I took two AP English classes!) They drink every night (I was straight edge), have tons of sex (I was a loser) and hire people to take their SATs for them (I never had any money). It’s like Degrassi with richer and prettier people! If this doesn’t prove to my girlfriend how awesome American capitalism is — I think she’s some sort of socialist — then we’ll just chalk her up as a lost cause.

And, so, yes, everyone (in New York, but whatever) writes about Gossip Girl online. Why not join the party? I know what you’re thinking: Dan, you kinda do dumb things, what if you do a dumb thing to your girlfriend and she breaks up with you? If you know me that well, you should also know I never plan ahead.

After the jump, a few video clips and some thoughts from the two of us.

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