8 Invaluable Things 'Greek' Taught Us About College Life

Culture

When it comes to Greek life, I'm kind of a poor sport. I loved most of the fraternities at my alma mater but never wanted to be in a sorority, as the concept of paying $4,000 a year for an organization just didn't sit well with me, but I did enjoy experiencing it through ABC Family's Greek, which follows the lives of dorky underclassman Rusty and his cool older sister Casey as they navigate the Greek system at CRU. 

Whether you went Greek or not, you can surely relate to some of the things the show's characters go through. Here are some of valuable things I learned from Greek, which I wish was still on air! Hooray for Netflix, right?

1. It's not the end of the world to have a weird roommate

At the beginning of Rusty's freshman year, he's paired with Dale, a religious extremist Bible thumper, in the dorms. Dale berates Rusty for wanting to go Greek, but the two eventually find common ground even though they don't see eye-to-eye on everything.

2. Sometimes the people you trust and respect most give you terrible advice

At the beginning of season one, Casey's boyfriend Evan cheats on her with new girl Rebecca, a freshman rushee Casey dislikes from the start. Though I didn't immediately take to Casey's character, I preferred her to Rebecca, a vicious, entitled Senator's daughter who loves stirring the pot and bringing others down. 

When Rusty says that Evan has been cheating, Casey decides she doesn't want Rebecca in her sorority, but Big Sis Frannie insists Rebecca's status will actually leverage the chapter. Frannie also advises Casey against confronting Evan about his womanizing, as he's a huge figure in the Greek system and makes the girls' sorority look good. A true friend wouldn't act the way Frannie does, but unfortunately this happens a lot IRL.

3. Love hurts

In season one, Rusty falls for Jen K., a nervous, seemingly innocent rushee. They fall hard for each other but everything changes when she publishes a hit piece exposing the nasty, corrupt side of the Greek system, justifying her journalism aspirations for betraying her sorority sisters and Rusty, her new love.

He's devastated and their relationship ends, but it takes him a while to move on from, as he really, really cared for her. I had 1-3 really bad heartbreaks in college, and though they're all laughable and trivial now, I struggled to forget about them in school the same way Rusty can't seem to put Jen K. behind him.

4. Your best friend can become your worst enemy

Well, I didn't see that coming with Frannie and Casey. The two get off to a rough start when Frannie tells Casey to brush off the fact that her boyfriend has been unfaithful for the sake of the house, so when Frannie has a thing with Evan later on down the road, the girls declare war on each other. Was anyone really surprised Frannie could be this evil? I wasn't. You'll make a lot of friends in college, so just be aware that some of them may very well turn on you when you least expect it.

5. It's best to go for the guy with a heart than the guy with an attractive resume

Throughout the series, Casey is torn between Cappie and Evan. Cappie is her first college boyfriend who likes to party but lacks drive and motivation to become a valuable member of society. Evan, on the other hand, is a wealthy fraternity brother in one of the most respected frats on campus, and he dates Casey after she ends things with Cappie for being irresponsible and inattentive. 

Evan may be a little more reliable and look great on paper, but Cappie loves Casey with his whole heart, and that's why these two are an amazing fit.

6. Long distance dating (and holding onto a high school relationship) is a mistake

Ashley figures this out early on in the series, and her decision ultimately becomes easier when her best friend Casey admits she dislikes the boyfriend. Take it from someone who went into college dating her high school sweetheart: It's the worst idea ever. Don't.do.it.

7. Summer internships aren't always that great

Casey heads off to Washington, D.C., one summer thinking she's going to have the greatest experience of her life in the workforce. She ends up hating it and being so relieved to return to college in the fall. This isn't uncommon, and it's OK to want to indulge one's university (read: lazy) lifestyle while he/she still can.

8. Some enemies can grow on you ... and some just never will

Rebecca is the latter. I never liked her character, even though the show tries to redeem her many, many times. I could never get past the Senator's daughter victim mentality or her constant betrayal of Casey. You'll encounter a lot of people in college you just can't seem to like, so keep them at arm's length!