The premise was sketchy. The plotline was ill conceived, and the acting was terrible. But there was a snarky heroine and the beginnings of a love triangle…and lots of unnecessary drama. Needless to say, I was hooked.

Ever since, I have been a loyal — albeit, skeptical — ABC Family viewer. Sure there were some shows I skipped. (I mean did anyone actually watch Kyle XY? ) Somehow I never did get the Secret Life bug, and I never watched that one about gymnastics. But for the most part I’ve reveled not only in their oh-so-cheesy, made-for-TV movies (Mario Lopez Holiday in Handcuffs was cute okay?), but their hour long dramas, too. Greek will forever be one of my favorite ABC family shows. And yes, I did watch Wildfire all the way through. I was a loyal viewer of the TV version of 10 Things I Hate About You, despite the horrific pilot and now I DVR Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game every week without fail.

I love the drama and suspense that The Lying Game now brings to my Monday nights. I love the clothes and the cute boys and the never ending questions (Who is A? Someone please tell me!) that the little liars bring on Tuesdays. I loved the quirky cuteness of Greek and 10 Things. And I love that they continue to make really horrible Bring It On sequels.

But do you want to know something else?

I hate that I love these shows. Hate it. Because, as I’ve mentioned, they’re really pretty terrible. The acting, with a few exceptions, is subpar, the plotlines make no sense (How can A really be everywhere?), and the lines can get pretty cheesy. So why can’t I stop tuning in? What makes me want to watch these shows? Is it the same thing that forces me to find Jersey Shore fascinating or is it the morbid fascination that draws me into really horrible Lifetime movies? (Yes. I did watch William & Kate and I’m only a little ashamed to admit it.) Maybe. Or maybe it’s just that it’s good TV. Not intelligent TV, or well made TV, but fun, entertaining, lighthearted, time killing, suspense building TV.

I’ll leave you gals to ponder that. Because, if you’ll excuse me, last week’s episode of The Lying Game, is calling my name.

College is awesome. But every now and then I turn on the TV and catch a glimpse of a fictional one that just looks better. Non-stop parties, non-stop drama and perfect weather dominate my TV screen while I slip into the world of pseudo-college. These kids never seem to do any actual learning (but that’s clearly besides the point) and I can’t help but imagine my life frolicking around these campuses. The grass is always greener and I bet their cheep beer tastes better, too.

initiating the gallery...

So we all know that lately pop culture has been a little bit obsessed with vampires. True Blood. Twilight. The Vampire Diaries. It’s everywhere we look and a part of everything we do. But we’re not just obsessed with vampires. We’re obsessed with vampire boyfriends. Edward Cullen in particular. An as someone who spends way too much time in the fictional world I have to step back, and ask…really? I mean come on!

Edward Cullen is not the best fictional boyfriend out there. He’s obsessive, overbearing, and would find great satisfaction in tearing open his girlfriend’s veins and drinking her blood. This is the guy that makes you swoon? Well not me. He’s not my idea of the best fictional boyfriend out there. He’s not even close. Who is, you ask? Well I’ve compiled a list to answer just that question (and put off any of the more important tasks I have yet to accomplish today). Below are my top ten fictional boyfriends, all of whom are real flesh and blood, albeit fictional, men that don’t sparkle in the sunlight.

10. Mike Chang. You know, Tina’s boyfriend from Glee. Not only is he a football player but he has swoon worthy dance moves and even swoon worthier abs.

9. Flynn Rider. The last Disney prince. The one from Tangled. Yes I’ve seen Tangled. What’ is it to you? A little sarcastic, a little funny, and very much the reluctant hero. He’s definitely not as boring as the Disney princes before him and so for that reason alone he makes the list.

8. Nathaniel Archibald. Okay, so I don’t have any legitimate reasons for this one seeing as how he’s a manwhore both literally and figuratively, he’s cheated on almost all of his girlfriends, and he’s hooked up with every female regular besides Lily van der Woodsen (as far as we know), but… he’s so pretty!

7. Seth Cohen. Yes, the geeky guy from the O.C. made it onto the list, mostly because I’ve always had the biggest crush on Adam Brody, but also because that upside down, in the rain, Spiderman kiss that he and Summer share is one of my favorite TV kisses of all time.

6. Cappie. Casey’s on again off again boyfriend from Greek is a favorite of mine. Yes, he’s childish and has a bit of a Peter Pan complex but he’s also a genuinely nice guy. And when Casey asked him where he wanted to be in ten years he said “I want to be with you.” Sigh.  If only.

5. Chandler Bing. The class clown. The commitment-phobe. The one everyone thought was gay. Okay, so that’s all true. But he’s also the guy who overcame all of that and fell in love with his best friend. Plus, he looks really cute with glasses, don’t you think?

4. Aiden Shaw. I was a Carrie and Mr. Big fan. I always have been and I always will be. But that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate just how awesome of a boyfriend Aiden really was. He forgave Carrie for cheating on him, redid her apartment, and his voice had this sort of twang to it that just makes me want to watch him speak. Shirtless.

3. Dan Humphrey. Serena van der Woodsen’s loyal Brooklyn boyfriend. Dan gets a bit of a bad rep with the Upper East Siders but personally I think he’s a great guy. Cute. Smart. Funny. And he has that whole tortured artist thing down perfectly. What’s a girl gotta do be his muse?

2. Alex Karev. This poor guy has yet to have a relationship that doesn’t end in his girlfriend going crazy, dying, or moving across the country, and I think that’s terrible because Alex deserves better. He’s a good guy, deep, deep, deep down, who will always be therefore his girl when she needs him. Give him a lasting love interest, Shonda Rhimes.

1. Pacey Witter. Yes, the sidekick from Dawson’s Creek is taking the top spot and I don’t feel the least bit guilty about it. Maybe it’s the swooning pre-teen in me but when I think of my favorite fictional boyfriend, I think of Pacey Witter. With Joey, Andie, or even that other chick he dates in the later episodes when he can’t have Joey, Pacey Witter was a great boyfriend. In my eyes this boy can do no wrong. And plus, you know, he’s adorable.

In case you couldn’t tell based on this list I have a type. It’s called tall, dark, and a little bit dorky and/or dangerous. So if you know anyone that fits the bill, send him my way, okay?

Who are your dream fictional boyfs?

And I for one am having a bit of a hard time accepting that.

I’ve watched this show since the very first episode, during my very first week of freshman year. And now, four years later the show is coming to an end, just as my college career is coming to an end. And so maybe I’m a little extra sentimental, but that doesn’t make this show any less worthy of the praise. Greek is awesome. And if you haven’t watched it all along, you should start watching now. And here’s why.

10. Cappie and Casey. The quintessential college couple that you just can’t help but root for. Will they or won’t they? Are they too different? Or just different enough? From the very beginning their love story has been at the center of the show. And I for one, am glad that they will be ending it together.

9. The Kappa Tau brothers. Everyone loves an underdog, and that’s exactly what the KT brothers were throughout the entirety of this series. With their strange nicknames and even stranger personalities, this group of misfits gave the show its character.

8. The fact that class is so little a part of their lives. I mean, let’s be real for a minute. College is a lot more than classes. It’s friends and parties and projects. It’s boys and brunches and dates and coffee runs. It’s library visits and sleepovers and lots and lots of girl time. And Greek totally gets that.

7.  The honest portrayal of Greek life. Greek proves that sororities and fraternities, just like the rest of college have their pros and cons. It portrays the problems and stereotypes that accompany Greek life openly and honestly, but it also shows just how great it can be to have a second home, and a second family.

6. The conflicting points of view. These characters don’t always get along.  That much was obvious in the first episode. They have different opinions on everything from politics to fashion sense, but Greek never belittles or bemoans any of them. Each character and each point of view gets its say.

5. The way the characters really do find themselves in college. College is a time of change, at least that’s what they tell us. And throughout the four years that this show has been on, these characters truly have changed. Rusty started the show as a nerd with no friends, and now he’s on his way to being president of a fraternity. Casey and Ashleigh went from being shallow sorority girls following in the footsteps of their Big Sis to women stepping out into the real world on their own.

4.  Their issues are our issues. This show is not a drama. There’s no life and death issues. No teen moms or married couples or murder plots. These girls worry about the things real college girls worry about. Like what to wear on a Friday night, what they want to do with the rest of their lives, and why the hottest guys are always the worst kissers! (Editor’s Note: Seriously, what’s up with that?)

3. The lack of stereotypes. Calvin is in the most prestigious fraternity on campus, is openly gay, and is the best athlete on the show. Casey Cartwright is straight A law student who loves the Sex and the City sequel as much as Katy Perry songs. Dale Kettlewell is pledging a fraternity, is a chemical engineering major, and a devout Christian. Stereotypes? What stereotypes?

2. The pop cultural references. Gilmore Girls. Glee. The Jersey Shore. An an entire skit dedicated to Grey’s Anatomy and a Justin Bieber fake out. One of the best things about this show is the way it portrays college students as real college students, who talk the way real college students talk, who watch what really college students watch. The references are relevant to us and for us.

1. The friendships. At the heart of it that’s what this show is all about. The friendships. The fun. The love that this group of characters share. It truly portrays the bond that develops among college friends, a bond that only other college friends can really understand.

You’ll have to excuse me for getting a bit sappy there. I’m a senior, what did you expect?

[Check out Jenn's other musings-in-the-form-of-a-list here.]

Granted, I doubt it’s an accurate portrayal of Greek life, but hey, it’s a start.

Or rather, it’s an end, because you see, this will be Greek’s final season. And I’m particularly sentimental about the ending of this show because just like the seniors of CRU are graduating and moving on with their lives, so am I. (Or at least I hope so.)  This show started the summer before my freshman year, and now, four years later, it’s ending, right when I’m about to graduate, so you’ll excuse me if I seem a bit too emotionally invested in these characters, but we’ve been journeying together for quite some time now.

Before we get into the details, let’s get the basics straight. This show centers around Greek life at a fictional college, Cyprus-Rhodes, focusing on one sorority, Zeta Beta Zeta, and two fraternities, Kappa-Tau, and Omega-Chi. Oh, and the two fraternities hate each other. (Most of the time.)

Ashleigh is the president of Zeta Beta Zeta, and her best friend and roommate, Casey is also a member of ZBZ. They’re seniors. Rebecca, a frenemey, is a sophomore at ZBZ. She’s dating Evan, a senior, and the president of Omega Chi. Evan used to date Casey, but not before she dated his former friend, Cappie, president of Kappa Tau and Casey’s on and off again boyfriend. This past season they’ve been decidedly on. Also a member of Kappa Tau is Casey’s little brother and Cappie’s “little brother,” Rusty. He’s a bit of a nerd, who tries to balance his Greek life with his heavy course load. His religious, anti-fraternity BFF Dale helps keep him in check, as does Calvin, Rusty’s other BFF, a member of Omega Chi.

You confused yet?

Good. Let’s get down to the details. When we last left off, CRU’s favorite Greek guys and girls were on Spring Break attempting to figure out their future, and realizing that eventually, they were all going to grow up.

Except for Cappie, that is.

The proverbial Peter Pan, Cappie isn’t ready to grow up and leave college just yet (and hey, who could blame him). But Casey is; she has plans. You see, Casey wants to go to law school, but she was hoping to get into CRU law so she and Cappie could stay together She doesn’t. She does, however, get into George Washington Law, far away from CRU, and from Cappie.  After lots and lots of agonizing, and a heart to heart with her bestie, Casey realizes that she can’t give up on her dreams to stay with Cappie. She has to go to George Washington Law.

But when she tells Cappie that she’ll be leaving after graduation and that she doesn’t want to do the long distance thing, Cappie breaks up with her right then and there. If they’re going to break up, he explains, why wait. They should just get it over with.  Casey’s heart shatters (as does mine) and Cappie walks away.

It’s sad, but don’t worry, some happy stuff happens before that.

Evan and Rebecca get back together. The two were dating earlier on in the season, but broke up just as quickly just as things were starting to get serious. Fearing that a committed relationship might actually leave her vulnerable, Rebecca reacted the only way she knew how, by sleeping with another guy. When she gets caught, the two break up, and Rebecca is forced to deal with her intimacy issues. But after Rebecca asks for his forgiveness Evan gets over his pride and the two get back together, sealing the deal with a perfect kiss.

Rebecca didn’t head to Myrtle Beach looking for a guy, but she found one anyway.  Of course, Ashleigh was looking for a guy, but instead she got something much better: a job offer. The closer Ashleigh got to graduation, the more she realized she had no idea what she wanted to do with her life. But after an inspirational speech (that would only work on TV) Ashleigh lands an internship in New York with trend forecaster Faith Flowers.

While Ashleigh is moving past college, Dale is only just embracing it, joining Calvin, Rusty, and Rusty’s new (non-sorority associated) girlfriend on Spring Break because he wants to enjoy himself and his college life. After all, he only has two years left. So Dale’s a little lost, but for once, Rusty isn’t. He’s happy with his girlfriend, his fraternity, and his place in the Honors Engineering program. Calvin too is pretty happy, despite his recent breakup with his just out of the closet fraternity brother, Grant.  And that’s because he, Rusty, and the rest of the Kappa Tau brothers aligned to ensure he is voted the next president of Omega Chi, setting us all up for interesting final season.

Still confused? Check out this super helpful cram session.

What do you think, ladies? Will Cappie and Casey get back together? Will Rebecca and Evan stay together? And what about the rest of the Greek characters? Will Omega Chi and Kappu Tau continue to duke it out or will Calvin’s new position as president lead to a truce?

We have incredibly exciting news coming straight from the CollegeCandy headquarters. This just in: CollegeCandy is  launching  a brand new column this fall for sorority girls across the country. We’re looking for the ultimate sorority girl, a Greek life die-hard willing to dish out an honest perspective on sorority life.

She needs to have strong writing skills, a sense of humor, knowledge on all things Greek (from rush etiquette to theme parties), and an overall willingness to give advice to sorority girls (and soon-to-be sorority girls) from all over America.

Does this sound like a girl in your house? Does this sound like you?

In 300 words or less, tell us why YOU’D be the ultimate sorority girl for CollegeCandy and send it to sororitygirl@collegecandy.com by August 17th. The chosen girl not only gets a weekly column on a blog with over one million readers, she also gets to bring home up to 30 pairs of Greek flip flops for her house from www.GreekForMe.com, an online store chock full of the cutest sorority apparel and gifts ever.

Sounds like a win/win to us.
So what are you waiting for?

I wish someone would have taken that bottle of cran away...

I’d consider myself a seasoned formal veteran. As such, I have acquired a bit of wisdom as far as formal do’s and dont’s. Whether you are a freshman going to formals for the first time or even a senior not affiliated in the Greek circuit, I have chosen a recent and epic failure at Greek formal-ing that will hopefully teach you from my mistakes… or at least give you a good laugh.

The Blind Date

Blind dates are quite common in the formal world. Twice now I have agreed to help out a friend of a friend who “just can’t get a date.” This would be the red flag for most girls – why on earth can’t this dude nab a date?! -  but I, blinded by naivete and the prospect of free food and drinks, always acquiesce. My second transgression was just a few weeks ago. We get to the place, which happened to be a $30 cab ride away, making my chances of leaving slim to hitchhiking. We pre-gamed in a hotel room, where my date doted on me. And by “doted,” I mean basically poured booze down my throat. I even started pouring drinks down the drain out of fear of being too drunk around strangers. (Go me!)

We get to the formal and since he planned it, he left me every 5 minutes to “take care of things.” He couldn’t get me a wristband for whatever reason but brought me a flask of vodka (red flag #2). I decided to have a little chat with him about expectations, which was me conveying my disinterest in anything but “cutesy dancing” and eating and drinking. As well as I thought that went, when we got to the dance floor it was obvious that “cutesy dancing” did not register on his radar, or that maybe he thought grinding me against a wall was cute.

He later asked me to accompany him to the hotel room, and I politely declined (and threw up in my mouth a little bit). Looking defeated, he hugged me (an attempt to lure me into his bed, I presume) and ended up giving me a nice cigarette burn in the process. Once that wound is gone, I hope to completely forget that formal, but I know that little round scar with be a lifelong reminder to never return to another formal again.

But even though I was scarred for life (literally), there is some good to come from this. Namely, the lessons I will pass onto you:

Lesson 1: Your best bet is to bring a “friend”

Unless you are hooking up with someone, bring a friend and set the terms before you go. “Wanna be my date to formal, you know, go as just friends?” Formals are like the older, slutty cousin of Prom; they can be a fantastic dance party extravaganza, or the longest, most awkward night of your life if you do not properly set the terms with your date.

Lesson 2: Though the drinks will be flowing, be classy

Some of the most fun formals will be hosted by fraternities that can get away with having an open bar and tons of minors. Not coincidentally, some of my most embarrassing moments in life have occurred at or after these events. No matter how good the song is, avoid break dancing, doing a split, or really any type of dance-off – you will be photographed…and tagged. Don’t skip the food to have more time and room to drink – it has never ended well for me or any sloptart I have seen do it.

Lesson 3: Hooking up with your date’s “brother” has consequences

I had a friendship ruined because of a guy bringing me as a potential hookup when I thought we were friends, and me blatantly “mingling” with his brother in front of his face. Oops! Thanks, ice luge. Chances are, if you end up with another brother and are hoping it remains a secret, it definitely won’t. Frat boys are just as gossipy as your average girl and even use their chapter email servers to send embarrassing or funny (or “fratty”) emails to and the all the bros. The truth will come out!

Lesson 4: Bring a Water Bottle

Those long bus or cab rides back are brutal after 6 hours of open bar heaven. Come prepared. Most bus companies charge $500 or more if someone hurls on the seats, and one wrong splash could get you blacklisted from fraternity events for.e.verrrrr.

That’s all for now – I am officially formal jaded!

Not all of them, though. Some annoying campus dwellers will be there. Always. Forever. And never go away.

Who am I talking about? Why, the  Frat House Groupie, of course!

Now, there are many girls who may seem to fall into this category that should not. These are:

1) Members of a sister sorority. It’s super common to see certain fraternities pairing up with certain sororities on campus; their bylaws/campus rules/international standards of fraternizing require that they have to make nice with the girlies and co-host events together.  Whatev.  Point is, if you’re hanging at the house one Friday night because they’re having an awesome 70s themed costume party and you see the typical group of sorority girls, those are the least of your worries.

2) Girlfriends or ex girlfriends of frat boys: These girls are expected to be there. After all, they aren’t just trolling the crowd looking for booty; this is their man’s house. Or their ex man. And they are still friends with all the boys. Read: they know people.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s move into the girls you should be wary of. There are generally two types of Frat House Groupies:

1. The Slutty One: She is the first one at the party and the last one to leave. She’ll be dancing on a table wearing the shiny, super tight tube top that she doesn’t have the body for. On top of that, she’ll be wearing jeans or pants that are usually at least one size too small so that she looks like a stumbling, slurring Muffin Top.  She also tends to wear heels that might be better suited for a scantily clad woman dancing around a pole in a dark corner of a strip club.  She makes a habit of staying up half the night playing beer pong, but doesn’t bother to cover those dark circles under her eyes in the afternoon when she finally rolls out of bed. Those are her battle scars and she wants everyone to ask about her night.  Her most annoying attribute is that she thinks she’s hot stuff and that every guy in the house would die to get with her, when in reality she couldn’t get into a photoshoot for STD awareness.

She’s hangs at the house constantly, trying to get laid, or establish her “place” there.  She thrives on the idea of being part of the inner frat circle, when she is really just a (slutty) puppy dog following the brothers around. Or passing out on one of their dirty, beer-soaked couches.

2. The Guys’ Girl: The other groupie is the exact opposite.  Her uniform includes way more conservative dress.  She won’t dress like a slut, but she won’t dress like a lady either.  She likes the t-shirt and jean approach because she feels like “one of the guys.”   She likes baseball hats with winery names on them and watching football with the guys. She thinks she is much more mature than the other girls around the house and has a much better relationship with her “boys.”  She likes to talk about being able to hold her own, whether it’s in arguments with the men or drinking them under the table (never actually seen that one happen).

This is the girl that wants to be uber important to the fraternity and all of its members and thinks herself a brother even though she lacks (among other things) a penis. The guys’ girl tells everyone that she would never date a frat boy, but secretly wants nothing more. The whole “I’m one of the guys” front is just that: a front. At her core, she wants the same thing as every other girl trolling the frat house hallways. She just doesn’t want to be seen that way.

Whichever category she falls into, the Frat House Groupie is a staple at frat parties nationwide. If you find yourself at a Golf Pros and Tennis Hoes party, or just a random Tiki Tuesday, you will run into her. Every. single. time. There is no cure for the Frat House Groupie; just avoid, avoid, avoid.

(Photo courtesy of laurelt83 on flickr)

“It’s not the size of the wave, it’s the motion of the ocean.” (Though I think the size of wave definitely helps the motion of the ocean…don’t you?)

But for those of you who are all about size, you need to start dating Europeans. Make that Frenchies…and steer clear of the Greeks (sorry, guys, we still think you’re fun to look at, what with your godliness and all).

As a part of a campaign to promote wearing the proper contraceptives to young’uns, the German-based Institute of Condom Consultancy performed a survey of weewee size and found that Frenchmen averaged a whopping 6 inches, whereas Greeks were a good inch shorter.

(Editor’s Note: For some reason I am really craving a baguette right about now…)

So not only are the French demanding les condoms grande, but they are gettin’ all the girls, have one (inch) up on the Greeks and bragging rights for quite some time. I just hope this doesn’t start some sort of war; we don’t want to have to teach our grandchildren about the Battle of the Bulge.

Regardless, for the next two years I lived and loved the open frat parties. I thought our love affair would never end…and then, this past weekend we broke up. Now, I still enjoy the small frat mixers but the crazy parties, have gotten…well, old. “Why? What could be better than living in an animal house world?” You ask.

Well, here are my top five answers.

The abundance of scantily clad freshmen. Sure, I was once a freshman myself, and being away from home and being able to wear and do whatever you want is exciting, but eventually you will regret wearing a bandana-sized piece of cloth as a top.  And I’m all for sex and I’m all for dancing but do you really need to attempt both simultaneously on the dance floor in front of everyone? It seems these open parties contain about 80% girls and about 75% of those are freshmen girls. Trust me ladies, the body shot phrase will get old, and I’m over watching it.

One word: Keystone. Really guys, Keystone Light, at every party? Keystone has got to be one of the grossest, cheapest liquids ever created. Spring for something a few notches higher. I’m not saying I expect margaritas to be blended before my eyes (although that would be amazing) but there are better beverages out there than Keystone. PLEASE switch it up! Boxed wine would be an immense step up for just as much money! Get some class, guys.

Intense heat. Two-hundred dancing drunks leads to temperatures close to two-hundred degrees…thereby creating two-hundred sweating dancing drunks. It’s simple math really. Why can’t these guys get a fan or two? Or some AC? How about just opening a window? When the place starts to smell and everyone’s make up is melting I’m ready to peace (which ironically is around the time I walk in the door).

Bathroom lines. It seems like all frats have some kind of rule about having only two working toilets. Inevitably everyone has to pee at some drunken point and when the line winds up and down stairs I’m ready to pop a squat outside (the grass is also a lot cleaner). Standing in a line for an hour to use a dirty, smelly bathroom, isn’t my idea of a hot Saturday night.

Bouncers? Seriously? Lately it seems like frats have themselves confused with hoppin’ NYC night clubs. The lists, the tickets, the bouncers at the doors…Safety is great, but something tells me that these moves are more about persona than safety. Last weekend I actually had my school ID checked at the door, by a 40 year old bouncer. You guys are definitely not cool enough to need bodyguards and bouncers. Sorry, you aren’t Johnny Depp and this isn’t worth it anymore…

[What do you think about Frat parties?  The shiz, or just sh*tty?]