Super Bowl Sorority Style

Sarah Schlein
Zeta Tau Alpha

The Super Bowl’s official match up was set Jan. 22 – the New York Giants versus the New England Patriots. A rematch of the 2008 Super Bowl, the game promises to be exciting and nail biting with only a three-point favorited difference between the two teams, according to The Associated Press. Eli Manning and Tom Brady will face off once again in Indianapolis on Feb. 5. After a missed field goal by the Baltimore Ravens’ kicker Billy Cundiff, and an overtime field goal for the Giants’ Lawrence Tynes, the match up is finally set. It could have so easily been a Baltimore -San Francisco game for a change. Nevertheless, at a northeastern campus, the majority of Penn students should be heavily invested in this year’s Super Bowl matchup, as both teams are housed relatively close. I, however, am not one of those people.

I am a huge football fan, watching most games every Sunday and Monday night. After competing in various fantasy football leagues over the past three years, I have come to really enjoy the game, its players and the intricacies associated with game play. Many college women share my passion as well, attempting to eliminate the sexist double-standards associated with sports fans. About two seconds after the final score was announced on that chilly January night, Facebook and Twitter blew up with responses to the game. Men and women alike shared in the joy or crushing defeat, awaiting the final game in the coming weeks.

Fellow Zetas basked in the glory of their hometown favorite’s victory. “Yeahhh Giants… Super Bowl here we come!” junior Dana Hollinger wrote. Another Zeta, who happens to be my lovely roommate, shared in the Giants excitement. “Hell yeah, GIANTS in the Super Bowl baby!” said Gomez.

Apparently, football is not as wasted on sorority girls as some may have thought. Our football themed recruitment should have been a telling sign of our love for the game. Other Zeta Tau Alpha chapters around the country have similarly themed their recruitment, using the slogan, “Drafting the Best!”

The unfortunate timing of our chapter meetings has caused a bit of commotion in the Zeta sisterhood. On Facebook, senior Erica Miranda led the movement for a Super Bowl night in lieu of hours of meetings. The subsequent questions of whether or not we would be excused for the game has led executive board members to decide on hosting a Super Bowl party instead. Hopefully, this will quell the sisters until the final score divides us.

The overwhelming desire for a sisterhood event surrounding one football game just goes to show that sororities are not always as they seem, at least in the case of Zeta Tau Alpha. I can’t speak for the other chapters on campus, but we sports fanatics will be eating wings and pizza on this fateful Sunday night, cheering on our favorite teams. A word to the wise – sorority stereotypes are easily broken. We are not the nail painting gossipers you may have thought. Sorority girls know what’s up in the world of sports, so be prepared!

Sarah is a junior studying communications. You may contact her at sschlein8@gmail.com.