Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Are You a "Mean Girl?"

Take all this pink showing up in stores everywhere with the fact that a certain movie has been on perma-re-run for the last couple weeks and I've got "Mean Girls" on the brain big time. I think I've seen "Mean Girls" three times in the last week?!

"Mean Girls" is actually one of my favorite movies. I don't know what it is about it. Sure, it's won a couple awards, but I think I just like it because it's entertaining. Anywho, watching this movie had me wondering if anyone out there has been or is a "mean girl." For me, I've been on every side of the "popularity" world. Throughout middle and high school, I was a bit of a "home school jungle freak" like early-movie-Cady. I'm not from Africa, and I've never been home-schooled, but I was definitely, completely clueless and a bit sheltered. I was by no means popular and I really didn't fit in with any of the cliques in my school. I wasn't into fashion and didn't really care about shopping (can you believe it?). I was quiet and shy and introverted. I was known as the "smart girl who ice skates." I wanted to be "popular" but I didn't know how.

When I got to college, I decided I wanted to be more extroverted, so I went through rush and joined a sorority. The sorority I joined has a pretty good rep in the south and was supposedly one of the ones that was harder to get into. I know it sounds stupid, but joining that sorority was like finally being accepted by the "popular girls" - I couldn't believe it. They were so pretty and outgoing and confident - everything I thought I wasn't. I guess I felt like if these girls liked me enough that maybe I could like myself enough. Joining the sorority helped give me more confidence and helped me realize that I wasn't such a bad person after all. Now, everyone has their own stereotype of a sorority girl, and some are probably true and a lot are probably false, but it was a fun time in my life. I'm not going to say that I was BFF with everyone in the sorority because I wasn't, but it was nice seeing people you knew almost everywhere you went. Joining a sorority was like joining a clique, except in college, you don't only talk to the people in your clique. I joined a lot of organizations, like Student Alumni Council, and I met a lot of people in college and made lots of good friends - both inside and outside of the sorority. I learned that it didn't matter so much what other people thought of you, but what you thought of yourself.

Still, sorority girls have lots of stereotypes - sorority girls are fake, mean, superficial, snobby...whatever. Was I ever a "mean girl?" Probably so. I don't think I was a complete b*tch, but, hey, who hasn't had a bad day? I'll have to think more about my potential "mean girl" moments and post them later...If I can think of any, of course.

So, what about you, dear readers? Have you ever been a "mean girl?" What did you do? Tell me your "mean girl" story.

NOTE: Photo source unknown - if you are the owner and object to its use, please email me at shopaholicd at gmail dot com. Thanks!

12 comments:

Rebecca, A Clothes Horse said...

I've never been a mean girl, though I have met another. My sister is the biggest sweet heart in the world, being two years older than I our schooling overlapped. While she didn't look out for me, she did help me resist the urge to lash out at people who were mean to me. I probably would have been a mean girl if it wasn't for her!

Chiara said...

I hate the reputation that sorority girls get. What sorority were you a sister of? I am an Alpha Phi. It bothers me so much when people assume all we do is party-- we do so much charity work and support every fundraiser on campus.
I know how you feel about the popularity thing, too. I was kind of a floater in high school, then I rushed in college and got into the number one sorority on campus. Funny the way things work.

Leeann @ Join the Gossip said...

As you and chiara said, sororities get a bad reputation. I am a Delta Zeta alum and I maintained friends in and out of various sororities while in school.

While I don't think I'm a mean girl, I do believe that everyone does mean things (without necessarily meaning to). Most girls judge others, without even thinking about it.

It isn't done to be a b*tch, but more as a reaction that we're used to. I wish I were perfect, but I'm not.

I just hope I'm more of a nice than a mean girl...although I love the movie!

k e r r y said...

I've never been a mean girl! I was picked on by the mean girls now and again for being too nice and ladylike... I hated that in high school now I like it! In my school the mean girls were NOT the popular ones though so it didn't bother me that they didn't care for me!

constant drama said...

I went to an all girls school, not just any all girls school but a Convent no less. And answering your question, yes I was a mean girl.

That's the only way to survive. When you go to an all girls school, the head games they play, the name calling, the emotional bully is rampant and the only way to protect yourself is to be equally mean or worst. I'm no longer mean, I no longer found the reason to be mean anymore after I left the Convent.

I'm not proud of what I did, or the girls I bullied but it was the only way I know how to protect myself. Still doesnt make it right though.

FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com said...

I was like you - smart/geeky/musical in high school, but in my last year I gave up caring (so much) what people thought, and really came out of my shell and became extroverted which translated well into university

Lauren said...

i love that movie to death! also, i think its so ironic that the "mean girls" @ my school love that movie too! but then again i havent met a girl who hasnt loved that movie.
im on the fence of rushng next year or not, soley because of the reputation soroitys have and the people who are in the them. i just dont want to be around a bunch of blonde, preppy, bitchy type, u kno and feel like im repeating high school all over again. but your post has sort of changed my outlook on it - thanks :)

Kate said...

I've never been a mean girl but I've known plenty (I went to an all girls high school).

Such a good movie. The scenes toward the end, when they are talking to all the junior girls, remind me so much of our retreats (all of those "bonding" activities)

Anonymous said...

If you were a mean girl, it was definitely before I met you.

It always amuses me when I meet people who think sorority girls are the "mean girls".

I definitely had bitch moments before I joined a sorority. And I've had plenty since. :)

-Christine

Shopaholic D said...

Chiara - I'm an ADPi :)

lol Christine - we'll always have our "mirror incident"

:) D

Anonymous said...

ADPi's are never mean girls. We just can't help it if we're the first AND the finest. ;)

Haha. I'm just a random fashion blog addict and saw you were an ADPi, as am I. But to follow up to your blog, being a mean girl is NEVER in style. Way to address a cool subject matter though! Pi love.

kokostiletto said...

Oh wow what a post!Thank you! It think your post is something that all girls go throught, at one time of their life or another. I also all girls have been a "mean girl" at one time - I know I have, and I still probably am in some ways...