‘Tis the season that the innocent pledges of the University of Connecticut trade their backwards hats for suits. As they embark on the extraordinary highs and painful lows of Greek life, I’ll be rewatching one of my favorite shows from my bed. If you’re new to the Glee lore, the premise of the show surrounds a group of misfits that come together to form the Glee Club “New Directions” at the fictional McKinley High School. Despite their respective cliques, the characters learn to express their feelings solely through randomly breaking into song and questionable off-hand comments. I am a firm believer that if this cast came to UConn, they would take over Greek Life. So without further ado, here are which UConn frats I think the guys of Glee would accept a bid to.
Finn Hudson: AKL (Alpha Kappa Lambda)
Similar to Finn, the AKL brothers are always down for a good time while valuing their leadership!
Let’s start with Mr. Finny Bear Hudson, also known as our early era king. He mastered the art of balancing song and sport alike, not to mention the juggling of the leading ladies he could never seem to decide between. Sound familiar? You will always see these brothers in front of whatever weekend shenanigans are going on. Of course we have Finn Hudson to thank for the iconic Glee rendition of “Don’t Stop Believin'” that started the show off strong, not too different from the AKL fall darties that remind us what it’s like to have some back to school fun!
Noah Puckerman: Tke (Tau Kappa Epislon)
Nobody is better at trying to be the bad boy than Noah “Puck” Puckerman… except maybe the brothers of TKE.
Something is to be said about his love-hate relationships within New Directions, and you can never get a good read on what he thinks about the people he comes across. Similarly to Puck, the brothers of TKE love a crazy night and whoever is on the DJ stand knows how to pick a good song everyone will enjoy. Something also has to be said for Puck’s rendition of “Empire State of Mind” that could easily pass in a frat basement.
Jesse St. James: ADP (Alpha delta phi)
You’re lying if you don’t think Jesse isn’t the true hunk of the show (sorry Finn). With a voice that could bring ease to angels, we have a bad boy disguised by his good boy nature.
With one fell swoop, Jesse St. James became the “It Guy” of New Directions for his charisma and confidence. His ability to articulate a harmony with anybody can similarly be recognized with the easy going and adaptable nature of the ADP boys. Jesse would also eat up those designated suit requirements… happy pledge season!
Blaine Anderson: ASig (alpha sigma phi)
Let’s be honest, Blaine is arguably the most lovable character, known for his bright smile, sharp bow ties, and flawless solos.
This equally reigns true for the boys of ASig, who will make you feel welcome to their functions. Blaine’s irreplaceable positive energy easily carries the middle seasons that are otherwise lacking in nostalgia — nothing beats the OG cast. Just like every experience I’ve had at an ASig function, I can only associate peace, love and happiness to Blaine’s performances. It’s okay brothers, we all get a little emotional during his rendition of “Cough Syrup.”
Mike chang: Sig Chi (sigma chi)
If I may speak for the Gleek audience, Mike Chang was unfortunately swept to the back of many performances (meaning I forgot he was there 80% of the time).
Whenever we did get a Mike solo, we held it near and dear to our hearts. Fitting to Sig Chi, I just wish I got to see him in the spotlight more often. When Mike shines on the dance floor, he shines bright… just as long as he shows up for us the way we will always show up for him! The Sig Chi guys could take a couple dance lessons from Mike, and maybe in return the brothers could show him a good time.
Sam Evams: sig ep (sigma phi epsilon)
If you’ve never experienced Sig Ep, Sam and his impressions make for a good resemblance to the rest of the brothers.
Sam is the all-time silly and goofy member of New Directions that you can always count on to make you chuckle. He’s very determined to take his commitments seriously, and just like the brothers at Sig Ep, he wants to stand out for his quirkiness. Sam would go to the rush events with this one frat in mind because he would feel safer in a business-based environment with no tolerance for stereotypical initiations.
Will schuester: Beta (Beta theta pi)
Back when Mr. Schue was in his prime, he definitely threw down at the Beta house.
Just because he’s a teacher, it doesn’t mean he can’t be besties with his students… right? The Beta brothers are best friends to all (even if you just met them). Like Mr. Schue, the brothers love to help the ones they love the most — each other. The pledges are important to what keeps Beta growing, just as New Directions is what kept Mr. Schue to find little bits of joy in his life.
Sebastian smythe: phi delt (phi delta theta)
Here we have the chosen bad boy that will always stand with his boys at Dalton Academy.
Don’t get distracted by Smythe’s pretty face, because the second he opens his mouth, he’s probably going to insult you. Exactly like the brothers of Phi Delt, he’s very charming from afar, but if you don’t want your feelings hurt, don’t get too close — he WILL tell you if he doesn’t like you. As Sebastian Smythe once said: “being nice sucks”.
kurt hummel: sammy (sigma alpha mu)
I don’t think anyone could have prepared me to watch Kurt and his dedication to his performance. Similarly, Sammy has some of the most dedication to their themes that will send you into another dimension when you make your way to their basement.
Kurt would likely accept his bid with a cover of “Bring Him Home” and naturally, the brothers would respond in standing ovation form because nothing screams Sammy more than commitment to a bit. Kurt fights to be New Directions’ HBIC out of his value for the center of attention. However, the brothers of Sammy find more important values in morality and good-natured fun!
Conclusion
With that, I will leave you to your own bubbling thoughts as the nostalgia inside of you makes you start season one for the fifth time. Now that you’re hanging out with your pledge bros and mentally comparing them to the studs of Glee, remind them it’s never too late to become a member of Gleek life!