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Why the Southeast is like the Upper East Side in Gossip Girl

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wisconsin chapter.

Spotted: Serena and Blair holding court on the steps of the SERF, the holy grail of the Southeast. Welcome to the new Upper East Side.

1. All Eyes Are Watching

Gossip Girl would not be the show that it is without the watchful eyes of our beloved narrator. Always keeping the viewers up to date on the happenings of each and every character, there is an incredible parallel between that and the social media presence on the Southeast side of campus. With the constant capturing of photos for Snapchat and Instagram along with the publishing of funny stories on Twitter, the true lifestyle of the Southeast is captured and broadcasted just like the lives of the characters in Gossip Girl.

2. Expectations, Expectations, Expectations

One of the things that unites the characters in Gossip Girl is the intense amount of pressure placed on them to live up to their reputations. Just like being a Waldorf or a Bass carries a lot of meaning and expectations, so does living on Southeast. Students who live on Southeast are expected to be able to manage a certain level of constant social interaction while still being able to uphold high academic standards.

Ā 3. The Lakeshore Effect

However, not all of the characters featured in Gossip Girl are avid socialites. One prime example of this is Dan Humphrey. Early on in the show he is displayed as a clever and intelligent character, the smartest in his class. These traits create a contrast between himself and the main band of characters which make him important to the development of the plot. Similarly, the lifestyle of Lakeshore creates a contrast to that of Southeast. Even though they are very different, the diverse personalities of these two groups of students are both important to the hyped up social experience of this side of campus.

4. ChadbourneĀ 

Following in the footsteps of her older brother, Jenny Humphrey is not strictly committed to the social lifestyle of the other characters in Gossip Girl. Jenny Humphrey can be considered one of the most creative characters in the series due to her inspiring fashion style and designs. The personality of the Chadbourne residence hall mirrors that of the younger Humphrey. Known for housing some impressively artistically-talented students while still being social and fun, Chadbourne mirrors Jenny Humphreyā€™s spirit in every aspect.

5. Rivals in Revelry

There is no shortage of drama in Gossip Girl, and one of the main sources of drama is the constant shifts in relationship statuses and friendships. One such example is Serena and Vanessa. While there is an underlying rivalry because they are both romantically involved with Dan, they find ways to get along throughout the series. This relationship resembles that of the residents of Witte and Sellery. While constantly feuding over which one of the twin residence halls is better; the two still manage to find ways to get along when it counts.So until next time, you know you love me.

XOXO, Gossip Girl

Catherine is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. She is pursuing majors in both Literature and Education as well as a certificate in Gender and Women's Studies. Catherine enjoys rocking out to indie music, watching Badger basketball games and cuddling with adorable cats. She is incredibly excited to be writing for Her Campus, and cannot wait to bring fun and exciting articles to readers.
Madison is a senior at the University of Wisconsin pursuing a major in English Literature with minors in Entrepreneurship and Digital Media Studies. Post college, Madison plans to complete her dreams of being the next Anna Wintour. In her free time, Madison enjoys listening to Eric Hutchinson, eating dark chocolate, and FaceTiming her puppies back home. When she isn't online shopping, or watching YouTube bloggers (ie Fleur DeForce), Madison loves exploring the vast UW Campus and all it has to offer! She is very excited to take this next step in her collegiette career as Campus Correspondent and Editor-in-Chief for HC Wisco. On Wisconsin!