REVENGE OF THE OL’S!

Gilbert (left) and Louis (right) hugged by the Pi Deltas
 and conquering the Alpha Betas

We all know that when one starts out their college adventure there are many struggles and experiences you could faced with, and this is no different for the characters of Gilbert Skolnick and Louis Lowell in Revenge of the Nerds.

Gilbert and Louis are two incoming first years at Atom’s University where they’re hoping for the adventure of a life time. Straight out of the first scene Gilbert is found hiding under the covers of his bed. It's the day that he and his best friend Louis will be moving into Adams University, and he's more than nervous. He tries to hide his nervousness from his mother saying:

"I'm just worried about you. I don't want to leave you alone."

Analyzing this scene from the Orientation Leader's Point of View, this nervousness is something we have to keep in mind when meeting students. Attending Rutgers will be the first time they really get to experience being on their own, in a sense. No matter how tough, or relieved to be from home, or excited they may seem it's a scary situation for everyone, in one way or another. As OL's we can be a source of support for them, and even gain their trust and cooperation in orientation activities. Our goal wouldn't be to "baby" them, or "walk them through their orientation", but to empower them that they are growing as individuals, and that their experience in orientation and at Rutgers can be whatever they imagine it to be. 

Revenge of the Nerds is a a heart-warming, and hilarious story of these two, and I quote-on-quote "nerds", and their encounters with the trials and tribulations that come with being new college students. There are horrible math puns, weird "nerd" laughing, and cute jokes such as ARV (average restroom visits) all throughout the movie. It really embeds some of the experiences we can expect our future Rutgers students to encounter. 

Such as, peer pressure and wanting to fit in on campus. In Revenge of the Nerds, fraternity and sorority life is a big deal, and when Gilbert and Louis try to rush they are ridiculed and humiliated many times over by the university's hot-shots: Alpha Beta Alpha (the jocks) and Pi Delta Pi (the cheerleaders).

Pi Deltas 

 As Orientation Leaders it is also part of our job to make sure that every student feels equality, security, and welcome to Rutgers University. The college experience for students who are bullied, humiliated, and teased can really be turned around for the worse if such issues aren't handled immediately. We all know what it feels like to want to fit in, and maybe just maybe if Gilbert and Louis had someone like and OL, then maybe they too could have become empowered to fight against such bullies much sooner. 

Another theme I find very important in this movie, is the theme of diversity. One that we can easily relate to Rutgers. Gilbert and Louis eventually decide to form their own fraternity (Lamba Lamba Lamba or Tri-Lamba) with other students that have been labeled as "school rejects"by the Alpha Betas and the Pi Deltas. What's great about the Tri-Lamba's is how diverse and talented this group is. Aside from Louis and Gilbert being computer geniuses there's:

Arnold Poindexter: the clean-o-phobe violinist

Harold Wormser: tween-age boy aerodynamics genius

Toshiro Takeshi: the kind and some-what naive Japanese international student 

Lamar Latrell: athletics, gay, and stylish 

Dudley "Booger" Dawson: the bad-boy rock star

Through these boys, I was reminded how diverse Rutgers is, and as cliche as it sounds, to "Not judge a book by it's cover". As Orientation Leaders we need to remember this, and help others remember everyone has something to contribute, and everyone has a talent may not have been expected. The discovery of these secret talents is what can bring us together. It most certainly did for the Tri-Lamba boys, and because of this togetherness they were able to win the Atoms University Homecoming Olympics and elect Gilbert as Greek Life Council President, which ended the evil tyranny of the Alpha Beta's and Pi Delta's. It's easy to look at a person and fit them into some sort of stereotype that society has portrayed for us. However, student leaders look beyond those stereotypes and find the special things that lie inside each of us, just like Gilbert and Louis did. 

So in the end Gilbert and Louis get the girls of their dreams, become brothers in a fraternity, use their skills and talents to become the Homecoming Olympic champions, win the respect of their peers, and achieve the ultimate college experience we all dream of. 

At the end Louis and Gilbert says:

"They trashed our house! (in reference to the Alpha Beta's.) Why?! Cuz we're smart? Cuz we look different? Well we're not. I'm a nerd and I'm pretty proud of it!" And then their peers and alumni surround them as they all cheer, "nerds. Nerds. Nerds! NERDS! NEEEERDS!" into the air. 

  

  
It's this lesson of self-acceptability that we as OL's could hope to help another student achieve.