“I will rip those stupid fake highlights clean out of your skull. Anyways, see you tomorrow night sister, xoxoxo,” Ashleigh Damon wrote in a text message to sorority sister Kayleigh Smith that was leaked to the Daily Lobo.
Smith is just one of many students preparing to make the most out of their college experience, hoping to join one of the University of New Mexico’s several sorority houses. And if you really want something, you’ve got to fight for it.
During rush season at UNM, potential new members (PNM) of a sorority compete for a space in one of the houses.
Most sororities opt to have obstacle courses, scavenger hunts and pageants to vet potential new members, but one UNM sorority, Alpha Upsilon Sigma (YAS), is taking a different approach: a fight club, according to the leaked messages from YAS sisters.
Greek Life, according to Brinleigh Pitt, President of YAS, is one of the best things you can do in your college experience. It’s a great way to make new friends and meet new people. The only downside is, everyone wants a piece of the action, Pitt said.
The Daily Lobo organized an interview with Pitt who said she is above all consequences.
“It’s a pretty brutal competition, but we only want the best of the best,” Pitt said. “It’s a great way to test the girls' resourcefulness, determination and skill in hand-to-hand combat.”
YAS’s PNMs face round after round of winner-takes-all type combat until all slots are filled. They will then be granted a place of honor among warriors, a cute little sash and invites to all the good parties, Pitt said.
“Everything is on the table. No rules, just right (hooks). You can hold rolls of quarters when you throw punches, pull hair and earrings, bite, use your acrylics as claws, hit below the Free People braided pleather belt. It gets dirty, and we encourage it,” Pitt said.
Before the battle, PNMs are paired in brackets for several rounds of fighting. Later rounds are bracketed by skill level, while the earlier ones are decided by pitting girls with the same favorite cocktail against each other, Pitt said.
“Sisterhood isn’t all fun and games. But, we don’t do psychological warfare. You can’t seduce any of the other girls' boyfriends or fathers. We do blood sports here, but we’re not bullies. That’s what sets us apart from other sororities. It’s like, come on, let’s fight like girls – with the viciousness of a trapped animal and the might of a thousand dying stars,” one anonymous combatant said.
The next round of the tournament is held in an abandoned mud-volleyball court, for those hoping to see the action firsthand, Pitt said.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
“First rule of sorority fight club is don’t talk about sorority fight club,” the anonymous combatant said. She requested anonymity, as she was breaking the first rule and those girls are scary. “Second rule of fight club is to have fun and be yourself. Third rule of fight club is you can’t wear pink because I’m wearing pink. You can do blue or purple or something.”
Addison Fulton is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com
