Going Greek at Villanova

By: Sarah Wiik

Greek life was one of the things that was a “must-have” on my college checklist. I wanted a community of girls to join, but I did not want it to be everything my college experience would consist of. Villanova is the perfect mixture of the opportunity to be involved with Greek life, but still have time for other activities and hobbies around campus. Greek life makes up “approximately 32% of Villanova’s student body.” Greek life is an opportunity to get more involved on campus and to meet and incredible amount of people that you may never would have contact with prior.

If you are considering signing up for recruitment, which I highly recommend, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Know WHY you want to rush.

Before you make the real steps to signing up and going through the recruitment process, it is crucial that you have a good reason as to why you want to rush and potentially join a sorority/fraternity. There are a lot of bad reasons, but the only thing those reasons will do is make you eventually regret rushing. Joining a fraternity or sorority is a large and monetary commitment, especially in the first few semesters. Dues can be extremely expensive, which can be a large factor in deciding whether to rush. Think of your own reasons why, but three reasons that helped me in deciding to rush were sisters, alumni, and philanthropy.

Sisters: Very apparent after Bid Day is the overwhelming and immediate friendships that are formed, most of which are forever. In my freshman year, I was trying to make as many friends as possible, and joining a community of girls who have the similar personalities and values only helped in that process.

Alumni: Besides all the sisters/brothers you will make, your new connections within the Villanova community opens up many more doors to meeting people who are in other sororities/fraternities. The alumni connection that comes from being in Greek life can be helpful in finding jobs, getting interviews, and starting connections with your potential employers.

Philanthropy: Philanthropy is one of the most time consuming parts of being involved in Greek life, and passion is crucial. Greek life gives more information and opportunities about how to raise money for amazing causes, such as St. Jude, breast cancer, and sight for the blind. They also are a new means of information for things happening around campus in general. By joining a fraternity or sorority on campus, you are opening your Villanova experience to many more people and opportunities.

Keep an open mind.

During recruitment it is crucial for one to keep an open mind. There are bizarre stereotypes and rumors that surround Greek life in general, and many of them are horribly untrue. When going into rounds and considering the various groups that are available to join, make sure to truly base your opinions and thoughts on your experiences talking with the members, not just what your friends are saying about them.

Be your actual self.

Many people going through recruitment change themselves to appear to be a version of what the sorority or fraternity is looking for. Doing this will only hurt your chances of picking/being picked by the group that is perfect for you and where you will truly fit in. By being yourself, you are helping the mutual process of realizing what girls/boys are similar to you, and you can see yourself with for the next three/four years.

Stay on top of deadlines.

It is crucial to stay on top of the various deadlines that are involved in the recruitment process. By missing the mandatory events, you are making yourself ineligible to go through recruitment. Start marking your calendars and crossing off the events as you attend them! For more information about the “How-To’s” of recruitment, go to this link here.