Greek life plays a large role in the social scenes of universities across the country. Villanova is no exception to this phenomenon: around 30% of students at Villanova are members of a fraternity or sorority. Some would say Greek life doesn’t play a huge part in the student experience at Villanova, but personally, I think it influences large portions of the social life.

While I am not a part of Greek life myself, most of my friends are involved in a fraternity or sorority to some degree. Thus, I can see both sides of Greek life, and can give some insight into it for one deciding whether or not to begin the recruitment process.

At Villanova, the impacts of fraternity and sorority life are quite different for men and women. Whereas women can go to almost any frat party, men must strictly be in the fraternity in order to attend the respective parties.

Thus, there are fewer options for social gatherings or events for men who are not a part of Greek life than there are for women. In discussing this topic with students, many expressed their frustration with this social norm.

My own experience with the rushing process also wasn’t ideal-it was on Zoom since I was a freshman during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the online modality of recruitment, I found that it was difficult to show my true self. It was almost as if this remote barrier made me nervous, making it difficult to actually connect with anyone.

While this was true for me, many of my friends had great experiences with online recruitment, so it differs for everyone. Thus, it is important to go into the process with an open mind and to remember that the outcome should not affect your sense of self.

On the one hand, Greek life offers the opportunity to go to fun social events like formals and cocktail parties. Furthermore, sororities host specific service events to support each of their philanthropies, allowing people to support causes that are truly important to them. Therefore, sororities create great opportunities to meet new people and attend exciting events. It’s all about finding those genuine connections.

On the other hand, not everything in Greek life is exactly as it appears to be. Though it may seem like everyone is close friends and goes out a lot, this is not the case for all sororities. Those who join Greek life will be exposed to many different types of people and activities. They may vibe more with some than others.

To get a comprehensive perspective on Greek life at Villanova, Kappa Kappa Gamma members Talia Calabrese and Jacqueline DiDomenico, shared their experiences.

“So far, I’ve loved my experience being a part of a sorority,” DiDomenico said. “I was worried I wouldn’t get along with girls in my sorority and second guess that I made a wrong choice. Happily, I was wrong, and I overall feel so much more connected to the people on campus and Villanova as a whole.”

Calabrese has also had a positive experience in Greek life.

“[It has] been so rewarding because it has introduced me to so many new people that I wouldn’t have met otherwise,” she said. “I highly recommend it as an addition to your social life to help you meet new people and get more involved on campus.”

College is all about making connections. If someone can find people they like in a sorority, then it will undoubtedly be a valuable experience. But those who don’t want to participate in Greek life should not feel like they have to.

Students should figure out what interests them and go from there. No matter where it is, they will likely find genuine people who share their interests, energy and values.