Villanova Squirrels Draw Attention Across Campus

Squirrels+can+be+seen+lingering+around+campus+in+a+variety+of+places.

Courtesy of Villanova Squirrels

Squirrels can be seen lingering around campus in a variety of places.

Madeline McCarthy Staff Writer

Do you love the crazy squirrels around campus? If so, you will probably enjoy the Instagram account dedicated to Villanova squirrel content. While the owner of this account wishes to remain anonymous, The Villanovan received some insight into the world of our squirrels. 

Created in 2019, the account is run by a self-described translator for the squirrels. The owner was inspired to start sharing squirrel content with the student body after receiving many videos from friends and from personal observations of squirrels doing outrageous things. 

“The squirrels on Villanova’s campus hit different, and we wanted to celebrate them,” the anonymous account owner said when asked about why the account was created.

The account is very active, as it receives about two or three submissions daily. The fanpage likes to keep followers updated with new content and daily posts. Currently, the owner is very busy and is working through 20-30 videos she has received and needs to post, some dating back to 2019. The account posts almost every video that is submitted, as long as the video “promotes the safety and integrity of Villanova squirrels.” 

We don’t want to see any squirrels getting hurt out there.

The page receives videos from all parts of campus, but the majority come from Main Campus. South Campus is also a great place to catch some crazy squirrels. However, the owner doesn’t receive many submissions from West Campus, so stay on the lookout and keep your cameras ready when you are over there. 

The account has received some crazy submissions over the past year and a half. A personal favorite of the owner’s is when a squirrel was seen climbing the ROTC rope outside of John Barry Hall. This is a reminder that squirrels also need to exercise. Another submission caught a squirrel doing a backflip. Perhaps it was training for the Squirrel Olympics. 

Squirrels get hungry like we do, and they have been seen eating out of the trash cans all over campus. One submission features a squirrel eating a whole slice of pizza. Another one, staying true to its Philadelphia roots, was seen eating an entire Philly cheesesteak. Bagels are also a staple in a Villanovan squirrel’s diet, as the squirrels are often spotted spreading cream cheese on discarded bagels. 

One might think that they can find some peace away from the squirrels inside of buildings, but unfortunately, one would be mistaken. Last year, during Special Olympics Weekend, a squirrel was spotted in the basement of Tolentine Hall. 

Honestly, I find this to be very impressive, as probably more than half the student body hasn’t even stepped foot down there. 

More recently, a squirrel was spotted in Driscoll Hall. It’s nice to see squirrels following their dreams of becoming healthcare workers. 

If they haven’t already, the squirrels will now catch more of your attention as you walk around campus. Next time you see one doing something out of the ordinary, be sure to record it and send it to @villanovasquirrels. Make sure to follow the account to see some daily squirrel content on your feed.