I’ve tried to establish myself as a columnist before writing an article with the potential of causing controversy, but I’ve waited long enough. I was sure I couldn’t get away with addressing the topic of Villanova girls when I began writing my weekly column, but I believe I’ve gained enough credibility, and the time is now right. It’s a tricky subject, to be sure.

In an article such as this, it is difficult to separate “Emmett the journalist” from “Emmett the man.” Emmett the journalist should not pull any punches in an honest and objective critique of girls at Villanova. Emmett the man, however, still wants to have a chance with these same girls, and thus has to adjust the article accordingly, perhaps shying away from using overly harsh language in describing the nuances of the female population here. With a few months still left in my college career, it seems prudent to try to please both sides. In other words, if you want to know how I really feel, e-mail me after graduation. And yes, I’m done referring to myself in the third person.

First, a little background on this article. I happened to be wearing a Villanova T-shirt at Wrigley Field last summer when a boy came up to me and told me that he was starting his freshman year in the fall. After a little small talk, he asked me, “What are the girls like?” My immediate response was, “Awesome. You won’t be disappointed.” It was a simple answer to a seemingly simple question, but I thought about it often over the rest of the summer. What are the girls really like here at ‘Nova?

We’ve all heard the stereotypes of Villanova girls. They’re white, attractive, come from wealthy families and think they deserve anything and everything they’ve gotten. The male population labels them as snobbish and, more importantly, prudes.

How have Villanova girls earned such a reputation? Let me give you an example. A drunk guy sees an attractive girl at a party. He goes up to talk to her, only to have the girl completely shut him down, as if to say, “Why would I ever to talk to you?” The guy will then go back to his friends and say something to the effect of, “God … Villanova girls are so snobbish … and prudes!”

In reality, there shouldn’t be one stereotype to cover every member of our female population. With that in mind, I stereotyped Villanova girls into several groups. The complete list will not be made public until graduation, but here is a sampling.

First, there are the girls that embody the school-wide stereotype that I mentioned earlier. They have a great figure, wear all the stylish outfits, drive expensive cars and are leaders of so-called prestigious organizations on campus. They drink – sometimes in excess but mostly just enough to get enough of a “buzz” to take pictures with their gorgeous friends.

Next are the girls who try to be a part of the aforementioned category, but for whatever reason cannot quite meet the necessary requirements. Maybe they’ve put on a few pounds since freshman year; maybe they got denied by some popular clubs or maybe they drink to excess on a regular basis. If these girls are smart, they will stop caring about the first category and learn to enjoy themselves. Once they do this, they are the best girls to be around on campus – still just as attractive as the first group without being as pretentious.

Then there are the really smart girls. The ones who earned their way here and don’t care which Greek letters are on a guy’s sweatshirt. If you can’t hold an intellectual conversation for more than five minutes, it’s best to stay away from these girls. If you can stay with them for a while, they’ll make it worth your while. These girls don’t drink too often, but when they do … watch out!

To be sure, there are plenty of other groups. From the I-hate-all-things-Villanova girls to the “party-hard” girls who can out-drink most guys, there really is someone for everyone.

For all of the negative stereotypes that are commonly heard about Villanova girls, most of the guys I interviewed had positive things to say about them.

Senior Ken Petkunas used the word “delightful” to describe Villanova girls, while sophomore Bob Quitadamo called them “classy, sophisticated and damn hot.” Bob also asked me to list his phone number in this column, though, so you should probably take his comment with a grain of salt.

Perhaps senior Chris Thomas put it best when he said, “Villanova girls are like pineapples: interesting to look at, yet callous on the outside, but sweet on the inside.”

Lost in all of my ramblings is how Villanova girls actually view themselves. Junior Christina O’Hearn brought up how much good Villanova girls really do on campus and for the community.

“When I think of Villanova girls, I think of people who are involved in everything – being presidents of organizations, leading habitat trips, we’re everywhere,” she said. “You won’t find this level of women-involvement at most schools.”

When I talk to my older brothers, all Villanova graduates, about the girls here, they usually tell me to “enjoy it while it lasts.” They tell me that the real world isn’t full of Villanova girls. For my money, that’s a damn shame.

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Emmett Fitzpatrick is a senior English major from Lake Forest, Ill. He can be reached at [email protected].