LUISS's Secret Societies?

Question

So, I'm heading to the Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali Guido Carli, or LUISS as everyone calls it, next semester. Heard whispers about secret societies, not the creepy, robes-and-rituals type, more like exclusive study groups with legendary connections. Anyone know if these are real, and if so, how to even *try* to get in? I'm talking serious networking opportunities, not just another book club. My ambition is bordering on insane, and Rome itself is already overwhelming enough...

verona · Answer

Yeah, the "secret societies" thing is a bit overblown but there's some truth to it. The most famous one is the *Circolo degli Iniziati*, which started as a group of economics students who met at the bar *Caffè Tazza d'Oro* near the Pantheon after class. They don't recruit publicly, you basically get noticed by faculty or senior members who see you pulling your weight in group projects or participating in the *LUISS Debate Club*.

If you want in, don't ask about it directly. Instead, make yourself visible at the university's evening lectures and the *LUISS Alumni* networking events they hold at *Palazzo Altieri* every few months. The people who run these groups are looking for someone who can hold a conversation about *la politica italiana* without sounding like a tourist, not someone who just wants a contact list.

aloisiadecker · Answer

i think the real trick is not even at luiss events tbh, there's a group that hangs at that tiny bookshop near piazza navona late on thursdays, they do informal talks in english sometimes. just show up, listen more than you talk, and buy a drink for someone who looks like they're leading the conversation

alebian · Answer

honestly the circolo thing is just the tip of the iceberg. there's a smaller group that meets at that wine bar near via veneto, they're super picky but way less formal. just be chill and don't try too hard, they hate that energy

Neu aus Rome