- There are real pros and cons behind the residential college system.
If you’re considering applying to Rice or if you have done even brief research on the school, I’m sure you’ve heard of the residential college system. Think of it as the houses in Harry Potter. All incoming freshmen are randomly sorted into one of eleven residential colleges at Rice. Every college has some 200-300+ students, and while each one functions as a dorm, in reality the colleges are so much more than a collection of bedrooms. Of course the colleges are a place for eating, sleeping, and socializing. But they’re also a place where you can lie in a hammock for hours. Or build a bonfire for s’mores. Learn how to master that tough chemistry problem set from a tutor. Host a crawfish boil. Slide down a water tube at the fall or spring block party. Not a bad place to be, right? Just keep in mind that colleges this small and tightknit have inherent downsides. Rice students are friendly, but that friend you had a huge fight with last week? You’ll almost certainly be seeing her today at lunch. Oh, and tomorrow at dinner. Oh, and at next week’s alumni barbeque.
- Students can run their own businesses at Rice. And yes, they’re real businesses.
For all of you aspiring entrepreneurial types out there, I know what you’re thinking; “How can students run their own businesses at Rice when Rice doesn’t even offer a business major?” While it’s true that Rice does not offer a business major, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved in the business side of things from a real-world perspective. Enter Rice Student-Run Businesses (SRBs). Collectively, the SRBs are made of six small business teams, 26 student managers, and 125 student employees—including three start-up ventures. Our businesses include The Hoot (a late-night snack bar that sells everything from Papa John’s to boba tea), Coffeehouse (a favorite student hangout place with cheap, amazing drinks and desserts), the Rice Bike Shop, and of course, Willy’s Pub (perfect for Thirsty Thursdays). Still not convinced these are real businesses? Together they generate $900,000 a year in revenue. Impressive.
- Rice students know how to party.
Yes, Rice students know how to work—and they know how to get down and hit the books when it counts. When finals time inevitably rolls around each December and April, Fondren Library will be packed and you’ll be stuck fighting for study rooms just like anyone else. Rice students are known for their brains, but did you know we throw some pretty awesome parties? Each of the colleges hosts about one public party per semester, open to all undergraduates. You are, of course, encouraged to dress up for each of these themed parties. There’s Sensation (a whiteout party), Bacchanalia (what college experience would be complete without a toga party?), and our infamous Night of Decadence (let’s just say NOD made it to Playboy’s list of best college parties back in the day). These parties are always student-planned and organized. You can always look forward to some great themes (this past fall, a college hosted Y2K: Soulja Boys and Abercrombie Fitches).
- Christmas comes twice a year for Rice students: once in December and once in March.
Every March, you’ll see Rice students posting Facebook statuses with a common theme, some variation of “CAN’T WAIT FOR THE REAL CHRISTMAS!!!” What is this springtime Christmas, you ask? Beer Bike always falls around mid-to-late March. To outsiders, Beer Bike is a morning that involves a lot of kegs and a lot of bikes. For us Rice students in the know, we know that Beer Bike is steeped in Rice tradition. This chugging/bike racing event dates back to 1957 and is referred to as “the real homecoming.” Thousands of alumni return to campus every March to partake in the festivities, which include a campus-wide water balloon fight and a whole lot of pizza. Rumor has it we’ve broken some world records with the number of water balloons we’ve thrown on Beer Bike morning. If Beer Bike makes no sense to you, perhaps you’ll have to become a Rice student to understand its true magic.
- There are amazing options for off-campus dining and entertainment here in Houston.
I get it—Houston doesn’t exactly conjure up images of a fun city. Think “Houston” and you might envision of oil and gas and miserably hot weather. But take note, Houston is the fourth most populous city in the United States and is poised to become a major player on the U.S. urban stage. And our city is cool—really cool. Check out our dining scene, for example. Houston is home to 10,000 restaurants with cuisine from over 70 countries and regions. We are also one of the few U.S. cities with our own theater, ballet, symphony, and opera companies. Even better—Rice students get heavy discounts at many restaurants and similarly discounted or free tickets to the city’s entertainment offerings.
Miranda Roberts received a degree in sociology at Rice University in 2014. She considers the double Macchiato and Danish from Rice Coffeehouse the perfect way to start the day.