<p>I recently went to Rice for Owl Days. I learned a lot about the university and the residential college system, as well as attended classes and went to information sessions on specific topics. While everything I learned about Rice academically is a match for me, my concern is whether or not Rice is a social, fun place. I didn't meet a lot of people who seemed excited about anything other than academics. And while I think on-campus activities like a cappella concerts are fun (the Phils were great!), I'm wondering what else people do for fun and how accessible these "fun people" are. Not to be offensive, but my host was kind of boring/antisocial and I'm worried if I will be able to have a lot of fun at Rice.</p>
<p>For current Rice students or those who know more than I do:</p>
<p>Do people ever go off campus? How often do you go to parties? Do people go out to eat often? Etc...</p>
<p>Ok well…that’s not much help - what did you do in Lovett College? I was in Jones. It was fine but I am wondering what students do on a regular basis. From what I saw it just seemed like parties and super social people were more of a minoirty than an easily accessible majority.</p>
<p>The real problem here is that Owl Days was scheduled to start on a Wednesday two weeks before finals start. While there are plenty of fun-loving people here at Rice, most students limit their partying and whatnot to the weekends, particularly as we close in toward the end of the semester. Let me assure you that there’s plenty of stuff going on, but you guys didn’t visit at an optimal time to witness it.</p>
<p>Most colleges will have parties going on on Friday/Saturday nights… the best ones in my experience have been Sid, Lovett, and Will Rice. When it comes to parties Jones sucks balls, so does Brown.
Rice is a VERY social place. It’s not that social 2 weeks before finals and on a Wednesday night. The timing for Owl Days was TERRIBLE this year… </p>
<p>But trust me, people have a LOT of fun at Rice, and the Phils are great bla bla bla but the real fun is in the parties.</p>
<p>Check out the “100 reasons to go to Rice” sticky thread at the top of the page. My kids probably had too much fun at Rice, when they weren’t/aren’t studying hard. Both kids played lots of pickup sports and well as club sports (which are very inclusive - even if your level of play is not high), went to lots and lots of parties and the many college-produced shows (meaning the individual residential colleges produced them), as well as the university produced ones, music, coffee house, hanging out with friends, the free/low-cost “Passport to Houston” shows, lightrail into museum district, partying (all the many themed parties), Willy week and Beer bike (with the hugest water balloon fight ever), the Baker 13 (if running around with shaving cream only on is your idea of fun,), going into Rice Village, Night of Decadence party, lectures, dinners, watching sports - there is always fun stuff happening on campus - way too much stuff to do it all and do all the schoolwork. The timing of Owl Days was designed to highlight the academics, since “Owl Weekend” ended up being TOO much fun and turning off some of the scholarly types. (Although those things aren’t mutually exclusive.) Rest assured that Rice is known for work hard, play hard. I’m sure some of the current students will chime in if they have time; finals are looming! ;)</p>
<p>i couldn’t go but my friend did he said that there were plenty of prospies getting ****ed up haha with beer, spiked orange juice, vodka, champagne, wine, etc. lol</p>
<p>People definitely have fun. I often forget about the whole “school” part of college on the weekends… sometimes that’s not so ideal, but it definitely means I’m having a good time.</p>
<p>One of the prospies in my group got wasted on beer and “Everclear punch,” and this was before the Lovett party. xD</p>
<p>Our student host also helped introduce him to one of the resident pot dealers and noted that one of the college parties in the past made it onto one of Playboy’s top 10 college parties list.</p>
<p>So, to answer OP’s question, having fun is probably the LAST thing you need to worry about.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>People do go off campus. To get late night food, hang out in the village or go to museums etc. There are many theatres near by and Rice students frequent them</p></li>
<li><p>The cafeterias are closed on Saturday night. Almost everyone goes off campus. My friends and I try a new restaurant almost every week. Sushi, Pizza, Sandwiches, Italian, Indian, Turkish, Greek etc.</p></li>
<li><p>parties - There is one decent party per weekend at the minimum (some weekends do not when no one is here for break or its crunch time). A lot of people go to these parties. There are public parties almost every weekend in the semester as well which offer more space to dance etc.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Owl Days was just at a bad time. I think you will enjoy Rice</p>
<p>You can go clubbing off campus, some people are into that, but you’re gpa will suffer.</p>
<p>You can join an ethnic club and eat lots of discounted food on weekends or study breaks.</p>
<p>I always find it strange when people wonder if it is hard to find the party crowd. The people who are into that culture can easily find it. Rice is large enough where you can find anyone who does anything.</p>
<p>You can think activities look for you, you must look for them. But there are lots of different ones. And it isn’t just parties, there is shows, plays, speeches, etc. DO IT ALL.</p>