life at rice with/without alcohol

Colleges and Universities A-Z Rice University
1

<p>How long does the freshman idiocy about alcohol last?<br>
Is the consumption/over consumption of alcohol more than a Friday/Saturday night thing?
Are all campus wide social events centered around alcohol?
Are the bathrooms disgusting after a night of alcohol? Hallways?</p>

<p>How much is alcohol a part of the Rice culture? Is alcohol why Rice has the happiest students? :-)</p>

<p>For those who do not partake and not interested in being around those who are inebriated, are housing arrangements made to somewhat "isolate" the non-drinkers from the drinkers (if indicated that it's a big deal)?
I understand that alcohol is readily available AND offered.. is it socially difficult to not participate?</p>

<p>Any other information would be appreciated.. I know there is something I'm overlooking at the moment.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>“How long does the freshman idiocy about alcohol last?”</p>

<p>That really depends on the person. Some people never have any issues or get over them quickly, and some, well, never do. Honestly I think this question is kind of hard to peg, but probably things get better after the first semester.</p>

<p>“Is the consumption/over consumption of alcohol more than a Friday/Saturday night thing?”</p>

<p>For the most part, no. Of course, there are going to be some people who will hit Pub on Tuesdays or other nights, but most people do leave their drinking for the weekends.</p>

<p>“Are all campus wide social events centered around alcohol?”</p>

<p>Most of the large college-sponsored parties will have alcohol present, but plenty of people attend and have fun without drinking.</p>

<p>“Are the bathrooms disgusting after a night of alcohol? Hallways?”</p>

<p>If they are in the direct vicinity of a large party, they may be in pretty bad shape, but I don’t see this as a particular concern if you don’t live with roommates who throw lots of parties (or on a party floor if you’re in a communal bathrooms setup).</p>

<p>“How much is alcohol a part of the Rice culture? Is alcohol why Rice has the happiest students?”</p>

<p>Obviously alcohol is a part of the campus culture, with events like Beer Bike and our two on-campus pubs, but I think the happiness of the students stems from something else. Most people would probably cite the residential college system, and perhaps the closeness to professors that Rice easily enables you to have.</p>

<p>“For those who do not partake and not interested in being around those who are inebriated, are housing arrangements made to somewhat “isolate” the non-drinkers from the drinkers (if indicated that it’s a big deal)?”</p>

<p>The O-Week coordinators are in charge of freshman rooming, and they do their best to accomodate all students. They will do their best not to put students who are not interested in partying in a room or area with students who are likely to get a bit more crazy. I assure you that the coordinators take this very seriously.</p>

<p>“I understand that alcohol is readily available AND offered… is it socially difficult to not participate?”</p>

<p>From what other people have told me, not really. Drinkers and non-drinkers alike can find their place at Rice.</p>

3

<p>I just returned from Owl Days, and here’s the impression I got from my host. </p>

<p>My host, whose father was a pastor, had to see people his dad counseled. every weekend, he saw firsthand the horrible effects of alcohol: killing people, tearing apart families, causing domestic abuse, etc. As a result, he’s been super put off from ever drinking.</p>

<p>While telling me this, he said he was actually happy that Rice is a wet campus, as it allows kids to have access to alcohol on campus, rather than having to drive to pubs, which would open up a host of other problems such as drunk driving, being drunk outside the safety of campus, etc. He said that at rice everyone respects everyone’s decisions, and that often the people who aren’t drunk are on “karma patrol,” handing out bagels and cups of water, to help keep drunk people from getting completely bombed. The entire thing seemed very cooperative. As a guy who was super averse to drinking, he recognized and appreciated the safety benefits of having a wet campus. To me, this is the epitome of respect for others’ choices, albeit coming from a non-drinker. Still, I feel the environment is one where both drinkers and non-drinkers have their niches, and there is no pressure to drink. For what it’s worth, one of my classmates threw up his breakfast and lunch today, while alcohol didn’t pass my lips at all. We are just prospies of course, but it seemed like a very easygoing environment.</p>

4

<p>I’m just going to answer the questions that I would answer somewhat differently from what has already been said.</p>

<p>“Is the consumption/over consumption of alcohol more than a Friday/Saturday night thing?”</p>

<p>I would argue that for a majority of drinkers, it’s a Friday/Saturday with the occasional Thursday pub appearance thing. There are naturally some that drink more often (I know a few people who drink every day, and a few who like their “Sunday Fundays”). There are also a lot of people who don’t drink at all or who only drink one night a week.</p>

<p>“Are all campus wide social events centered around alcohol?”</p>

<p>Being a wet campus, alcohol is present at a lot of social events, but I wouldn’t say they are centered around alcohol at all. Phils, SpoCo, and other student group performances and gatherings don’t have anything to do with alcohol–it’s mostly just the private and public parties (a relatively small aspect of the social life at Rice when you look at the whole picture) that have alcohol, and even then a lot of people go to those parties and have a ton of fun without taking a sip.
Are the bathrooms disgusting after a night of alcohol? Hallways?</p>

<p>“How much is alcohol a part of the Rice culture? Is alcohol why Rice has the happiest students? :-)”</p>

<p>Alcohol is naturally a fairly large part of Rice culture, but that doesn’t mean that you have to drink to be a part of Rice culture. If you don’t drink, you may find yourself around alcohol a lot, but you can also avoid it easily and still have a great social life if you don’t even want to be near it. Rice has the happiest students for a wealth of reasons, and although the freedom and respect that we are given with regards to Rice’s alcohol policy is probably a factor for a lot of students, it remains a very insignificant one, as the residential college system, the community, the campus, the food, and so many other factors play a much larger role.</p>

<p>“I understand that alcohol is readily available AND offered… is it socially difficult to not participate?”</p>

<p>It’s very easy to withhold. Go to a party, and you will be offered alcohol unless there is a keg or something, in which case you will simply be told where it is if you want it. If you say no, then that’s that. They might offer you something non-alcoholic to drink. No matter what they’ll be cool with your choice and will accept you in the party no differently. It’s really a great atmosphere because both drinkers and non-drinkers can integrate without any real peer pressure.</p>

<p>If you don’t even want to be around it, there are still plenty of social options available and you’ll definitely find a good friend group too. So it goes for both types of non-drinkers.</p>

5

<p>As the mom of one of the non drinking freshman at Rice, I have to say that my son has told me it is a non issue. His roommate doesn’t drink either. He did state on his roommate questionaire that he didn’t want to be with someone who partied with alcohol all the time. He does have friends who drink a little but the majority of his group doesn’t drink at all. He said he has felt no pressure whatsoever from his peers to drink. He is very social and is always participating in all different activities.</p>

6

<p>Here’s the key: If you don’t want to participate, state so on your roommate/information forms! Where you live does make a huge difference and the colleges ar excellent about putting you in a place that will fit you best.</p>

<p>The situation is similar at every college, but I’ll just talk about my home at Sid Rich.
We have 7 floors, and each floor has it’s own personality. 7th is historically the party floor. Music blares over the weekend and the lobby is full of drinking and partying. You can choose to go up if you want, even if just to dance/hang out without drinking, or you can abstain. Lower floors at Sid are much calmer! I live on a RA floor (5th), and while I do like to go out on the weekends I also enjoy spending nights in with my floor. One suite on 5th hosts movie nights all the time, no drinking involved. Other people I know that don’t drink go hang out and have fun.</p>

<p>I think the key to having a good time at Rice is really to not judge people for their choices. I think the best quality of our parties is that there is no pressure to drink, no pressure not to drink. People are not preoccupied with what you are doing, so if you go out with the mindset that you just want to enjoy yourself, you will!</p>

7

<p>I really appreciate all the replies. I find the lack of peer pressure to be interesting. It sounds like drinking is more just good 'ole southern hospitality. </p>

<p>It helps to be reassured that there will be a “safe” place for my S who doesn’t want to deal with the rowdiness and mess.</p>

<p>Thanks again!</p>

8

<p>Review of campus housing at another site?</p>

<p>Campus Housing at Rice University
Outdated Residential College System</p>

<p>Everyone is placed randomly (supposedly) into one of the 11 residential colleges (basically dorms) on campus upon matriculation. You are not allowed to transfer colleges except under extreme circumstances. Generally people find their friend groups quickly freshman year, due to fear of being alone, and they stick with these groups for the next 4 years. Social interactions are repetitive and require a lot of fakeness to deal with the same people every day. Most colleges kick you off campus for 1 out of your 4 years at Rice, and off campus living is horrendously inconvenient if you do not own a car, and Rice does not help you with living OC. So even though on-campus is more expensive (due to overpriced mandatory meal plan), most people prefer it to off. </p>

<p>Quality of dorms depends. The two new colleges, Duncan and McMurtry, were built in the last 5 years and are extremely nice. Martel and Wiess also have nice facilities, with common rooms for each suite of about 4 people, and many opportunities for singles. Other colleges, such as Hanszen, Will Rice and Lovett, have terrible facilities in comparison and mean that you must live in a cramped space with 3 other people throughout your time at Rice.</p>

9

<p>S/he is correct about most most students being OC for at least a year, but there’s a lot of inaccuracies in their post about a lot of other aspects about Rice, in my opinion. </p>

<p>The placing of students into colleges is mostly random, but it’s done in a way such that the makeup of every college reflects the demographics of the university as a whole. This way, no one college has a disproportionate amount of the athletes, or the music majors, or the international students, or any other group within Rice. </p>

<p>I think their mention of “fear of being alone” is off base as well. People make friends during their Freshman year because of the bonding nature of O-Week and because people just like making friends. It’s not some scramble to fit in with people to avoid being isolated or something. As far as social interactions being repetitive, that’s entirely dependent on what social life one chooses to have at Rice. Yes, you live at your residential college, and as such, you’ll see the people within your college on a daily basis, but it’s only repetitive if you choose not to meet new people both within your college and, equally as important, people outside colleges of your own. Clubs, sports, and other activities at Rice are great ways to accomplish this, by the way. The residential colleges are “small” enough that each one can cultivate a community and family feel, but they’re large enough that you will always have options with regard to what group of friends you’d like to hang out with. As for the “fakeness”, that’s an entirely personal opinion, and definitely not in line with what I’m familiar with at Rice. I have never felt like I have to “deal” with the people I live with- I’m thankful that I’m able to enjoy spending time with them and have fun together. </p>

<p>Not having lived OC yet, I can’t speak to its inconvenience (or lack thereof), but those who I know that live OC haven’t described it as such. As a matter of fact, there are those who actually like living OC. The author is correct in stating that meals are generally cheaper OC as opposed to the on-campus meal plan. (I personally like the serveries here at Rice, though. If the amount of food I’ve been eating is any indicator, I’ve probably enjoyed them a tad too much, haha.) </p>

<p>The dorm quality does vary from college to college, admittedly. The four colleges mentioned by the author as having nice facilities do have really nice setups (especially Martel, just saying), but that doesn’t mean that the others are abysmal by any means. Baker (the oldest college) got a new wing, and from what I’ve seen, those rooms are just as nice as any other. I stayed at Jones for Owl Days, and their rooms were absolutely fine as well. Having spent the night at both Hanszen and Lovett, I can attest to the fact that while their room spaces might be a bit smaller than those at the newer colleges, they’re a far cry from having a quality for which the word “terrible” would be appropriate. I’m not trying to say that the living conditions at all the colleges are equal, because they’re not, but the people I know living at colleges with “worse” room setups love their college just as much as those with better accommodations. </p>

<p>Please note that I’m not saying the author’s completely wrong about everything, because they’re entitled to their own opinion, but do I think it’s important to note that their post is an opinion, as is mine. I suggest looking at the other 2+ pages of positive reviews on that site for some other students’ perspectives on housing (or here on CC)- I’d opine that this student’s review isn’t representative of the experiences of the vast majority of people here at Rice. I hope that helps.</p>

10

<p>Is the author a Rice student/alum? Because he/she seems to be making a lot of statements as if they are true for everyone, when they definitely are not. For instance, my friend group has been changing constantly in my year and a few weeks here. I have a core group of 5-15 friends from Hanszen, but outside of that I have been hanging out with tons of different groups of people throughout my last year here, ranging from Lovett to Will Rice to Sid to Duncan. I disagree wholeheartedly that social interactions are fake and repetitive, unless you make it that way. You are not as socially constrained by an environment (no matter what environment it is) as you may think, unless you let yourself be.</p>

<p>I agree that off-campus living is a bit of an issue. There are a plethora of housing options within a 5-10 minute walk of campus, but Rice could definitely improve. I think part of why it’s bad is because everyone wants to live on campus though. If we were at a university like my sister’s, where most students live OC every year after freshman year, then the demand for more help with OC living would be higher, and the administration would probably help out. I do envy UVa’s program though.</p>

<p>The meal plan may seem pricey, but it’s most definitely not when you compare it to other top universities. We’re actually on the cheaper end by over a thousand dollars, and I still think our food’s better. I understand some people’s gripes with there only being two meal plan options (OC and on-campus), but I like it that way personally. It’s much simpler and more streamlined; you don’t have to worry about how many meals you’ll be eating in the semester/year before you pay, and then following that general schedule.</p>

<p>Quality of dorm definitely depends, but honestly all of our dorms are more spacious and nicer than the average college dorm anywhere else. In my experience, Jones, Brown, Lovett, and Hanszen’s new section (Hanszen’s old section is fantastic, though; I don’t like the rep we have for bad facilities cause they are actually really nice overall) have been the worst, but even then I could easily imagine myself living in those places, and I’m a pretty clean person. Besides, Hanszen’s new section is going to be rebuilt pretty soon anyway (in the next 5-10 years I think). And Hanszenites actually have a say in the issue too, which is really cool.</p>

<p>I’m especially irked at the “cramped space with three other people throughout your time at Rice” comment. As I said, I’m in Hanszen, one of the colleges the author targets with this comment. I am currently staying in a two-room quad, and we have so much space we don’t know what to do with it all. Last year I was in a double and I also had a ton of space. I don’t think I’ve seen a dorm room yet that you could call “cramped.” Furthermore, the author isn’t very knowledgeable if he/she is going to say that you have to live with three other people. Just as Hanszen, we have a handful of singles, some two-room quads, a couple triples, a handful of three-man suites, two five-man suites, and a number of four-man suites. That, my friend, is variety. Some colleges have less variety, like Sid which is almost exclusively four-man suites. In fact, I know at Jones there are sometimes freshmen who are in singles. So saying that you’ll be living with three others is also completely untrue. Your opportunities may be somewhat limited depending on what college you are in, but as I said earlier I don’t think that’s a huge issue because pretty much every college has great facilities. The only time you can call them really “bad” is when you are comparing them to each other. And I would gladly trade the nicest facilities for the community, culture, and traditions that my college provides.</p>

<p>While some of the author’s comments hold truth (or at least partial truth and cause for concern), I find that he/she is overly critical and somewhat unfounded in what they say. His/her experiences are not necessarily everyone else’s.</p>

11

<p>is there a large presence of other drugs at parties/around campus?</p>

12

<p>I would say aside from alcohol, marijuana is the most present drug. If I had to estimate, I would say maybe 10-15% of Rice students partake in the use of marijuana. Cigarettes are also used by about the same amount of students, although it seems to me that it’s much less noticeable. Other drugs are definitely easy to avoid if you want to, and they are not a large part of social life at all. But they are certainly (inevitably) present.</p>

13

<p>However I recently saw that Rice has adopted a new “no tobacco” policy… which limits its’ use to 25 areas.</p>

14

<p>I’m going to keep my response short, because I feel most of the stuff has been answered sufficiently. (: I personally don’t drink and I have not felt pressured at all in these first three weeks I’ve been here. In fact, during Dis-O my o-week group went around together to some of the colleges and one of my advisors (who was drinking) made sure to ask me every once in a while if I was feeling bored, if I wanted a non-alcoholic drink, etc. I was paired with a roommate who drinks some and I’ve had no problems with her. We make sure to be considerate of each other and it’s been fine. </p>

<p>Hope this helps!</p>