Traditions

On the Daily

Commons Culture

Will Ricers value our time in commons together. Eating meals in commons is our time to catch up and bond casually as a community. Even outside of mealtimes, you’ll always find someone studying (or more likely procrastinating) in commons. Commons is a great place to hang out with friends and meet new people. Will Ricers can be found in commons conversing, playing board games, and watching movies — sometimes all at the same time! The Game Room, just below commons, is home to our ping-pong table, pool table, foosball tables, and most importantly, Smash setup. No matter what you’re looking for, whether good company, help with a class, or a vacuum, you can probably find it in commons.

Pheaky

While most residential colleges only have crests, Will Ricers can proudly claim to have both a crest and a mascot: our beloved phoenix, nicknamed Pheaky. Although a mere surveyor of Will Rice culture might mistake the phoenix to serve only as a mythical being, the value (or rather, the myth, power, and value) of Pheaky goes far beyond a simple symbol.

In Greek mythology, when a phoenix would reach the end of its life, instead of dying, it would seize up in flames and then be reborn in its own ashes. As college students, Will Ricers are continually undergoing change. No one of us Will Ricers is perfect, but Pheaky reminds us that no matter our mistakes, we grow better with each new reincarnation.

Pheaky’s costume is worn by the Pheaky Representative, a position appointed by our President at the start of each term. The Pheaky Rep also gets to ride in our Beer Bike float, showcasing the Will Rice phoenix spirit! Be sure to keep an eye out for Pheaky in the back of commons, where Will Ricers often “sacrifice” items to Pheaky in honor of the phoenix spirit.

Lunch Announcements

Will Rice lunch is one of a kind. Every weekday during lunchtime, the Will Rice secretaries tell the college all the happenings both at Will Rice and across campus at 12:30 on the dot in our Commons! You can also share any events you want to advertise, so feel free to walk on up! On a Will Ricer's birthday, the secretaries will call them up to stand on a table and get serenaded by their peers. In addition, lunch is a great time to count down the days till Beer Bike, Will Rice's favorite time of the year!

will ricers in commons with the lights off

On the Weekly

KITQ

KITQ (Keg in the Quad) is a great time to relax after a long week of classes. Every other Friday afternoon, Will Rice gets together in our quad to hang out, play a lively game of volleyball or Spikeball, and eat some snacks! It's a way to vent about whatever papers or midterms you might have had that week and also to start thinking about the weekend. The Quad committee will play some tunes from the Old Dorm kitchen and provide refreshments. As mentioned in the name, there is often a keg for those who are of age. However, if you're craving some soda or you're maybe just not 21 yet, there is always something for you to drink! KITQ contributes to Will Rice’s tight-knit community and is one of the many reasons why we are such a great college.

Diet

Rice prides itself on student self-governance and this goal is realized in the 11 college governments. While the other colleges may call their governments “cabinets,” “forums,” or “town halls,” Will Rice calls ours Diet. Why Diet? According to Wikipedia, diet is a “formal general assembly of the princes or estates of the Roman Empire.” As the College of Gods and Goddesses, it’s fitting that our government can be traced back to Ancient Rome!

Diet is our bi-weekly government meetings that take place at our Magister’s house. This meeting is open to all of Will Rice to get some delicious goodies provided by our class representatives, and to discuss current topics and issues regarding Will Rice and the rest of campus. It is also a great way to catch up with the Magisters and your peers amidst the busy work week schedule. Any Will Ricer is able to submit a proposal for a new event or idea they have, from a Grilled Cheese KITQ to a panini machine for Commons. Diet takes place every other Wednesday at 9:00 PM, and everyone is invited to come get involved!

Table Dancing

You will notice that at every Rice party, there will be students dancing on tables. But these are no ordinary college students because — you guessed it — the people who always start table dancing are none other than Will Ricers. From the first moments of O-Week, Will Rice freshmen and advisors alike show off our awesomeness during dance parties. From casual lunch times and to college night celebrations, Will Ricers all win at table dancing. It's our thing across campus, and we own it.

two will ricers at KITQ with soda and chips

On the Semesterly

Will Rice Will Skate

At the end of each fall semester, Will Ricers flock to the Galleria ice rink, where we spend a night ice skating (and sometimes falling on our butts too). After we’ve all gotten warmed up, we compete in class races, where each class sends their best representatives to skate against one another! The night ends with class photos in front of the giant Christmas tree and the announcement of next year’s Beer Bike theme, which will occur in the spring.

Bob Ross Nights

Events committee hosts Bob Ross nights in our Commons-turned-art-room once a semester, where we come together to create some (often horrendous) masterpieces. We provide the canvases, paints, and brushes, and you provide the spirit! Bob Ross will be projected in the front of Commons, often at 0.5 speed, and we follow along while poking fun at each other’s masterpieces-in-the-making. Afterwards, Will Ricers hang up their art around campus, like in their dorm room or suite commons.

Favorite Professor Dinner

Will Ricers are active in the classroom as well. Each semester, we host a fancy dinner for Will Ricers and their favorite professor in the Commons, with a reception at the Magister’s house. This is a great way for Will Ricers to get to know their professors outside of class! Nervous to invite your professor? Sometimes Will Ricers pair up with classmates to ask a beloved professor together instead!

Will Rice Week

Near the end of each fall semester, Traditions committee plans Will Rice Week, a time to celebrate our college and all we love about it. Will Rice Week is filled with festivities like an intense game of assassins (with clothespins!), some friendly (and not so friendly) jacks on other colleges, and, a large KITQ on Friday featuring the assassins final. While Will Rice Week evolves a little each year, a ~lively~ Diet meeting always falls in the middle of the week — you won’t want to miss this one.

Whale Day

A few years ago, a few Will Ricers noticed a whale-shaped splotch on the calendar in the front of Commons. The splotch was located on the third Wednesday of September, and, ever since, that date has held a special place in Will Ricers’ hearts: Whale Day. We can’t say too much here — everyone’s first Whale Day is a surprise to discover — but we can tell you to keep your eyes peeled on social media and get ready for one of the best Wednesdays of the semester!

Beer Bike & Sweep Week

Will Rice is known for spirit and teamwork — a fact that is exemplified during Sweep Week, the tradition-filled week before Beer Bike. Sweeping is when a college wins every race (women’s, men’s, and alumni’s) during a singular Beer Bike. We've “swept” Beer Bike five times, a feat no other college has done even once!

During Sweep Week, New Dorm leaves Will Rice and becomes APC, a new residential college named after the murderer of Will Rice’s namesake! There are loads of friendly rivalry afterwards, where New Dormers must compete against Old Dormers to see who the best residential college is!

Another fun Sweep Week event is Phoenix Raid. During Phoenix Raid, Will Ricers parade to all ten other residential colleges with brooms to “sweep” their floors. We chant our mottos, paint up in red and yellow, and bring Pheaky along for the ride! Will Rice Will Sweep!!!