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Thursday, March 28, 2024 — Houston, TX

Features



FEATURES 9/19/23 11:16pm

Quirky college traditions to sweeten your week

We all love Radio Free Sid and Baker 13, but are you feeling tired of the same old songs and shaving cream year after year? Here’s a list of lesser-known college traditions that might break up some of the monotony. Grab a snack while you’re at it.


FEATURES 9/19/23 11:14pm

Timothy Morton likes to find things in weird places

A well-known mind in ecological studies, pen pal of Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk and English professor at Rice, Timothy Morton is a modern-day philosopher. With over 15 books published and translated in over 10 languages, Morton said they’ve spent their career learning how to help people talk about environment, ecology and inherent meaninglessness. 






FEATURES 9/6/23 12:14am

Rice researchers talk media bias, nuance

Sifting through the cacophonous jumble of information available at the tap of a screen can be a daunting task. Modern online socialization means the news we receive is never-ending, multifaceted and sometimes dangerous. What are the implications of the rampant accusations of biased journalism and misinformation in today’s academic climate? Researchers at Rice have some ideas.


FEATURES 9/6/23 12:09am

Hot clubs in your area

The Rice Memorial Center was packed with over 350 booths and crowds of students scanning GroupMe QR codes on Sept. 1. The Student Activities Fair boasted clubs of all kinds. The Thresher has compiled a list of new and returning clubs for anyone on the hunt for another extracurricular activity.





FEATURES 8/29/23 11:50pm

Every theme, everywhere, all at once

As new students settle in after the largest Orientation Week in Rice history, it’s time to start asking the real question: Which college had the best theme? This week, the Thresher is taking a look at all 11 themes so you can decide for yourself.


FEATURES 8/29/23 11:44pm

‘Life is just a classroom’

With a Rice Swifties GroupMe exceeding 500 students and a dedicated Instagram page to boot, it makes sense that when COLL 167 ‘Miss Americana: The Evolution and Lyrics of Taylor Swift’ opened on Esther, the first section filled up within the hour. 


FEATURES 8/22/23 11:04pm

Ryan Freidin, artist and networker

Sports media is ubiquitous. It is in every cable package, every newspaper and many Twitter feeds. In order for all that content to exist, organizations need videographers and curators, people who can exercise creativity and technical expertise at once; they need people like Ryan Freidin.


FEATURES 8/22/23 10:58pm

Started in the basement, now we’re here: Explore ktru’s history

From the infamous yellow bumper stickers with rearranged letters to the often eclectic and unique range of music they share, the ktru radio station is an institution well known among the Rice community and even beyond the hedges. Despite this, few know the expansive history behind the iconic radio station and how it came to be the ktru we know and love. 




FEATURES 4/18/23 10:57pm

Ranking Rice publics, best to worst

While I maintain that the best party a Rice student can attend are University of Houston parties, some of this year’s publics have been bearable — enjoyable, even. A few might even be worth their ticket resale price on the Rice Clothing Resale GroupMe.


FEATURES 4/18/23 10:53pm

‘We’re still working’: The future of inter-college events

Rice’s residential college system is a cornerstone of the university’s culture, frequently touted for its ability to foster a sense of community for students. With 11 different colleges boasting unique structures, traditions and inhabitants, many students find it easy to connect with others within their college. However, while these dynamics produce tight-knit support systems and friend groups, some might find it challenging to broaden their relationships across colleges, and sometimes lack organized opportunities to develop them.