Rice Class of 2015 Bucket List

Welcome to the greatest university known to man. Awaiting you are the four most extraordinary years of your life; as you look back on your college experience you will undoubtedly have the most sublime memories mixed with the occasional pang of regret — regret that you missed out on an opportunity to do something that no thirty-year-old should ever go back and try to accomplish. Fear not, however, for this guide will assist you in your endeavors to avoid being an idiot over the next four years while not missing out on those things that are truly important.

Fear the beer(d)

Rice's alcohol policy fell victim to a student body that was undereducated about alcohol, overzealous about drinking and just plain oblivious to the dangers of partying too hard. A series of indiscretions around campus forced us to revisit our longstanding alcohol policy last year, and the hard liquor ban is still in effect as a result. We need to prove that we still deserve Rice's liberal stance on alcohol and that's going to start with you freshmen. Class of 2015, before you jump into the year National Lampoon style, it might be worthwhile to think before you act, figure out your limits before you kill that handle, and decide how you want to be perceived before you mold an irreversible reputation for yourself.

Don't be an anarchist

Rice kids are pretty damn smart. But between figuring out Thermo problem sets, cramming for Orgo midterms, and spending nights at Anderson, it seems that a lot of us don't spend a lot of time figuring out what's going on in the world, even though that's where we're all headed in a few years. It's worth your time to figure out what the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the nation's downgraded credit rating and the country's small debt problem mean for your future career. No matter how well educated you are, it's not going to be easy to succeed after graduating if you know about nothing beyond the hedges. Over the next year, the 2012 presidential race is going to ramp into high gear. Get involved and figure out the issues. The atmosphere at Rice is liberal, but don't just go with the flow; figure out where your political alleigances lie.

Try a pick-up line sober

Dating at Rice has a lot of rumors associated with it. Traditional folklore says that students at Rice either exclusively hook-up randomly or they begin dating someone and don't look back until they're married. Of course, neither of these characterizations is completely true, but there is a distinct void in the avenue of casual dating at Rice. Many students seem to shun legitimate dates in favor of drunken romantic escapades. While that's a pretty great college philosophy, the real world revolves around a different set of rules. Alcohol is a great way to loosen up the night, but we should be able to have a great time without drinking too. Don't become dependent on it, and give sober dates a shot.

Make an effort

Seriously. Don't wear your pajamas to class. Take one and a half minutes and put on some pants.

Ryan Gupta is a Baker College sophomore and is Thresher Op-ed Editor.