??Rice Cribs: No Cristal, only craft beer

By by Alex Bisberg     2/7/12 6:00pm

The next stop on my journey to find the lustrous living spaces around Rice University took me to the famously social Wiess College. My Orientation Week advisor and friend Mark Plitt opened the door to his humble abode as I strolled in to find a lot of personality packed into this fourth-floor five-man suite.

Lining the walls are handmade wooden shelves filled with rows upon rows of exotic beer bottles of all shapes and sizes. To be exact, a whiteboard near the door counts, 165 different bottles adorn the walls of the common room. As if this sight wasn't impressive enough, a huge poster made from cardboard six-pack labels ranging from Dogfish Ale to Fat Tire hung from the wall as well.

In addition to the malt motif, the head of a stuffed dinosaur, a coveted poster of the Wiess masters and a classy 1950s style Coca-Cola mirror augment the majesty of this high-quality common room.

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Plitt explained the origins of the dinosaur head.

"We opened our room for NOD [Night of Decadence] this year, and in the morning we found this child's dinosaur costume in the bathroom."

So upon the wall this pragmatic predator hangs as a tribute to generations of partygoers who may have left more than expected—namely pride—at this infamous celebration.

Not only could the common room be used as a party space, but also a very relaxing hangout area. Next to a modestly sized TV outfitted with an Xbox 360 and the traditional N64. Classics like Super Smash Bros., 007: Goldeneye and Star Fox are still played, assured Jeff Lash, another one of the suitemates.

Redeeming features of this room extended beyond the common area. Kyle Valley, Wiess junior and suitemate, led me into his room. A double bed sits in the corner surrounded by posters of The Great Wave, New York in the '60s and the beautiful mountains of New Mexico. On the other hand, Lash's room houses old posters of the Beatles.

Finally, we arrived at Plitt's room. This room is an architectural feat in itself. Strange corners and edges surround a massive queen-sized bed. His desk isn't flush with the wall and barely leaves room for his shelving. Pictures of Buddha hang on his wall accompanied by a few other posters.

In all, this room exudes an emphasis on quality: quality drinks, quality posters and quality people. Exotic bottles guard the common room that could easily be transformed into a party space. Even with an exquisite common area, the most impressive aspects of this crib are the individual rooms.

Easy tips for making one's own room better include the addition of posters, an extra refrigerator to house snack, and a few chairs for guests to sit in. Posters can be purchased online, refrigerators can be purchased used from upperclassmen and collapsible chairs are easily $10 or less at Target.

Rice Cribs explores various dorm designs around campus. If you would like to suggest a room to be, email Alex Bisberg at ajb7@rice.edu.

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