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Features

FEATURES 2/21/23 10:29pm

Science, tech, engineering and crochet: looking at COLL courses

By Adam Leff

Like any other course, COLL 113 begins with a discussion of the assigned readings. The current discussion topic is the relationship between crocheting and coding, and how the fields can be used to inform one another. Afterwards, the teacher demonstrates crochet techniques for the class, projected on a screen so her hands are visible.

FEATURES 2/14/23 11:45pm

Dating Science: Marriage Pact takes campus by storm

By Emelia Gauch

Concerned that you won’t find love at the ripe age of 18 to 22? Fear not. Rice students now have a new opportunity — or backup plan — for romance. The Marriage Pact borrows from the romantic comedy trope of two friends agreeing to get married at a certain age if they don’t find anyone else. Essentially, they agree to be each others’ romantic backup plan. Developed by Stanford University undergraduates Liam McGregor and Sophia Sterling-Angus as their final project for an economics class, the Marriage Pact takes this idea and translates it into a 50-question survey that students have brought to 78 colleges and universities across the U.S., now including Rice. 

FEATURES 2/14/23 11:43pm

Finding love next door: Married professors talk love, literature

By Grace Zhou

The circulation desk at Fondren is perhaps one of Rice’s most underrated matchmaking spots. Back in 2001, it was where now-married professors Sarah Ellenzweig and Scott McGill first met. Ellenzweig had already been teaching at Rice for a year, while McGill had just started teaching in the Classics department.

FEATURES 1/31/23 10:50pm

Owls after dark builds community

By Adam Leff

Tahj Blackman, assistant director of campus events, keeps an array of Lego sculptures in his office, remnants from a competition he helped host on Jan. 19. Owls After Dark, a late-night events program, recently hosted this Lego competition in collaboration with the Doerr Institute.

FEATURES 1/31/23 10:48pm

How to be single on Valentine’s Day

By Zaara Shafi

Being able to genuinely enjoy time by yourself is a rare feat. Everyone is swept up in the whirlwind of constantly socializing. Being alone and having fun with yourself is something many values. Yet, having fun alone is the ultimate power move. This Valentine’s Day, take pride in being able to celebrate self-love even if you aren’t celebrating a romantic relationship. After all, you can’t exactly break up with yourself, so show yourself some love and foster this important relationship. Take a break from social media and doom-scrolling, and recharge by taking some time off studying. Here are some exciting solo dates perfect for a session of self-love wooing.

FEATURES 1/31/23 10:47pm

Leave before you get left: Navigating your V-day situationship

By Riya Misra

So your situationship ended things by saying “we’re not friends with benefits because we’re not really friends,” and now ten months later, you’re sitting on the Texas Medical Center sidewalk crying on his shoulder. Happy Valentine’s Day. So you’re not single and you’re not cuffed. You’re stuck in the weirdest, worst in-between stage possible: the situationship. I am — resentfully so — a seasoned veteran, so here’s my advice: end it. If you won’t listen to that, because there is absolutely no reason to ever listen to my advice, then read some situationship V-Day plans I’ve rounded up for you.

FEATURES 1/31/23 10:45pm

I’m happy for you and not jealous at all: V-Day couples activities

By Felicity Phelan

So Valentine’s Day is here, and you get to spend it frolicking around with your other half and basking in mutual affection. That’s awesome. No, really. Everyone at the Thresher is so happy for you. Especially me, whose Valentine’s plans entail a very romantic Zoom call with my long-distance partner. Though I can’t participate myself, I’ve rounded up some activities for you lucky little monsters to do with your sweethearts. Go forth, enjoy, and remember to send your single friends an apology Venmo on the 15th.

FEATURES 1/24/23 10:28pm

Take it or leave it: EUA hosts book exchange event

By Nishanka Kuthuru

The English Undergraduate Association hosted a “Take a Book, Leave a Book” event on Thursday, Jan. 19, where people could swap books with other students to refresh their collections. The EUA also welcomed students to just stop by and chat with others about their favorites and pick up a free book — or two. 

FEATURES 1/17/23 11:58pm

Owls run past the hedges, into Houston

By Riya Misra

The Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston’s annual marathon hosted every January, took place on Jan. 14 and 15 this past weekend. Rice students, faculty and even president alike took part, running anywhere from 3.1 to a whopping 26.2 miles.

FEATURES 1/17/23 11:54pm

Oh nori they didn’t: Lovetteers try for sushi world record

By Zoe Katz

It’s a frequent joke that Rice students never travel beyond the hedges of campus. But a group of students at Lovett College are trying to change this stereotype with a single sushi roll. Lovett’s sushi committee, founded by Resident Associate Naoko Ozaki during the 2021-2022 academic year, has two objectives: break a world record for the longest sushi roll and use the event as a catalyst for local outreach. 

FEATURES 1/17/23 11:52pm

Guggenheim Fellow Tomás Q. Morín on music, inspiration

By Sarah Knowlton

Poet and assistant creative writing professor Tomás Q. Morín does not like musicals. “I’ve never liked the movie ‘The Sound of Music.’ That was one of the first [musicals] that I really intensely disliked,” Morín said. “As an adult, when I discovered [jazz saxophonist John] Coltrane’s version of ‘My Favorite Things,’ it just completely blew my mind, and while it didn’t change my feelings about the movie, it definitely changed my feelings about the song.” 

FEATURES 1/17/23 11:51pm

Behind closed doors: FLI students navigate SSI resources

By Michelle Gachelin

How does a school ranked No. 1 for both its race/class interaction and quality of life provide resources for students experiencing financial, academic or personal burdens? The Office of Student Success Initiatives, and by extension Rice’s resources for first generation and/ or low-income students, runs largely through word of mouth, according to director Araceli Lopez.

SPECIAL PROJECTS 1/10/23 10:23pm

Student workers discuss job conditions on campus

 

Student workers are everywhere on campus. Rice undergraduates run O-Week, play a role in academic advising, manage large residential college budgets, work for the athletic department and more. What conditions do these student workers face?

FEATURES 1/10/23 10:16pm

Inked: Exploring the stories behind student tattoos

By Sarah Knowlton

The letter ‘Oht,’ a runic character and video game logo, is emblazoned on Felicity Phelan’s inner wrist. It was their first tattoo, Phelan said. “‘Oblivion’ was the first ‘real’ video game I ever played, and the ‘Elder Scrolls’ series is one of my favorites,” Phelan said. “In the game, there are these portals you go through, and the logo is the shape of one of those portals. Since ‘Oblivion’ was my first video game, I think of it as my ‘portal’ into the world of video games and thought it was fitting for a first tattoo.”

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