Being a freshman on a college campus as well-resourced as Rice University means that there are numerous opportunities to try new things. My very first week on campus, I was introduced to Rice’s Intramural Sports Program by some upperclassmen at Brown, my residential college. I love that Rice’s IM sports teams are low commitment and that you don’t need to have experience in the sport to join. But I had played volleyball recreationally in high school, so I was happy to hop into an IM sports game on the same day that I found out about the team! Joining the volleyball team was just the start of my sports team adventures at Rice — I also joined the Brown Women's Rice Bike Race Team. Before my college magister introduced me to the sport, I had never ridden a sports bike before but it was so fun to train for this friendly competition while showcasing my Brown College pride and getting an incredible workout.
During the second half of freshman year, I decided to check out the fantastically equipped Gibbs Recreation Center. Various group courses are offered every week and include but are not limited to: swimming, boxing, yoga, pilates, cycling and Zumba. I had always wanted to try yoga and pilates before, but never had the free time or access to beginner courses. Being a student at Rice changed that, and I decided to give it a try! I texted a few friends and just like that, a beloved tradition was born. My friends and I started going to an evening yoga class and then to dinner for a debrief about the week's happenings. I now consider myself a strong advocate for group exercise classes at Rice, and I try to bring at least one new person with me every week.
Toward the end freshman year, another friend told me about the Rice cheer team. I was a cheerleader for two years during high school and middle school, so applying to cheer at the college level was a cool challenge. After a few days of practice, I submitted my application and after a week or two, I got the confirmation that I was accepted to the team! Now, I am a sophomore at Rice, and I have really enjoyed cheering on my fellow student-athletes at football, volleyball and basketball games. The cheer team has provided many opportunities to meet new friends on and off the team, travel around Houston, represent Rice and continue to practice a sport I love.
If you’re thinking about coming to Rice, please know that there are so many ways to stay active on campus at varying levels of commitment. And there’s no shortage of opportunities to find what's right for you and try something new!
-Princess, Brown College '27 (Published on 4/01/2025)
