Duncan Week at Duncan College

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Many of the residential colleges at Rice find fun ways to celebrate their founding. Learn about Duncan's annual tradition, Duncan Week, celebrating the birthday of their college and other unique traditions.

Founded in 2009 by Anne and Charles Duncan, Duncan College is the 11th and youngest college at Rice. Every year, we dedicate a week of festivities, called Duncan Week, to commemorate the founding of our college and our second home. From rodeo-themed dancing to boba and a cozy movie night, Duncan Week has something for everyone to enjoy! Read on to learn more about some of the many unique events that we host during this week.

A male student holding an orange and turquoise nerf weapon near the left side of his face while crouching behind a table that has been flipped to its side.
A group of students standing behind a table flipped to it's side, pointing their nerf weapons across the room.

First, we have Donnybrook. Donnybrook is Duncan’s semi-annual nerf war, held in the college commons. It’s a great opportunity to make some new friends before they become your enemies…

After a friendly nerf competition, students are invited to Mani Mondays, hosted in one of the dorm suites of Duncan. Here, the students can give themselves and their friends a "semi-professional" manicure while chowing down on Dunkin (Duncan) Donuts. In honor of Duncan’s official colors, many students paint their nails with gold and green nail polish and for those with higher artistic ability, they paint intricate nail designs.

A female student holding a nerf weapon, reaching over the top of a cardboard presentation trifold and aiming across the room.
A male student laying on the floor on his stomach, hiding behind a table flipped to its side and aiming his nerf weapon.

In keeping up with Duncan’s environmentally friendly reputation and values, students paint pots, bricks, and leaves to decorate the Duncan Garden, which is located right outside the college servery. As you would expect, this event is called "Pot, Brick, and Leaf Painting."

A male student wearing a baseball cap and denim overalls kicking his right foot up while both of his arms go up and his head goes forward, almost in a bird-like position.
A male student in a cowboy hat hoisting up another male student at his waist so that he can reach the large metal horseshoe hanging from the ceiling. Other students are surrounding the pair watching.

And on the Thursday of the week, of course we have to have our classic Thirsty Thursdays! Although we have Thirsty Thursdays throughout the school year and not just during Duncan Week, students tend to have a stronger craving of the milkshakes served at Thirsty Thursdays during Duncan Week.

Two male students wearing cowboy hats and denim overalls holding plates of food and a thumbs up, smiling at the camera.
A group of students wearing country-style outfits, performing a line dance and kicking one foot up.

On the eve of the final day of Duncan Week, Duncan Commons is renovated into the “DuncBarn.” A giant metal horseshoe hangs from the ceiling and the ground is cleared of the tables and chairs that are usually there and turned into a country dance floor. Students can learn how to two-step to some groovy beats and when they get tired, a nacho bar is waiting for them!

We hope you enjoyed reading about Duncan Week, yee haw!

- Emily M., Duncan '24

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