Before coming to Rice, I had no idea what it meant to be part of a residential college. My best assumption of the concept came from my short-lived middle school obsession with Harry Potter and his wizarding school of Hogwarts. In Hogwarts, there are four “houses:” Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Though Rice’s residential colleges bear some semblance to the structure of Hogwarts’ houses, I’d argue they’re even more magical. 

My first experience with Rice’s residential colleges was during Owl Days for admitted students, where I attended a session about residential college life. The session was conducted in the commons area of my now residential college, Wiess, but I had yet to understand how important this place would become for me. In that hour-long period, I learned about college crests and chants, mascots and traditions. Despite the abundance of knowledge I was gaining, I couldn’t help but feel hesitant to throw myself into the concept. Certain parts seemed unfamiliar to my notion of social life and events.

The July before my freshman year, I got the email assigning my residential college. Three upperclassmen had written me an email that read, “Welcome to Team Family Wiess.” I wondered how they could be a family; wasn’t it just a group of randomly assigned Rice students? My entire internal narrative changed once I set foot on campus for orientation in August.

My first day of O-Week, I was incredibly nervous and simultaneously excited to meet my new peers and start my journey as a college student. The second my family pulled in front of Wiess, dozens of students saw my face and started calling my name. I was shocked — how did they know who I was? The rest of O-Week was just as magical as I met my classmates, learned about Wiess’s traditions and registered for classes. By the end of those six days, I understood what it meant to be a part of “Team Family Wiess” — these people who were strangers a week before had become my mentors, my friends and my new family.

My hesitation for the residential college experience had quickly transformed into excitement for getting involved at Wiess. I quickly signed up and was chosen to be Wiess’s music rep after my friends encouraged me to apply; that spring, I applied and was accepted to be an O-Week advisor myself, one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. During my sophomore year, I was a College Night rep for both semesters, and as a current junior, I am Wiess’s parliamentarian and one of their Rice Bike Race Coordinators.

Needless to say, I have loved being a part of Rice’s residential college system. My involvement with Wiess has been truly special, but you’ll find my sentiment to be shared equally throughout all 11 residential colleges; if I could speak to my high school self from senior spring semester right now, I’d hope to encourage her to embrace the residential college community with excitement and anticipation, knowing the family and opportunities that await her.

-Virginia, Weiss '27 (Published on 1/6/26)