Before O-Week, I had never been to Houston or set foot on campus, so everything was new and exciting and nerve-racking. When I woke up Sunday morning to move in, I wasn’t particularly ready by any means. I got up really early and was double checking in my head that I had everything I needed. I was so nervous to the point that my stomach had hurt driving through campus to make it to Entrance 21 to get to my newfound home, Duncan College. I didn’t believe what everyone had said about O-Week. I had my doubts for sure, but when I pulled up to the curb and unloaded my stuff people were yelling my name and welcoming me with open arms.
![Current students are there to cheer on the newest members of the Owl Family](/sites/g/files/bxs3756/files/2021-08/unforgettable-o-week-full-1.jpg)
Now, my name is pretty hard to say without repeating it a couple times, and when I heard my name being yelled correctly from the top of everyone’s lungs, I was a bit freaked out. When I walked to my dorm another advisor greeted me, and then my O-Week Advisors greeted me when they saw me in the quad. That was a whole new level of friendliness I have ever experienced. My whole family had helped move me into my dorm, and I am a big family person, so it was very hard to accept that they were leaving, and I was staying. After my family had left, I was really sad and really anxious to think what might come next.
And then I met my O-Week family.
I was in the O-Week group How to Train your Wagon - I have to admit, it’s one of the best O-Week groups there is. It takes me a long time to open up to people and my O-Week family was no different. It took a couple days of bonding until we were all goofing around like we had known each other for months instead of days. We had a safe space to talk when we needed to thanks to our awesome O-Week Advisors. The people I have met so far have been some of the nicest and considerate people that I have ever met. When I was talking about my heritage on the first day, the whole group was all listening, and I mean they were really listening. When we had group discussions about changes around campus due to the coronavirus, we all had a place to talk about our concerns.
![Hozshona with her O-Week group out in front of the Dunc Tank](/sites/g/files/bxs3756/files/2021-08/unforgettable-o-week-full-2.jpg)
During O-Week I have met amazing people throughout Rice. I have been introduced to Duncan College traditions. I have been uplifted by how hyped and excited everyone was. I have been comforted by the idea that everyone around me has hopes and dreams for their future at Rice. When I first stepped on campus, I was anxious and scared that I wouldn’t have anyone to help me along this journey. Now I can safely say that I have a newfound family at Duncan College and at Rice University.
To my O-Week group that walked through the Sallyport with me on that first night: I can’t wait to see what we will do in the future, and I believe that we will become even closer friends and maybe even become a family.
To my O-Week Advisors who asked me how I was doing and told jokes to keep us all laughing: thank you.
To all the Coordinators and everyone else you did their part to make O-Week happen: thank you - it was the best experience of my life so far.
And, of course, I want to say thank you to my own family for helping me make this far. My O-Week at Rice has been fun, exciting, and a little bit scary. And if I had the option to do it all over again, I would.