Monday
Chao College Executive Cabinet (EC) retreat: We had our first EC meeting to talk about our vision for Chao in our respective roles. I am the inaugural Chief Justice (CJ) for Chao College. The CJ of each college is responsible for ensuring that students can participate in residential college traditions and fun events in a safe environment.
Rice Rec: In my free time, I like to lift weights and play various sports like basketball and volleyball.
Tuesday
CJ meetings: The cohort of Chief Justices from each residential college meets weekly to discuss issues related to student wellbeing and safety on campus.
Class: I am enrolled in 21 credit hours this semester. This is Foundations of the Public Health Profession for the Health Science major. This is a professional development class for the health sciences major.
Chao College group interviews: The process of becoming an orientation week advisor is competitive, especially if you want to be an advisor at another college. Pictured is the second stage of this process — group interviews. I helped select this cohort of advisors from other residential colleges.
Biochemistry Teaching Assistant Office Hours: As a biochemistry teaching assistant, I host weekly review sessions with a fellow TA. These sessions help students recall and reinforce the learned material. This particular week, we discussed fatty acid structure and lipids.
Wednesday
Brochstein Pavilion: I really like studying in the booths or at the tables in between classes.
Experimental Biosciences: This is my biosciences research class. Pictured is an SDS page that my lab group did. I am also taking Epidemiology, Independent Research for Biosciences for Undergraduates, Literature and Medicine, and Introduction to Statistics for Biosciences.
Fondren Library: This is our school library. When I really need to concentrate, I come here to study.
Thursday
Brown Gym (Bym): Brown College has a gym in the basement of the tower. Bym is the best residential college gym at Rice, and has 4 benches, 2 squat racks, various cable machines, a leg press, and a StairMaster!
Brown College Associates/Awards night: Each month, every servery has an associate night. We enjoy good food and socialize.
Brown Cabinet meeting: Everyone is welcome at this biweekly meeting to hear leadership updates.
Saturday
Rice Women’s Club Lacrosse: I am also part of the Rice women’s club lacrosse team. Pictured is our equipment, which we brought to an away game at San Marcos.
-Olivia, Chao ‘27 (Published on 6/9/2026)
Keep Exploring
When choosing a college major, many students feel pressured to pick a path and stick to it. But what happens when your passions span from mechanical engineering to environmental history? Sanjana, McMurtry ‘29, shares how she refused to box herself in, finding ways to connect the dots between engineering, history and environmental science.
From Christmas in September to the legendary BakerShake festival, Baker College has its own unique brand of spirited chaos. Doc, Baker ‘29, shares the traditions and community that define Rice University’s very first Residential College.
Swapping barbed wire fences for the busy streets of Houston wasn't just a change of scenery for Abby, McMurtry ‘28 — it was a complete reinvention. If you're standing on the edge of a massive life change, her advice is simple: do it scared.
Helpful Links
713-348-7423
admission@rice.edu
M-F 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT