Divyam Bansal | Katelynn Porras | Kayden Brewer
Greetings New Martelian!
I would like to start off by saying congratulations on being accepted to and
choosing to attend Rice University! This is by no means an easy accomplishment, and you should be extremely proud of all your personal and academic achievements so far. I know that starting this new chapter of your life can seem intimidating, but I want you to know that you will by no means be alone throughout this process; the entire Martel Advising and Coordinating teams are here to ensure that each incoming New Student feels welcome here on campus and has access to a support network whenever they need one. We cannot wait to meet you come O-Week and are super excited to see the unique impact that you will have on Martel College and Rice University!
I have already gotten to know a little bit about you from your New Student form, so here is a short introduction about myself.
My name is Divyam and I’m from Pearland, Texas (it’s about 25 minutes from Rice if you haven’t heard of it). I’m a rising Junior majoring in Sports Medicine and Exercise Physiology, and hoping to double minor in Biochemistry/Cell Biology as well as Statistics. After Rice, I would like to attend medical school and hopefully pursue a career as an orthopedic surgeon. Outside of my classes, you can probably find me playing tennis at the tennis courts or playing basketball at the Rec, watching the Spurs or Seahawks play on my phone, or browsing Google to find the nearest bakery selling chocolate chip cookies! I’m always willing to sit down and chat so if you ever see me at Martel or elsewhere on campus, please come and say hi!
As you get ready to come to Rice and prepare to embark on this new journey of your life, I would like to give you some advice that I wish I received before starting college. It is important to know that everyone on campus is unique in their own way, and so what works for one person may not work well for you: and that’s completely okay! At an institution as prestigious as Rice, it can often be easy to start to compare yourself to your peers, but know that you are equipped with your own set of strengths and skills that will without a doubt lead you to success. Additionally, I cannot stress enough how important it is to take care of yourself and have fun while you are here! You probably already know that Rice is a difficult school and many times you will find yourself bogged down with academic work, but please remember to find time to enjoy yourself during those moments since those are the memories you will remember the most when you graduate!
It truly is an honor to have you as a part of the Martel College family; trust me when I say that you are entering one of the nicest and most welcoming communities present on campus. We as Coordinators hope that during HBO-Week, you are pointed to the best set of resources and people that will help and support you while you write your script for your time here at Rice and beyond. We all wish you the best of luck as you make the transition to college and just know that your time here is gonna be a movie!
Best wishes,
Divyam
Hey y’all!
My name is Katelynn Porras and I am ecstatic to be coordinating your O-Week experience! Firstly, I want to congratulate you on all your hard work and admission into Rice University! You are transitioning into a new chapter of your life and you should be immensely proud of yourself for everything you have accomplished so far. I could not be happier to introduce you to Martel and to the family that we have built together. Martel College is truly The Best College Ever (a Google search will help you verify that :D) and the people that you will meet here have everything to do with that. The residential college is not just a place where you will live and study, but an entire community where you may come to find yourself and your closest friends. We could not be more thrilled to include your own unique passions and interests into Martel’s culture so that you will eventually make Martel something of your own. Thanks to the various forms you have submitted, I have gotten to know a little bit about all of you, so it is only fair that I share a little bit about myself!
I am from Houston, Texas, and I am studying Political Science with minors in Statistics and Politics, Law, and Social Thought on the Pre-law track. I love squishmallows, boba, wearing ironic t-shirts unironically, and meticulously planning my week in my planner. You can often find me having a fun workout at the Rec, at Parliament as Martel’s Vice President, frantically finishing a paper outside of Herring Hall with an oat-milk matcha latte with a shot of espresso, or sitting at my favorite table in the Commons and talking to everyone who passes by.
While the transition into university is a difficult time for everyone, I’d like to offer up some guidance that has really helped me find comfort at Rice. Coming to a school where everyone is highly accomplished can be so validating seeing my peers doing incredible work, but this was also something that overwhelmed me and still does at times. Though all of the resources that we show you during O-Week may seem excessive or even overwhelming, they are genuinely here to help you and meet you wherever you are so that you can succeed. I have reached out to many different people and offices across campus to be comforted by the reassurance of their support and true eagerness for my own success. It is easy to get caught up in thinking that you are falling behind, but you should not invalidate your very deserved place here. Academics are undoubtedly an important part of Rice but they should not make up your only focus during your time at Rice. In finding my own place, I have become more familiar with the importance of having fun when you can. Your growth socially and academically is what creates the student that is capable of thriving and taking advantage of all the great opportunities Rice provides!
I could not be more hyped to see y’all will begin your journey at Martel and how Martel will be shaped by the lives of the incoming new students. I am extremely excited to meet y’all and see your impact on Martel! See you in August!
Martel Brings You Memories,
Katelynn
What’s Up future Martelians!
You’ve made it. Regardless of whether you are reading this the day we sent this book out, a week before move-in, or retroactively in the future, I would just like to say thank you of being here.
My name is Kayden and I am a rising junior studying Computer Science and Studio Art (which is part of the Visual and Performing Arts major). I’m from Austin, Texas and one of my favorite things to do is learning more about people and forming connections with the people I share a space with. YES, THAT INCLUDES YOU! In my time at Rice, I have worked in the on-campus garden, done undergraduate research, participated in Martel government in a non-leader capacity, and now serve as a tour guide. My favorite meal is breakfast (I have only missed it a grand total of two times during my time at Rice). After breakfast and throughout the day you can find me roaming literally anywhere on campus. For me roaming is thinking. I work through everything form homework problems in my head to trying to untangle a wacky interaction I had earlier in the day. If you ever see me “roaming”, please come say hi and save me from the inner depths of my mind.
As you take your first steps on-campus and at Martel, I encourage you to expand your horizons and make yourself uncomfortable. As people, we can never grow beyond our current selves unless we put ourselves in spaces we do not already exist in. Whether it be socially or academically (ideally both haha), I encourage you all to break out of your current space or the framework you have in mind for your future self. That may simply mean taking a elective course you are truly interested in or it could mean re-evaluating your entire major and career goals. And as you meet people at Martel and on-campus, do not settle until you find people you really mesh with. It’s always hard to give ourselves the mental and emotional courage to branch out and it’s very easy to sink your roots into the first patch of soil you find, but sometimes, if you give yourself time and patience there is an entire oasis nearby waiting for you to find it .
Admittedly, simply existing as a new student can be overwhelming. Take a deep breath. You’re alright and you’re not alone. The people around you feel the exact same way and all you can do is make memories to keep forever. When in doubt, give yourself time to enjoy the moment because the future is never certain and we learn from our experiences, not the things we have yet to do. Reach out if you need help – to an advisor, to us, to a core-team member, or even a trusted professor! There are so many resources on campus to help you be successful, but you can only get to them if you put yourself in a position to access them!
Us coordinators and your advisors cannot wait for your arrival and thank you for your time reading this.
Sincerely,
Kayden 🙂