Starting college is a horribly scary thing, not only because we are embarking on a new intellectual journey, but also because most of us are moving away from what has been our emotional and mental support system. So, when I started my undergrad at Rice University, I was scared that without my mom’s soothing head massages, dad jokes, and sister’s ice cream and movie runs, I would be under stress with no way to relieve it.

The first few weeks of freshman year went by rather quickly and stress-free because I was still in disbelief that I had made it this far and into college. However, that novelty wore off as soon as the first wave of midterms arrived. There were a lot of late nights and early mornings in the library, and my body was primarily running on caffeine and on the hope of hell week being over soon. Stress became a part of my personality, and all I wanted was a head massage from mom, but that’s hard with 500 miles between us. This stressful time was when I discovered the wonder of the deep level of empathy that college students are capable of. Even though we are all in the same classes and struggling with the same tests and professors, there is always a want to help each other as much as possible. My friends don’t only help me out academically, but are also witnesses to many of my midnight meltdowns. They’ll help me by giving advice, hugs, and – most importantly and most effectively – chocolate. This is the essence of the culture of care.

Culture of care is a concept that Rice University that all its students pride themselves on engaging in. It not only means helping each other through difficult classes, but expands to include emotional and physical health as well. Oftentimes this surfaces when alcohol is involved (Rice is a “wet” campus, which means that alcohol is permitted on campus for those of age). Our culture of care is the reason why there are relatively low numbers of alcohol casualties not only at on-campus parties, but also off-campus, where accidentally stumbling upon a fellow Owl is not uncommon. I have had numerous weekends when I have either taken care of or seen other students choose to take care of another regardless of what their plans for the night might have been. The health and well-being of another person becomes the first priority as soon as anyone notices a student in need of help. Knowing that there will always be someone there to help me through difficult times or not-so-smart decisions is why I have come to accept that even though my usual comforts are far away, I’ll still be okay.

Caring is so ingrained in the Rice atmosphere that several of the on-campus organizations center on the concept of taking care of each other. The most prominent one is the Rice Emergency Medical Services, which is primarily student run, and this makes us feel more comfortable to call on them for help because the repercussions are less likely to be as severe as from calling the police. The other prevalent organization, meant more for the daily struggles of being a student, is the Resident Health Associate (RHA) program where some students at each college are trained for first aid, mental health help, and in giving advice to students coming for help or in redirecting them to professional resources. Having these resources works as a good safety net for students since most of us are in a state of high stress most of the time. We all need someone to keep us in check with our sanity.

Because of this culture, I also strongly believe that we will grow up learning to care strongly about other people as we transition “beyond the hedges.” I’m so honored to be at an institution that not only values a good education, but also holds in high esteem the bonds that students build to make a community based on caring and empathy.