“Christmas is coming.” - Dean Hutch, probably
“I can’t wait for Willy Week!” - Leebs, probably
"It's the best day of the year." - William Marsh Rice's ghost, probably
The most energetic day of Rice University’s year is fast approaching. Beer Bike 2016 is less than two weeks away. For new students who don’t know what to expect, the event is anticipated with excitement and uncertainty, but more often than not a wholehearted desire to get swept away by the festivities. For upperclassmen, the week leading up to what Rice students deem their version of "Christmas morning" is met by planning ahead to avoid as much schoolwork as possible while having as much fun as possible. And for soon-to-be graduates, their final Beer Bike is anticipated as a last, blowout hurrah before “the real world” hits. New students have experienced a plethora of events throughout the year, some of which probably didn’t live up to the hype (NOD, Baker 13, public parties, Esperanza). But those who have experienced Beer Bike will be quick to tell anyone who asks that Beer Bike is not only the one Rice event that meets expectations, it’s the one event that exceeds everything you thought was possible.
Is it because of the intensive pre-planning? The committees? The yearlong build up? Partly, yes. But what makes Beer Bike so damned amazing has nothing to do with the merchandise or the Willy Week activities. What makes Beer Bike so magical is the sense of togetherness it brings. Rice is known for having a very diverse student body. This is great, of course, but it also means that it’s rare for almost the entire campus to come together and celebrate one thing, because we’re all too busy with our respective groups and interests. Beer Bike, though, is the Great Unifier across campus for almost everyone. For a school that’s known for not caring much about sports, we sure do turn out a good crowd for an event centered around a relay race. Each residential college participates, and there are activities for almost everyone all Willy Week long, as well as the day of. From foam pits, to grilling in the quad, to T-shirt and bandana decorating, and some really serious partying, there’s lots to do to get yourself hyped, no matter where your interests lie. And on Christmas morning, you can wake up and immediately start partying, or if that’s not your thing, show off your mad cycling skills on the bike team, impress everyone with your ability to ingest water rapidly on the chug team, work on your muscle tone with the pit crew, or a whole host of other things like security, caregiving, or coordinating. There really is something for almost everyone to be involved in. After all, regardless of where you come from and what you’re interested are, who doesn’t want to don their college’s colors in the form of matching T-shirts and body paint, and throw water balloons at some of your closest friends out of a crowd of a few thousand?
So, in anticipation of this glorious event, dare I say unbeatable experience, here is a list of what makes Beer Bike so hype, and how to get the most out of your Willy Week experience.
1. The college spirit.
Some people walk around Rice repping their residential college on the daily. But, there are some of us who save our college colors for special occasions, and Beer Bike is definitely that. Everyone is in a T-shirt bedecked in their respective college’s colors, so it’s easy to spot friend from foe in the water balloon fight. On top of the shirts, people wear temporary tattoos and face paint. It’s quite a sight to see, especially after getting drenched in aforementioned water balloon fight. Plus, Willy Week is devoted to college unity, hosting events that bring residents together in preparation for the big day. This encompasses everything from bandana decorating to water balloon filling.
2. The hair.
In keeping with wearing your college colors on your sleeve, so to speak, people do ridiculous things to their hair. It’s a tradition that the guys get ridiculous haircuts, like mullets and mohawks, and even shaving letters into their hair. Sometimes, beards and other facial hair get involved. Some of the gals will dye their hair their college’s color(s), or get undercuts, or a combination of the two. No matter what, everyone is decked in their colors literally from head to toe by the time hairdos are arranged and body paint is applied. Plus, a lot of the ridiculous haircuts happen the week before the race, so you can see early on who is living their best life by getting hyped for Beer Bike.
3. The water balloon fight.
This is unlike any water balloon fight you have ever experienced. Yes, the concept is easily understood: Fill small balloons with water and throw them at each other. But the water balloon fight on Beer Bike morning is a sight to behold. Colleges work for weeks, if not all school year, to fill trashcan upon trashcan with water balloons. I’m not talking three or four big trashcans, I’m talking U-Haul truckloads full of these things, per residential college. It’s serious. Imagine all those water balloons, in the hands of several thousand college students, all wearing their colleges’ colors and screaming cheers back and forth at one another at aggressive volumes. It’s intense. It’s exciting. It’s wet.
4. The timing.
Beer Bike isn’t just a relay race that happens around lunchtime on a Saturday. Oh no. The real fun begins around 4:00 a.m., or the night before, as some colleges (*cough* Baker *cough*) claim not to go to sleep the Friday before. Everyone wakes up, gets decked out in their gear, and the party begins. Stacks blare music at ridiculous levels to wake up those who are a bit sluggish in the morning, and you make your way to the nearest open room at your college to sing and dance (and eat bagels) with your residential college fam. It’s the most fun you’ve ever had when asked to wake up before the sun. And it continues like that all. Day. Long. Well, at least until it’s time to nap, but everyone usually rallies to keep the festivities going.
5. The Martel sundeck.
In recent years, it has become tradition for all of the colleges to congregate on Martel’s sundeck for campus-wide partying before heading to the water balloon fight. So, after waking up and celebrating with your college, everyone makes their way in groups to the North side of campus, where it feels like the entire school comes together to celebrate Christmas morning.
These are my five favorite things about Beer Bike, having experienced it for the first time last year. There are so many other wonderful aspects of the day and the week leading up to it, and there truly is something for almost everyone to participate in and enjoy. It’s easy at this point in the spring semester to feel stressed and disconnected, but Beer Bike sweeps in to save the day, reminding us all what it feels like to have a fan-freaking-tastic time, and why we love Rice so much. Get hyped, fam, Christmas morning is less than two weeks away!
