Despite our youth, we at Martel college have accumulated many traditions, and we have managed to pack a lot of ingenuity into ten (!!!) years. The great thing about being young is that we can learn new tricks; while other Colleges are stuck with the antiquated ways of their founders, we are the founders. New traditions are starting at Martel just about every year. So perk up: someday we might have one named after you…
Μαρτεk
Odds are, you’ll hear a lot about Μαρτελ (Map-tek) during O-Week. Of course, the only thing you’ll learn on this page is that it’s awesome. So, get ready…Μαρτελ is coming.
Don’t Mess With Texas
Martel throws the first and last college-hosted public parties of each academic year (each
college, by the way, typically throws one per semester – we just managed to score the best dates). We are the scrumptious bread in the sandwich that is your year at Rice. It all starts with our “Don’t Mess With Texas” party: a welcome to those who are new here, and a revival to those who have lived here all their lives and still can’t get enough. Obviously, it’s Texas-themed, as a way to welcome out-of-staters to the “unique” culture that is Texas. Grab your boots and lasso, and head out to the Sundeck.
Oktoberfest
Martel, despite its Greek heritage, decided to take the best things from every country. Naturally, we picked Oktoberfest from Germany (which, incidentally, has a very intricate cultural relationship with Texas). Every October, we throw a huge grillout in the Quad, German-style. Brats and ‘basa is served for all (with a few extra-special imports to quench the thirst of those of age), with live music and Martel family spirit all around.
The Holidays
We didn’t invent the holidays either, but we do some cool stuff around them. In addition to
the slough of study breaks hosted by everyone from our RAs and Masters to Associates and President Leebron – all in an effort to get you to forget about finals for a few minutes! — we usually have our own holiday party. Our Spirit Committee is in charge of getting together a tree for the Commons, which students are free to decorate. We also coordinate a floor-by-floor decorating contest, organized by the Floor Lords. Finally, we cap it off with the Holiday Party. In the past, we’ve had Secret Santa exchanges, gingerbread house-making, and goofy sweater competitions.
Greek Week
This is the big one! While Rice doesn’t have “Greek Life,” Martel does – at least by virtue of our namesake. Every year, for a week, we celebrate the birthday (January 28) of our founding father, Speros P. Martel. It’s a week of non-stop Martel love, in which we’ll have fancy dinners, movie nights, karaoke, Greek-themed Parliament, and our famous man-geant to crown a new Mr. Martel!
Willy Week
Rice’s annual campus-wide celebration. For an entire week, Martelians will fill up (and throw) water ballons in preparation for the ultimate festivity – Beer Bike. So get your work done (or don’t) and join your fellow Martelians in having an all-around good time out on the glorious sundeck.
Beach Party
If you read all of this, you already know that Martel throws the first (Don’t Mess with Texas) and last party of the year. Beach Party celebrates the return of (ridiculously) warm weather to Houston, and offers a nice reprieve from studying (and study breaks) before finals begin.
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