6. Experience NOD, and Do It Right.

Night Of Decadence, more commonly called NOD, is a lingerie party thrown at Wiess College right around Halloween each year.  The first NOD was thrown in 1972 and it quickly became infamous in the Houston community, attracting young Rice alumni, students from other nearby universities, and other local residents.  As you will undoubtedly hear several times throughout your time at Rice, NOD was once named one of Playboy's Top 10 College Parties in America.  However, today it is open only to Rice students and their guests, and is much more regulated and therefore under control.  For more information, see the Wikipedia page.

There are countless things you could say about NOD, so I am only going to choose a few:

• Go to NOD at least once.  Even if you don't like partying or drinking, NOD is Rice tradition you should at least experience once, just to say that you did.  I recommend going your freshman year, when you will know the most people there. 
• Don't try to lose weight the week before. Yes, NOD is a lingerie party and you will be exposing more of yourself than normal.  In the week leading up to it, it may be tempting to start dieting and working out obsessively at the rec center.  Don't.  First of all, a week will not make a significant difference.  Second, no one cares! Everyone will either be too drunk to even remember what you looked like or too caught up in their own self consciousness to notice.  
• Don't drink more way than you usually do.  If you are self conscious and need those 4 extra shots to even get the courage to leave your room, there's something wrong.  NOD is infamous for being a shit show, and okay, it's a special occasion and you can drink a little more than usual, but don't be stupid and end up sharing a toilet with your friend in the Wiess commons bathroom.  
• Beware the NOD punch.  Actually, beware all punch, because you don't know what's in it.  But the NOD punch seems to be extra strong...

NOD is one of those parties you will tell your grand kids about one day...do it right. 

The first NOD flyer from 1972 from lancasterteam.com