Name: Sarah Baker
Hometown: Plano, Texas
Age: 19
College: Lovett
Major(s): History and Premed

Extracurricular activities: Student Association secretary, Lovett College representative to Rice Program Council, College Assistance Peer Program counselor, campus tour guide, college liaison to the Student Admission Council, and Thresher news writer.

Favorite thing to do at Rice: Just sitting and talking to people. Everyone here is so interesting and knows so much about everything. I feel like I learn a lot from the conversations I have with my friends. I also LOVE meeting people. It’s always exciting to see what the person is interested in and where they are from. The cool thing about Rice is that, since it is a smaller school, you end up seeing the people you meet around campus over and over again.

The thing that surprised me most about Houston: Because I lived in Sugar Land, near Houston, until I was 12 years old, I thought I knew everything there was to do here. However, I’m constantly surprised by how many things I didn’t know about. There’s always so much that you can do and see in Houston—from museums to shopping (my favorite!) to trying different restaurants.

What I like most about Houston: There is so much to do here. I especially love how everything is close to Rice. The museum district is right down the street (which has my favorite museum: The Menil), and there is great shopping nearby, too.

Ways in which Rice has changed/shaped me: Because there are so many things that you can choose to do here, and because there’s definitely not enough time to do everything (though there IS time to at least TRY everything), being at Rice has really helped me realize how I like to spend my spare time—working and interacting with people. It’s really easy to get involved in the organizations on campus, so that’s allowed me to participate in a lot of different activities and decide which ones are my favorites. Because it’s easy to get involved, it’s also easy to take on leadership roles in those organizations. So being at Rice and being a part of these organizations has definitely taught me a lot about being a leader and about my leadership style. 

Rice also has made me realize that I really do enjoy science (even physics!) because the science classes here are so interesting and the professors are so helpful and informative. 

Something I’ve done at Rice that I didn’t expect to do: Karaoke. There always seems to be a karaoke machine at Rice events—from advisor training for orientation week to Rice Program Council’s First Friday (a talent showcase on the first Friday of every month) to President Leebron’s Study Breaks. I also didn’t expect to dress up in ’80s garb and dance to an ’80s cover-band at Sid Richardson’s ’80s party. (I hated music from the ’80s until I came to Rice.)

Favorite food at Rice: Chicken caesar wraps. The homemade ice cream at South Servery also is amazing.

My plans after graduation: Medical school

Rice is: A place full of friendly people, who are always eager to sit down and talk and who care about you. It’s a place where you can learn anything you want to know because the tools are at your fingertips. It’s a place where you learn who you are and who you want to be.