NOD decorations underway

By Seth Brown     10/29/09 7:00pm

Tomorrow, numerous childhood images from Rice's undergraduate population will be seen in a new light. The Wonderful World of NOD: Someday My Prince Will Come, this year's incarnation of Wiess College's public party, will feature a Disney castle front, an under-the-sea themed bar and a light-blue Sparky, the 10-foot "phallic object" that traditionally graces the Night of Decadence, as described by Wiess College Social Vice President Charles Dai. Students can buy tickets for $8 during the week and for $10 at the door. Shirts are $10 and can be purchased, along with tickets, in the colleges' commons during lunch.

Dai, a Wiess sophomore, and fellow Wiess Social Vice President Molly Bryan expect a student turnout of 1,200 to 1,400 for what is traditionally Rice's biggest public party of the year, an increase from last year's 1,200 attendees and 1,100 attendees the year before.

In addition to the semi-naked throng, the party will also feature pizza, Chipotle burritos and music by Wiess senior Kevin Johnson, who will DJ the event.

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"Johnson has actually made a pretty big name for himself in Houston as a DJ," Dai said.

He said Johnson asked for any song requests to be e-mailed to him at klj2@rice.edu.

As for the party's decorations, altered versions of famous Disney characters will grace each window, while a risqué princess cutout will be displayed at the bar. There will also be a shadowbox, a backlit sheet behind which people can dance, Bryan, a Wiess junior, said.

To deal with the expected turnout, 140 student security volunteers have been recruited from across the colleges and are organized under four heads of security. Outside attendees have been limited to 150, as opposed to last year's 130, with only one guest permitted per Rice student.

In light of recent incidents that have occurred at this year's other public parties - such as Lovett College's Eurotrashed party - where several students were cited for alcohol violations, Bryan said the large security force should help to prevent similar situations during NOD. Security will be stationed throughout Wiess to ensure that students stay in the designated party zone.

"Students need to make sure that things are under control for the private parties, and keep a watchful eye out for intruders," Bryan said.

Golf carts decorated as pumpkins and driven by student volunteers will also be available to students who need them throughout the evening, and there will be two caregivers at each college during the party.

Wiess selected the Disney theme through a multi-tiered process in which suggestions were first submitted and then narrowed down to the top three choices, the other two of which were NOD Save the Queen: Showcase Your Family Jewels and Make Love, NOD War: It's Time to Pull Out. All of the college then voted and selected The Wonderful World of NOD as this year's theme.

Not all students agree that this year's theme selection will make for a good party. Baker College sophomore Helen Li said this year's theme is too innocent.

"I think it's sort of weird because Disney is a children's theme," Li said.

Jones College junior Eric Friedlander disagreed, though he said he was disappointed the title did not have a better pun.

"I think the theme itself is good," Friedlander said. "A little perverse, but they all are."

As in past years, the college has a budget of about $12,000 allotted for NOD, though Dai said the sale of tickets usually allows the college to break even.

Ten RUPD officers will be present at the party. In addition to student security forces, there will also be an ambulance and Emergency Medical Services personnel stationed at the party and roaming campus looking for people in need of medical help.

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