My Walk to Campus

This year I decided not to buy a bike and walk to all my classes.  I prefer walking to biking for several reasons, one being that I had constant anxiety that my bike would be stolen one day from my house, which is not university housing. Te other is that I enjoy walking and I get to enjoy the USC (and surrounding area’s) atmosphere on the way. I thought I’d take you on a picture tour of my walk home starting at the top and working down

1) Construction of the new althetics building is coming along very nicely, and I like to peek inside to see the beam welding and installation of circuitry

2) Scenic walk along McClintock (west side of campus). It’s a straight shot along McClintock to the engineering buildings, so I make this walk often. If I’m in a hurry, I either jump down into the street or hug the inside and dodge the flowers.

3) To the left is the practice field, and sometimes I have to stop my brisk walk to let the football players pass by for practice. Sometimes I give them a high five 🙂

4) Then I pass the Lyon Center Olympic Pool which I look longingly into when its a hot day and when the Men’s Diving Team is practicing.

5) The Lyon Center entrance which I either hurry pass guiltily, or enter, sporting my hot pink yoga mat.

6) All traffic stops for 30 seconds as pedestrians, bikers, and skateboarders pass Jefferson.

7) Passing the theater, and I look to see if anything good is playing so I can buy my $5 tickets online, or I check out the artsy, drama people who come in/out.

8 ) Waiting for my 30 seconds to cross, and checking out our little section of “Figueroa Corridor”. I didn’t take a picture, but also, I soak up the delicious smells from the Food Trucks that are parked on this street. (I don’t stop because I like to pretend that I cook for myself – usually its crackers and peanut butter)

9) Bank of America! I personally bank with USC Credit Union because they are the best, but my apartment shares an account in BofA, and it works out. It’s convenient, anyway.

10) I pass by Cardinal Gardens, which is mainly sophomore housing. If it’s a specific time of day, I can sometimes catch a friend coming out of the bike entrance.

11) My favorite store on Earth, Dollar Dollar. I cannot go in without buying something. When I was looking for a video/audio cable to connect my DVD player to my TV, it was $25 at RadioShack (also in University Village) but only #2.99 at Dollar Dollar. Also, I got notebooks and pens here this year, cups for my apartment, and my White Elephant gifts!

12) Superior is the grocery store in University Village. Suffice to say that it has great 7 layer dip and is very convenient for my 10pm (well right before 10 cause they close then) brownie cravings.

13) Finally, the corner where CSC is conspicuously absent from when I’m taking these photos. When I’m coming home late , I can count on someone being here and looking out for me.

I won’t take you any further, because I don’t really trust every person who has access to the internet, but I hope you enjoyed my picturesque walk homeward from USC! In hindsight, I should have annotated the pictures instead of making you scroll up and down, but I’ll go back and fix that when I have a better connection that Starbucks Wifi

Fight on!