Hey everyone! I hope you have had enjoyable weeks. I took a week off from blogging to take a trip to Mexico for spring break and had a great time! Now that I’m back in the groove of things, I cannot believe this school year is already coming to an end, and I will be a junior before I know it. It feels like not too long ago that I was choosing which college to go to. Since many of you will be making your college decisions in the next month or so, I thought I would tell you a little bit about why I chose to come to USC.
For me, USC had been a dream school of mine since I was a little girl. My dad, Ray, graduated USC with his masters in Engineering Management in 1993. I always looked up to him and had heard his many stories about why he loved USC so much. He was a Viterbi student, a member of a fraternity, and involved in different organizations; all of which were aspects of USC that appealed to me. Beyond simply listening to my dad’s stories, I grew up attending football games and other USC events with my family. I loved the atmosphere here as I grew older, both academically and socially.
As high school was winding to an end, it became time to make my college ambitions a reality. After the tedious application process and visits, I had finally submitted all of my paperwork and waited for responses. I received several acceptance letters from schools including UC Santa Barbara, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Baylor University, and University of San Diego. The last letter I received in the mail was from USC. I could not be happier when my mom told me it had arrived. Even though I felt so set on attending USC in the past, I had a difficult time deciding between Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and USC. So many different thoughts ran through my head: Do I want to stay in Los Angeles since it’s so close to home? Which school would make me the happiest? Will I be able to do more than just study? Can I be a part of Greek life? Where can I picture myself for the next four years? To gain insight into these questions, I did my research and revisited both campuses.
When I came back to USC, it just felt right. I could see myself wearing the cardinal and gold, attending classes in Viterbi. Not only did USC offer me rigorous courses, but I felt that I could really enrich all aspects of myself beyond intellect. There were a couple aspects that really stood out to me.
- The countless research opportunities showed me that I could have the chance to actively apply my classroom knowledge and learn about up and coming innovations.
- One of my main goals was getting a career I loved after college, and USC had all of the resources necessary in doing so (the career center, career fairs and events, ConnectSC and workshops).
- The Greek system allowed me an escape from the classroom, a place to make new friends and continue my love for philanthropy.
- The countless clubs and organizations, involving anything from yoga to food to quidditch, allowed me to explore new interests.
- The spirited Division 1 sporting events fit my love for volleyball and football.
- The close proximity to the beach made all the difference because I love the weather and the ability to play beach volleyball year round.
In the end, USC was the right fit for me. I cannot imagine myself at any other university in the country or even in the world. I have gained a great deal of knowledge and hope to keep expanding my academic interests in the coming years here. Now that I have had the chance to join organizations and attend events, it just reassures me even more that there is nowhere like USC. Fight on!