My advice to Freshmen

As my first year at USC comes to a close, I am constantly in a state on nostalgia. I miss those first few weeks when i first came on to campus. I remember being overwhelmed by all the opportunities and all the people that already knew what they wanted to do. Being a first generation college student I didn’t know what to expect but, I am really glad I found my way.

A piece of advice I would give to any incoming student would be to not be afraid of trying new things. Although that may seemed clichéd, it is still the best piece of advice I can give. Being seventeen or eighteen, many incoming student already have their minds set on specific game plan and are not willing to deviate from it. I remember being the same way. I was so intent in being involved in student government but, I later realized that it wasn’t what I wanted to do. My original major was Electrical Engineering but soon enough, by keeping my options open, I switched to Computer Engineering Computer Science. Even now I don’t know which extracurriculars to commit just because there are so many. Your college years are the years of opportunity, so I encourage every student to come in with a Carpe Diem attitude, to really make the USC experience count.

I would also highly recommend that all USC students go out and explore LA. Being from the area I already had seen a bit of the city but, now that I live in the heart of the city I like to take full advantage of it. It is really to get caught up in the bubble that is USC. There are so many things to do on campus that it sometimes seems unnecessary to go out and explore but, Los Angeles has so much to offer. From theme-parks to museums LA has it all. Another major plus is that everything is so close by and you don’t need a car. A simple train ride can take you as close as Downtown or as far as Hollywood. One of my favorite memories freshman year was going to Six Flags Magic Mountain with some friends. The theme park has some of the most extreme roller coasters in the country and it was great to share this place with people from all around the country.

 

Last but most definitely not least, don’t be afraid to ask questions. A lot of the material you learn during your first semesters hear may be completely brand new to you and that’s ok. Professors don’t expect you to know from day one but they do expect you to learn it along the way. I sometimes made the mistake of waiting too long before asking questions. Professors are always willing to work with you. They have office hours dedicated to students which I truly take advantage of and I really encourage everyone else to do.

 

I hope that some of these tips can help you get a feel for what college life as a Viterbi student can be like. I know that my blog may be a little different than everyone else’s but, I wrote a blog that talked about some of my favorite class this semester last week and you can check it out here.

 

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