Blogged while watching Friends!
I think when it really comes down to it, I think the one thing that stood out about USC was that the students here were genuinely happy. When I thought about where I wanted to spend four years of my life, it was definitely in the place where everyone was happy. And I think that all the things that make USC great leads to a really positive environment- they really actively try to make their students happy.
Whether it is the flexibility of programs, to the ability to go abroad, to the encouragement to take classes outside of engineering, there is a huge emphasis on doing what you like to do. When I was touring colleges, I felt like a lot of them focused on how much time engineering took, and I wanted to go to a school where I could be an engineer and also become a well rounded member of society. I’ve gotten to go abroad twice, I’ll graduate with a minor in art history, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know a ton of people very different than myself, and I’ve adjusted my major to make me happy.
Furthermore, the emphasis on collaboration was really enticing to me. I love working in teams, and it is such a vital skill for the real world. It makes schoolwork more fun and it also allows our class to really bond together instead of competing all the time.
USC also has so many opportunities to network, and the Trojan family is definitely real. I’ve never been to an airport wearing USC clothing and not had someone stop me to say “Fight on!” I think it is super cool that people feel so connected to this institution that they will stop anyone wearing letters to talk about their experiences.
Finally, the USC spirit is aboslutely unparalleled. People love to attend USC, and that is most obviously apparent on gamedays. It was so important to me to go to a school with a lot of pride.
Overall, the experiences I have had here- from going abroad to taking such a diverse range of classes, to jobs and internships and networking and friends- I genuinely believe is unique to USC and experiences I will cherish for the rest of my life. The people here are the absolute best; they are smart and funny and enthusiastic and engaged and full of life and happiness. I’m so proud to be a Trojan, and couldn’t imagine having spent four years anywhere else. Fight on Forever!
