Wow. Well that was fast. The semester is already almost over here! With finals fast approaching (I have one Thursday, two next Tuesday, and also a project due Tuesday) it’s amazing that yet another semester here at USC and Viterbi is coming to a close for me. This semester has seen some new adventures and exploration including multiple beach bonfires, trips to places like San Francisco, fun times at my apartment complex pool, new restaurants tried, and, in general, another semester of getting to know LA better. In addition, for the first time, much of my free time outside of school was spent working either for the Viterbi School or for the societies I am involved in… Which admittedly has been an awesome experience đŸ™‚ I’ve had a great time yet again at college and (to me) that’s what matters most. I also switched from Droid to iPhone along the way, a major cultural change for my electronic devices; I did not switch from Windows to Mac though (yes, I still love PC and am typing this on my desktop Dell, not my MacBook Air).
As a Senior, it’s sad that this (technically) is my last Christmas break as an undergraduate student. It’s crazy to think that this process has already happened four times before. The reason I add the technically is because I will be returning to USC next year to pursue further studies as I have been accepted in the Progressive Degree Program, so I will be returning to pursue further studies in Engineering (still unsure which Master’s Program I should pursue). That aside, I have come to know and love USC over the course of my last 3+ years here and as I get closer to the end of my college career it makes me happy to look back (so far) and say that I have seized the opportunities that have been presented to me and excelled.
This semester specifically will be remembered for:
- USC Football: 10-2, last year of sanctions, beating Oregon, thriller versus Stanford, and what could have been… Next year could be magical (please stay Matt!)
- West 27th Place: My new apartment complex is awesome and I have no complaints. A true testament to what student housing should and can be.
- My Involvements: Between being a Viterbi Student Ambassador, Freshman Academy Coach, ENGR 101 Teaching Assistant, President of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, President of Eta Kappa Nu, my social fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon, and so much more I have made memories, friends, and connections that will last a lifetime. I have included a picture of the VSA Holiday party and a picture of my ENGR 101 students with their final project below
Other than that, my semester is over once finals are. I will be headed home to Pleasanton, CAÂ to spend the holidays with my family (mom, dad, brother, and sister) in addition to my grandparents and uncle coming out for Christmas from Houston, TX. My family has apparently already prepped the tree for me as you can see below:
Other than going home for the holidays, I may also be headed to Tahoe to go snowboarding and hang out with some of my friends (from both USC and high school) whom will also be up there during the break. It will be great to get home and have my mom cook and clean for me in addition to being able to sleep in as I will have a few weeks without much responsibility.
As I look forward to the Spring, it’s going to be a great semester. My brother Cameron is a Spring Admit for next semester and I look forward to introducing him to USC and all the awesomeness it has to offer. It will be a sad semester too, as it will be my last performing tasks for the many organizations I am involved in on-campus. Nonetheless, I look forward to a Happy Holidays and a great Spring semester. With that, I have to go study for finals and stop procrastinating now… Talk to you all come next January when I come back to USC!
R
