Ask A Trojan: Best Parts About Coming to USC

Anonymous said: I’m a prospective student that just learned that I was admitted, Yay! I was perusing the USC website and saw your blog and couldn’t help but submit a question. As a freshman what did you find to be the best aspect of going to USC?

By Cole Sullivan ’18

When I think about the best parts of my freshman year at USC, three things come to mind: Nico and Vinz, French Fries, and an incredibly hot football game.

Allow me to explain.

Those are among the many memories I have from my first year at this fine university. The stories behind them make up (in part) six of my favorite things about coming to USC as a freshman. If you’re a graduating high schooler who just got the cardinal and gold envelope…welcome to the Trojan Family! Read on to see what you can expect from your first few months here.

1. The Summer Before

I was incredibly excited to come to USC: I couldn’t stop telling people about it. I drove my friends crazy. The summer before starting freshman year I tried not to brag too much about how excited I was for USC…but honestly couldn’t help it. Going to orientation and signing up for classes only made that feeling stronger. Still, there was some nervousness too. But don’t worry: as a sophomore now, I can tell you that the admits Facebook group is not necessarily an accurate reflection of the student body here. You’ll find normal people.

2. Welcome Week

Then it came time to move in. For me (as for a lot of people) it was incredibly bittersweet. I was really excited to start a whole new experience on the other side of the country…but also sad to leave my family and friends behind. Welcome Week fixed that fast. It was such a whirlwind of activity, meeting what felt like thousands of new people and getting lost on campus. I went to some Greek rush events for a hot sec (Ha! Jokes.), but ended up having a transformative experience at the Welcome Week concert: I met my best friend. To this day, we say that “Am I Wrong” is our song since Nico and Vinz performed on it McCarthy Quad when we first met.

3. The Friendly People

I learned this during Welcome Week—and was continually reminded of it throughout the whole of freshman year: people are just nice here. That was one of the most incredible experiences: how friendly and open everyone I met was. The people I met that first week remain some of my closest friends to this day. Any nervousness I had about starting anew disappeared as soon as I realized that everyone else was going through the same thing.

4. The Football

And then came the first football game. That’s when I really first felt like a true part of the Trojan Family. I distinctly remember waking up to the sounds of alums tailgating outside my dorm window. I pulled on my USC shirt and headed out to my first tailgate. That game day was quite an experience—I recommend not arriving to the Coliseum three hours before the game.  Especially when it’s 95 degrees outside.

5. The Food

My freshman year I fell in love. With French fries. Yes, French fries. A new kind every day of the week. I developed a love affair with the Parkside dining hall simply because of their fries. And while that is 100% true, I think the broader point I’m making is: you get to eat whatever you want. Whenever you want. And oh what a glorious day it was when I realized I could buy a half-gallon of ice cream for my dorm freezer. Still, improbable it may seem given my penchant for fries and ice cream, I managed to avoid the freshman fifteen. But for the grace of God.

6. The City

Once I finally mastered my way around the USC campus (although I still sometimes get lost over by Marshall…) I decided to set my sights on something bigger: the city of LA. This meant exploring the beaches, mountains and city attractions. I visited the Getty, Santa Monica and hiked the Hollywood Sign. It’s true that LA isn’t a great city for public transportation, but Uber makes it easier to get around as a freshman. And the Expo Line extension will make it easier than ever to get to the beach.

It was really tough for me to come up with a succinct list of the best parts of freshman year: there were just so many! I firmly believe that I wouldn’t have met the friends I’ve made nor gone on the adventures I’ve gone on at any other school. So if you’re a senior weighing that cardinal and gold acceptance against any others…my vote is for USC. Welcome to the Trojan Family.

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