Learn from your Big SCister
By Grace Carballo ‘17
The first lesson is that almost every word that has an S or a C is “Trojanized” to have both and you shouldn’t fight it, but rather laugh and promptly accept it. Soon you’ll be doing it, too.
I’m writing this post for my biological brother but since we’re all Trojan Family, the whole class of 2020 is more than welcome to my unsolicited sisterly wisdom. As a rising senior, I’m practically of a different generation than you young folks and my life experience is worth its weight in gold.
I would give my right arm (dominant hand and objectively a critical component of my “good side”) to be able to have 4 more years of college like you young grasshoppers get to, especially if I could relive it knowing all I know now.
In preparation for writing this letter I looked through my old photos from 2013-2014 (a simpler time) and can’t even believe how good we had it/have it at USC.
I was terrified to start college, especially so far from home (midwest represent) but even though freshman year had some hiccups and a healthy dose of homesickness, I met the people I love most in this world, grew a whole lot as a person, and had some of the greatest adventures along the way, all of which will add a lot of intrigue to my future memoir.
I’ve taken the liberty of bolding each of the takeaways because learning how to skim obscene quantities of text is another important college lesson you’ll soon learn.
Put yourself out there even though you don’t want to. As a social introvert, I love meeting new people, as long as I can be alone and decompress as soon as it gets to be too much for me. Welcome Week was physically draining because I can only be pleasant and positive-first-impression-provoking for so many hours in a day. I know myself so I just went to bed earlyish and tried really hard to put my best foot forward.
PRO-TIP: I am great at remembering people’s anecdotes but the worst at remembering names. Use pneumonic devices, make notes in your phone, ask them to add you on Facebook or get their numbers and have their name in your contacts- whatever it takes. It’s the worst when you see someone you really liked and they know your name but you don’t know theirs.
Try everything that even slightly interests you.
The link above is a list of the hundreds of student organizations on campus. I went to a few meetings of a bunch of clubs that I didn’t stick with and that’s okay. You got to sample a couple of cakes before you find the one you want for your wedding day, right?
My mom, who might even be wiser than I am, always says 90% of your college experience is outside of the classroom. Finding clubs to be a part of will make USC feel more like your new home.
Some good ones that allow you to explore and get off campus are Peaks & Professors (I’m a guide!) and SCOutfitters (pictured above). As a freshman, you probably don’t have a car on campus or know many people who do, so if you want to see all the great nature the LA area has to offer, sign up for some trips- they go fast!
http://peaksandprofessors.org/upcoming-trips/
https://campusactivities.usc.edu/lead/exchange/
Also, Adventure Lead, is an organization on campus that, as its name suggests, has really cool trips, like the hot air ballooning one I went on (pictured above) at greatly reduced prices for students.
Get to know and appreciate the people you live with! It wasn’t until I moved out of the dorm that I realized how great it was living with dozens of fabulous people just a few doors away. Communal bathrooms, shared study spaces, broken elevators - it’s all beautiful.
Plus your floor-mates are automatic study buddies, lunch companionship, and football-game friends. When you all go your separate ways to different housing off campus or on the Row, you’ll surely miss the convenience of having pals at such close proximity.
That being said, leave your dorm door open. Privacy is overrated, friendship is priceless. The best dorm experiences are the shared ones and no matter what dorm you’ve been assigned to, you have the power to make it an awesome or an average experience. Disclaimer- obviously when you leave your room close/lock your things if you want to keep them.
Welcome any visitors with open arms! Some of my favorite memories from freshman year are from my family and friends visiting me. It’s really fun to be a tour guide for people you love. Plus, pro tip, my grandma in all her adorableness got us to the front of the line for Jay Leno taping. Also, you may have heard the clatter of her dropping her cane on a taping of Jeopardy last year. Double pro-tip: these tapings are free! You just have to send an e-mail to the producers and arrive really early/bring your charming grandma.
Always be on the lookout for a clever costume! There’s a Goodwill two blocks from campus, some cool thrift stores in Hollywood, and more themed parties than you’ll know what to do with. Though I’m now living the minimalist life abroad like a champ, it wouldn’t hurt to pack a hilarious costume from home. My friends and I really committed to being Mean Girls for Halloween freshman year (I even wore army print and my shower shoes/flip flops). But you can do better and I fully intend to this year. Pro tip- Halloween in college is more like Halloweekend so multiple costumes is worth the investment.
Never turn down dinner with someone’s parents. Even though I’d dine in the cafeterias until my dying day, as a broke college student, fine dining opportunities are few and far between. When someone invites you to meet their parents, you respond with a resounding, “I’d love to!” because 1) great food and restaurant ambience 2) it’s so fun to analyze parent-child similarities, both physical and personality-wise.
Learn to love EVK. I’m passionate about EVK’s brussels sprouts and their vegetarian options are plentiful and tasty. I’ve never understood the people who said they didn’t like the food there- are your parents gourmet chefs or something? This is far better than my home cooking! Also, it’s okay to eat alone, no one cares and no one is watching you. It’s also okay to introduce yourself to the people sitting near you. And even though it’s called “Everyone’s Kitchen”, this isn’t your house, so don’t make a mess for the staff - they’re literally sustaining you and you’d be lost without them.
Figure out how to make it work if you really don’t like it! I developed some really delightful salad bar combinations and make a mean EVK milkshake (Pro-tip: if you ask nicely they can get you the can of whipped cream after waffle hours have long passed).
You go to school in Los Angeles- this is what dreams are made of. Campus is beautiful and that’s all well and good but you are approx. an hour (pending traffic - which you’ll learn to hate but respect) from beaches AND mountains and even closer to downtown and the arts district and just all kinds of cool things if you know where to look (which I do and am about to share).
If you have a good R.A., like I did, they will probably organize floor activities off campus and you should go to those. Similarly, after you’ve sampled a few student orgs, go to their events off campus. I went to the Los Angeles AIDS walk freshman year with USC OUTreach and met some super cool people (and saw Corbin Bleu in the flesh, though from a distance). Go to events and activities in Los Angeles- whether with your floor, with your major, or with a student org.
On that note,
In L.A., everyone has star power or at least star potential. Be a seat-filler, check out red carpet events, there’s even a few on campus.
There are film shoots on campus fairly regularly, there are screenings literally all the time, and you live just a few miles from some super cool events.
https://cinema.usc.edu/events/ - check out this link for screenings
and look up Seat Fillers for any event you might want to go to (pictured below: my friends and I went to the Sports Illustrated 50 Years of Beautiful party and saw Heidi Klum, Tyra Banks, and some other people I probably should know but don’t). These events are free because their organizers want them to look really cool and full so when celebrities don’t show up the common folk like us get to fill their seats if you dress up and show up.
Also freshman year, my friend Caroline and I got to meet Ellie Kemper after her improv troupe performed at a small venue in Hollywood for an audience of approx 20 people with tickets selling for $10. Always be on the lookout for the chance to meet your idols- a vigilant twitter presence might be necessary.
California has more to offer than Los Angeles! My freshman year I had the absolute joy of visiting my friends’ family in the Bay Area for the Weekender football game (Pro tip: unless you’re actually invested, don’t buy a ticket to the game, just go to the tailgates and explore the city). And second semester, my roommate and floor-mate visited his uncle in San Diego, just a 2 hour train ride away (pictured below). If there’s a will, there’s a way and planning a weekend get-away is not that difficult, especially if you do it in advance for good ticket prices.
Take advantage of the libraries!!! Leavey is open 24 hours but that’s probably the only thing it has going for it. Doheny (pictured below with a photo I snapped of Arnold Schwarzenegger) gives off great Harry Potter vibes and the Philosophy library is also wonderful. Varying where you study makes it a lot better.
Go to free concerts!!! Freshman year my friends and I went to the GroupLove concert before Jimmy Kimmel Live’s taping and didn’t pay a dime - except for the cost of public transport. There are some concerts on campus, like through Springfest and Visions and Voices, but it’s also a good idea to check out 1iota.com and other similar event sites that promote good, free music.
The Los Angeles Festival of Books is on campus every spring, so check out the list of authors coming, buy and read whatever interests you, and get to meet the genius behind it in the flesh! My friend Caroline and I heard BJ Novak (also known for being a writer of/Ryan Howard on The Office) speak and got to meet him and get his autograph on his book of short stories, One More Thing.
Lastly, do something that scares you at least once a week, try new things, meet and befriend people from completely different backgrounds, and be open to change - whether it be changing majors or changing opinions.
I’ll leave you with this picture of me trying to adjust the microphone of one of the actors from the second Hunger Games film, Bruno Gunn, before his Trojan Vision interview for my 2-unit TV Production course. I didn’t know a thing about TV production and I actually did a pretty poor job with the mic that had to be fixed by someone who knew better, but I’m still proud of myself for the risks I took freshman year and that I continue taking as a senior. No matter how badly you may embarrass yourself, within a few months or years you’ll be left with a funny anecdote and lots of life experience, and that makes the risk worth it!
Welcome to the Trojan Family, my dear sibling(s). I hope you’ve found this helpful and informative, and if you have any lingering concerns or doubts or questions- send them my way! (We have Ask a Trojan on this very page). I know you’re going to have an amazing USC experience and I would love to be a part of it.
And specific shout-out to my biological little brother, Nick, I can’t wait to be at the same school with you! It’s going to be just like the good old days but better because we don’t have to wear uniforms and have the freedoms of adulthood. You’re welcome at my house anytime, especially if you guest swipe me into EVK on occasion.
Fight on forever,
Grace Carballo ‘17
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