Reddit, Home of the Real Trojan Family
by Noah Etoka
The legendary Trojan Family. It consists of individuals affiliated with the USC, and it’s an extension of one even more exclusive group— the Trojan Network, a powerful web of the university’s alumni that stretches across the globe. Acceptance and attendance are the only requirements to join the network, but that leaves out an under looked demographic that may be interested in what our school has to offer. Prospective students who haven’t made a final decision on where to attend school yet could benefit from access to these groups. They aren’t quite future Trojans yet, just potential ones, but their presence in our community is important. Like current students, they’re highly interested in what everyday life looks like for a Trojan and want to learn about the opportunities that coming to this school could bring. When you’re considering college, there is so much to ask and say.
Their input matters, but where can they go to share it?
Unfortunately, the spaces that allow for this are limited. Some social media and messaging sites are a go-to for most, but they end up being less than promising. USC related group chats on Instagram and GroupMe eventually die out. Sidechat isn’t even available on Android yet, and TikTok faces a ban every few months. You can’t rely on LinkedIn requests from former students you barely know to create a deep connection, and Facebook groups are simply filled with bots. The declining algorithms on other platforms make it hard to stay up to date with relevant content. All of this makes it more difficult to get realistic advice on where to attend college.
So where could someone possibly go to find a supportive environment on all things USC? A place that encouraged discussion and connection with current, future, and former Trojans? I asked this same question myself in that terrible period after all my applications had been sent in. This is where r/USC comes in.
The promise of joining the Trojan Family with no insight at all was daunting. What I found on the site helped ease this fear. Trojans of all kinds converge on the USC subreddit for advice, a chance to laugh, and share news. I’ve found it to be a place full of resources, something to quickly provide me with authentic information that would be difficult to find anywhere else. I had so many questions, and finally, people who could answer them.
Questions I commonly see on the subreddit include:
Which professor would be better for this specific course?
Where could you find housing for the next school year? What was your experience living there?
How do you talk to the financial aid office to get the most out of your package? How do you even decipher it?
What do people who actually went to USC have to say about their time there?
What are my chances of getting in?
Even if they've been asked again and again, there will always be a person ready to respond to all of these in a helpful way. This is what the Trojan family is meant to be. Helping each other for the sake of being helpful. This community allows Trojans of all kinds to give and receive assistance. It holds information you can’t find anywhere else, and a wealth of knowledge that connects everyone to each other.
Using Reddit as a resource has been so beneficial to me. The way it makes this information open and available to all is admirable, and I believe that this online community made my transition into the Trojan Family at least a little easier. I don’t doubt that it’s helped pave the way for other future Trojans to see why USC could be the right choice for them. That’s why I want to pass on this information to you, especially if you’re a prospective student. I think the Trojan Family is a special one. You shouldn’t have to become a part of it alone.
