What is Hecuba Watch? (From a USC Helene)
by Emily Quintanilla ‘24
Happy Rivalry Week! On November 18, the USC football team will play our crosstown rivals, the UCLA Bruins. Rivalry Week is a special time on campus – from Sunday to the Saturday game, students take part in several traditions to celebrate the 90-year rivalry.
You may have noticed some of these traditions taking place. Have you noticed George Tirebiter in his doghouse and Traveler all wrapped up? Or students diligently watching Tommy Trojan in Hahn Plaza and Hecuba in the USC Village? These are the oh-so-spirited Trojan Knights and Helenes.
This semester, I am honored to join the USC Helenes as a Fall 2023 Rosebud. As a new Helene, this will be my first (and last) Hecuba Watch fully participating in one of our newest traditions on campus.
Here is everything I think you should know about Hecuba Watch.
Who are the Helenes?
We are the official hosts of USC! As one of the oldest service organizations at the university, we are dedicated to supporting the community through acts of volunteerism, hospitality, and service.
What is Hecuba Watch?
During Rivalry Week, the Helenes protect Hecuba 24/7 from potential vandals and pranks from our crosstown rivals. The tradition began in 2017 when the statue – which depicts the Queen of Troy – was unveiled in the Village.
The Helenes' partner organization, the Trojan Knights, has held a similar tradition since the 1940s. So the legend goes, the epic prank war between the rival schools (which sometimes included paint and manure) drove the Knights to implement a “Tommy Watch” to guard the statue for the entire week leading up to the big game. Now with Hecuba, USC’s first prominent female statue, both organizations bring students together to protect two equally important symbols of the university.
What do the Helenes do during Hecuba Watch?
Our top priority is to guard Hecuba, rain or shine (our commitment was certainly tested this week). Other than hanging out and studying, the Helenes have lots of events during Hecuba Watch to pass the time. Our organization is built on four pillars: service, spirit, family, and DEI. These pillars are reflected in all of the events that we do! For example, this week we’ve bonded through poster-making (see below for my favorite poster this year), yoga and wellness classes, and lots of family dinners.
The Helenes take shifts day and night to ensure no enemies infiltrate the USC Village. I guarded Hecuba for most of Wednesday night. Here is what my time at Hecuba Watch looked like.
6 p.m. - Volunteered at the Hecuba Food Bank, a week-long service project planned by the new class of Helenes. In preparation for the holiday season, the Helenes are collecting non-perishable food items at Hecuba Statue (from 5 - 7 p.m.) to donate to the L.A. Regional Food Bank.
8 p.m. - General Helenes meeting. Members met this week at Hecuba Statue (we must guard her at all times!) to go over upcoming events and announcements.
10 p.m. - Trojan Marching Band performs. The Greatest Marching Band in the History of the Universe, Ever (aka the Spirit of Troy) visited the Helenes and the Trojan Knights at our respective statues. They played our USC game day favorites, including several, passionate renditions of “Tusk.”
12 a.m. - My shift begins. Did you really do Hecuba Watch if you didn’t volunteer for a late-night shift? Thankfully, the night passes by quickly with the company of my Helenes family. We play countless rounds of Wavelength to pass the time.
3 a.m. - Three hours in! Unfortunately, the earlier rainfall made the night colder than usual. I spent most of my night looking for dry blankets to huddle under.
6 a.m. - The sun finally rises in the USC Village. My turn at watching Hecuba is almost over.
7 a.m. - Breakfast. The best part of Hecuba Watch is the free food! Thank you to all of the community members, campus departments, and local stores who provided the Helenes with our meals.
8 a.m. - Once my shift is over, I head to class with zero hours of sleep but lots of memories.
Can you visit the Helenes at Hecuba Watch?
Yes, you’re welcome to come and say a quick “hello.” We love talking about our organization and the university traditions we uphold.
What’s so special about Hecuba Watch?
During my first Rivalry Week, I remember passing through the USC Village and seeing students bundled up trying to stay warm under the wrapped-up Hecuba statue. Their signs were hilarious (including one that read “Jake Gyllenhall is a Bruin” which was extremely timely for the Red (Taylor’s Version) era). As a newbie to campus, I envied the group – it looked like they were having so much fun! I was excited by the spirit of the Helenes, and I wanted to be a part of the tradition.
This semester, I am excited to be a part of the organization that I looked up to since the beginning of my college career. On the one hand, I’m able to participate in bettering the school and surrounding community through numerous activities. On the other hand, I’m able to participate in memorable events around campus – like Hecuba Watch!
To students passing by, Hecuba Watch might be a silly task before the big game, but, for me, Hecuba Watch connects me to the Trojan Family of past and present. It’s times like this that I love being a Trojan and attending a school with so much history and tradition.
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