Why USC? My Common App Essay About a Bus
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
It’s that time of year: college applications. SATs and ACTs may be canceled by the Common App essays are not. Keep reading for my college essay and my reflections on it, the college application process and time at USC.
My Common App Essay
Self-designed prompt:
Your parent’s hand-me-down Chevy? Totoro’s catbus? Uber? Your own two legs (or 8 tentacles)? What is your mode of transportation? -Sophia Pei (future class of 2022)
“Approaching 26th Street”
Home is my refuge and place of escape, where code-switching is appropriate and my parents host their monthly Joy-Luck-Club-esque gatherings, where my obese British Shorthair reigns; the first and last stop of every bus trip. Each bus ride expands my comfort zone and definition of home. The bus, too, is a home, an established place of comfort where I can lean up against the blue-felt chairs and listen to 80’s music (through my earbuds). The eco-friendly, six-wheeled vehicle is my connection to my community: taking me home, school, and all the places in between.
“Next stop: Cloverfield Boulevard”
The bus passes Mckinley Elementary School. During recess, I could always be found making flower chains. How ironic that the image of 8-year-old innocence comes at the cost of hundreds of lives. Thankfully, when distraught 4th-grade-me confessed my massacre of thousands of trifolium repens, the gardener informed me white clovers are “pesky weeds”. From friendship bracelets to the quarter-mile fifth-grade effort that wrapped around Mckinley’s track, these daisy chains allowed my socially-awkward self to connect with people around me. I still return regularly to the field — the calming repetitive action of tying stem to head bringing back early childhood nostalgia.
“Next stop: Sawtelle Boulevard”
The sound of thirteen “singing” teenage girls reaches the passengers. As diverse as we are, my friends and I share the same appreciation of boba, overpriced plushies, and bad singing. “Don’t worry! We’re just going to the restroom,” my friends claimed the first time we entered Max’s Karaoke. Here were the people who laughed at my punishable puns, raged over Minecraft factions wars, comforted me when my pet turtles died, and who somehow coerced me into a room with a couch, monitor, and two microphones. Some were the very same playmates from Mckinley, but I was still terrified of entering the seven deadly digits into the calculator-esque-karaoke-song-selection-contraption and exposing the reason I played instruments rather than sang. After singing “Count on me” as a full-ensemble to performing a “Mad World” solo, I realized these people were my chosen family who’ll love me despite my dying-cat sounds. We’ve made monthly expeditions to Sawtelle ever since.
“Next stop: 6th Street”
The bus turns the corner around my second home: the library. The shelves that once towered over me are now eye-level. With my own growth, the library too expanded — I can no longer recognize a book from every shelf of the Children’s section, finding more familiarity in the “grown up” aisles. Slowly, the tales of Candide achieving his bittersweet goal and Scarlett O’Hara letting go of unreciprocated love replace Firestar’s life arc and sci-fi utopian dystopias. Books transported me away from the lackluster reality of parental disappointment and social prejudice to a realm of magic and unconditional love. However, this vicarious living offers me something more than escape: empathy. I grew up with Jeannette Walls, learning that parents aren’t perfect: they’re only human and can yell, hold unfair biases, and sometimes only pursue their own self-interest. I experienced non-platonic love with H. Humbert — love is messy, painful (and sometimes illegal) but beautiful nonetheless. These novels introduced me to new and, in some cases, controversial perspectives and made me better understand the people around me.
My fellow bus-riders view the bus-time as a waiting purgatory; desiring the destination rather than the journey. With my new destination being a place where my bus cannot take me (unless the route gets extended), I’ve become more appreciative of the bus not only as a public service but as a vital part of my life. My periwinkle bus allowed me to make new friends, explore fictional realms, and expand my definition of home. As I reflect on the memories of passing places I remind myself who I am, but like the bus, I too move forward.
Background and Reflection
To give some context, the Big Blue Bus is the primary public transportation system in my hometown, Santa Monica. When I was in high school (and honestly my entire childhood) I relied heavily on the bus to get me pretty much everywhere that wasn’t walking distance. I didn’t learn to drive until my freshman year of college, and honestly even today (2 years later) I’m not comfortable driving in Los Angeles. My essay was structured off of important stops on Line 1 (one of the routes that primarily ran on Santa Monica Blvd).
There are a lot of complaints about the LA’s public transportation system, and I agree, it’s not perfect. In comparison to the streamlined bus and highspeed train systems of China and Japan, it’s laughable. However, I do recognize the privilege of having access to public transportation at all. While the Metro rails and buses are known for running behind schedule, they are cost-effective, ecofriendly, and a great way at getting from point A to point B. My college essay was really a giant metaphor of my life rolled into an appreciation essay about West LA’s public transportation. (Thank you Big Blue Bus!)
Looking back on this essay really does bring up a lot of nostalgic memories. I definitely wouldn’t want to relive the college application process, but I do think it caused me to do a lot of introspection and learn more about myself. While the Big Blue Bus isn’t my go to mode of transportation anymore (but hey, if it expands to LA I’d be a regular customer), it taught me the importance of community connections.
Why USC?
This is definitely an easier question to answer now than it was December 2018. I don’t recall the reasons senior-year-me wanted to go to USC but I can confidently say I’m glad I do. Even now, while I understand why colleges and employers ask the “why us?” question, I wonder what the question achieves because I feel like you don’t understand the “WHY [insert college name here]” until you start attending that university.
I can confidently say now, one of the primary reasons I choose USC now is for the people. From my freshman year suitemates to my lab partner to my research mentors, the community is what makes me so happy I chose USC. I’m not sure what kind of reputation USC may have to outsiders — possibly elitist and full of spoiled children whose parents bribed their way in — but I’ve found it nothing but supportive. I’m happy to say I’ve made some of my closest friends here and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
As generic as it sounds, the opportunities at USC are also truly limitless. As a freshman, I was able to study abroad in Xiamen, China with my research mentor and freshman year science professor. I lead sessions teaching fun science experiments to second and third graders with fellow college students. I learned how to play harp. I woke up at 3am on a weekly basis to figure skate and competed in my first collegiate skating event in Denver, Colorado. I work with an amazing team of researchers developing robot tutor companions for children with ASD. I brought together people in my residential hall by planning community meetings. I volunteer and paint with patients at a local nonprofit hospital in DTLA. I’m managing editor for a student blog. I could keep going, but I think you get the idea. One of the perks of going to a large private school is the amount of resources and vast variety of opportunities available. Between all the clubs, research labs, student leadership positions, and amazing classes there is something (hopefully multiple somethings) for everyone. The one piece of advice I would give prospective students: keep an open mind and try everything!
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