There are a lot of things that I love about USC, but my favorite thing has always been the people I have met. Starting at freshman orientation, it was a blast meeting such a diverse group of people all at once. Orientation is set up where you get to learn more about the academic program you are a part of and register for classes, but at the same time you also get to meet people from all different backgrounds and majors.
The first day of orientation was wild. You first meet with your orientation group, full of kids from different majors, then you talk to an academic advisor to figure out a course plan. After this the day is full of different activities and downtime to hang out with the people you just met. What’s crazy now is remembering all the people I met during orientation and how many of them I’m still friends with to this day. It was my first little taste of college that got me excited for what is to come.
Before classes start, USC hosts welcome week, which is a week of events full of fun activities and a great time to meet new people. I remember moving into my dorm room and getting to know my roommate as well as the other guys in my suite. All the guys in my suite were super cool and became some of my closest friends at USC. I also met a bunch of people from the different events I attended. Some of the most notable events I went to were the splash bash, BBQ, and the welcome back concert. I was constantly meeting new people and would hang out with them during downtime when no events were going on. Welcome week was by far one of the best weeks I had at USC.
By now, I’ve met hundreds of new faces and had the biggest change of pace in my life. The next thing that happened was classes beginning. Once again, I was meeting a bunch of new people from my GE classes as well as major classes. I would chat with these people before and after class, grab lunch with them at the dining hall, and just have an overall great time. What was so great about the first few weeks is I was getting eased into classes and was able to enjoy the new lifestyle of being a college student. I would hang out with people all the time and it didn’t matter what time of the day, there was no need for a reason to hang out. I could just hit up a friend I made in class, ask if they wanted to take the metro to Sawtelle and we could just go. It was the first time in my life where I lived literally 5 minutes away from all my friends. That was one of my favorite things freshman year, and I still love that vibe today with most of my friends living close by off campus.
Now, reflecting back on all the people I’ve met, I can’t imagine myself anywhere but USC. Everyone is charismatic, driven, and wants to have a good time. The focus of college is not only about getting a great degree, but meeting new people and creating fun memories. That is the X factor of USC and why I love it so much. Even now, I’m excited about my senior year of college and all the new people I’ll meet when things move back in person. USC has a buzzing and lively campus, and I can’t wait to see it in action again!
