To express my thoughts regarding the Viterbi School of Engineering, I decided to write a quick parody to the opening melody of “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music:
Smart and kind people
And really cool classes
Clubs and design teams
And all different passions
Everyone just wants to see you succeed
This is what you’d ever hope for or need
(I’m basically a musical theatre major, am I right?)
Let’s dive into each of these specifically.
People
Everyone that I’ve met so far is simply incredibly driven and kind. We all know that engineering is hard (because we’re all going through it together), so the amount of support I have from my friends, peers, and professors is unmatched. Even if I’m feeling stressed or anxious, I know I always have a great support system in place to lean on.
Classes
I have taken some incredible classes in my first year at Viterbi, including Introduction to Astronautics, Calculus, Physics: Mechanics, Engineering Freshman Academy, Introduction to MATLAB, and more. The professors that teach these classes are so passionate about their fields and genuinely just want us to succeed. They’re always there to help us talk through a difficult concept or answer any questions we have.
Extracurriculars
When it comes to extracurriculars in Viterbi, there’s many to choose from. There’s teams for Formula SAE Racing, for model airplanes, and for rocketry. There’s a club that builds anything and everything you can imagine, there’s organizations for specific majors and focuses, and cultural clubs to incorporate and support more diversity in engineering at USC. The opportunities are truly endless.
Diversity of Interests
While all of us at Viterbi have a passion for engineering, we all a) love different types of engineering, and b) have different interests outside of engineering as well. Though Viterbi is relatively small, there’s still a breadth of representation for the different facets of engineering, and I’ve enjoyed learning about all of them. As for hobbies outside of engineering, my friends enjoy things like surfing, making music, intramural sports, singing, exploring LA, attending USC sports games, and so much more. I’m the same way, in that I love engineering, but in addition to it I also love putting time into my other hobbies.
And these are just a few reasons why myself and my friends have thrived at Viterbi. In essence, Viterbi’s the place to be, because this is what we’d ever hope for or need!
