It's hard to even fathom how much has changed since I stepped onto this campus for the first time, still with no idea where I wanted to go to college. Still with 60 percent of my brain focused on the issue of the Harbinger my high school staff was putting out at home without me. Still a few pounds lighter and and a few shades paler and a million midterms and breaking news stories and papers and roommate dramas younger.
As Dad and I pulled out of LAX onto the darkened streets of Los Angeles, the balmy air kissed my cheeks as I gazed up at the smog-orange sky, strangely starless in the light-polluted night.
I remember how proud we were to navigate the 405 to the 10 to the 110 —which I called "I-405," "I-10" and "I-110" — and finding USC without a hitch. I remember peering across the Quad to VKC from Parking Structure X, marveling at my first real live palm trees and snapping pictures with my phone. As we walked across the Quad, we saw a gaggle of fraternity boys playing croquet, dressed in all white with long socks and flat caps, unlit cigars jammed into their snarky grins.
I remember posing for a picture in the arches of Mudd Hall of Philosophy and on the steps of the Stoops Education Library, two beautiful buildings I haven't been in since.
I remember wandering through Topping Student Center, grabbing some granola and fruit before my first tour of Annenberg — a building that no longer even exists.
I remember Dad and I stepping inside Annenberg for the first time, my heart speeding up and a smile stretching across my face as we went from classroom to classroom. At the end of our tour, Allyson Hill — the director of admissions — turned to me and said, "You really love this place, don't you?"
My eyes were shining and my mouth hurt from smiling and I didn't even know how to say it.
Two years later, I still feel thankful every day I'm here.
• • •
Ironically, the place I spend the most time in wasn't even a part of my first USC visit.
These days, my roommates and I are jokingly discussing subletting my bed for 18 hours a day and earning some extra cash on the side while I work at the DT.
More blog posts are coming on some interesting topics, but know (as most of you have realized) that they'll be more sporadic until December.
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2 comments:
Yay you blogged! I missed USC Transcribed.
This is a really cute post. I especially enjoyed the last bit about your roommates jokingly discussing subletting your bed because you're always at the Daily Trojan :)
Unlit cigars? What's the point? :-P
Cute story.
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