University of Southern California

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Hallmarks and Quirks

Things I'm Good At:

Football. The Pete Carroll days were pretty epic.
Tailgating. Before the big football games. Yes, I love football.
Film. I mean, hello, I did graduate both George Lucas and Judd Apatow.
Accounting. It may not be the most glamorous position, but it's very useful, and pays very well.
Video game design. The Princeton Review ranked me the best in the nation.

My Top 5 Must-Haves:

A quality laptop. Most students use these for Netflix and blogging…I think you can also take notes on them, though.
A spare jacket. Be ready for anything on a normal school day. Some days start out at eighty degrees and end below fifty.
A good mattress pad. If you're the soft-bed type.
Textbook background checks. In other words, make sure you actually need the textbook. Some teachers don't even mention it. Save that money when you can.
Season football passes. Do I really need to explain this one?

Why You Might Have Heard of Me:

Olympic athletes. I've sent over 400 Trojan athletes to the Olympics. Really makes up for that time with the horse, no?
My football program. It makes noise on the media circuit every year.
Famous cinema school. Directors George Lucas, Ron Howard, and Judd Apatow all went here. Ahem.
Giving people the gift of sight. In 2013, the FDA approved a retinal prosthesis system developed by one of my professors. It grants visual perception to blind people.

On a regular Saturday night, you can find me...

If the team's playing at home, I'm at a football game for sure. Otherwise, you'll find me at frat parties, at different types of concerts around LA, or at some of the great nightlife in West Hollywood. Even if you're not that much into the party scene, there are plenty of great sights to see and late-night eateries that anyone can enjoy.

Favorite Hangouts:

The USC Campus Student Center. It's a great place to hang out in between classes. There's great food, activities, and all the socializing you can take.
The New North dorms. For all the best pre-game parties.
Jacks 'N' Joes. There may be a long line, but this place is famous for breakfast and brunch. Try the French dip—you won't be disappointed.
The Lab Gastropub. It's on campus and has some of the best drinks and pub food around.
Nature's Brew Café. Whether you're in need of caffeine or just a nice place to work, this place is one of the best. They've got some pretty bomb pastries, too.

Quirks:

I have a gargoyle that's making a rude gesture towards a bust of a former USC president on campus. Supposedly, the architect responsible had some sort of disagreement with him that was never resolved. Very Michelangelo, no?
Students from adjacent colleges like to party with me on the weekends. CSUN, Chapman University, and LMU students are welcome anytime.
My marching band is the only one in the United States to have earned a platinum record.
John Wayne played football for me. That's right, pilgrim.

Famous Alumni:

Randy Johnson, a.k.a. "The Big Unit," a lefty pitcher in the major leagues
John Wayne, famous actor in old Western films
Will Ferrell, Ron Burgundy himself
Troy Polamalu, of the Pittsburgh Steelers
Ron Howard, narrator of Arrested Development and director of Apollo 13
Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon
George Lucas, Star Wars…'nuff said