From Williams-Brice to newsroom, range of experiences define USC life
Putting your finger on the Carolina experience is impossible. No single moment defines it — rather, a vast collection of them. And though we’re a campus of more than 30,000, no two of us have all of the same ones. And, if you’ll indulge me, on my final day as editor of The Daily Gamecock, I’d like to share some of mine. They, and many more, have made up my time here, and it’s been a blast. Thanks, USC — forever to thee.
Forever to:
Spending so many nights in Columbia Hall freshman year that my friends’ resident mentor thought I lived there. Playing intramural sports. Scoring that one goal in floor hockey that one time. Never winning a damn championship T-shirt.
Joining The Daily Gamecock. Loving it. Hating it. Missing deadline. Making memories. Walking in on, and participating in, inexplicable conversations in the production room. Tweeting. Facebooking. Instagramming. Going on 2 a.m. Beezer’s runs that inspired philosophical speeches about life.
Traveling to Germany for a Maymester — and going on what had to be the worst ghost tour in history.
Running in the Krispy Kreme Challenge and finishing in less than an hour (and not throwing up)!
Rushing. Pledging. Being an executive officer in a fraternity. Surviving Carolina Cup. Twice. Meeting Captain Morgan. (Not a euphemism — we literally took pictures with him.) Dropping the fraternity to spend more time at the newspaper.
Playing understudy to two of the most talented editors The Daily Gamecock has ever seen. Endlessly quoting “The Social Network” with one and Dave Matthews Band with the other. Witnessing the greatest roast of all time. Learning how to Dougie. Subsequently teaching others. Learning how to shag. Accidentally punching Ellen Meder in the face while doing so.
Making the worst mistake of my journalistic career. Wanting to die, but living to tell the tale — and having it retold, and retold, and retold...
Sitting in the Carolina Stadium and Williams-Brice press boxes for Opening Day and for Steve Spurrier’s 200th win, respectively. Being star-struck both times, but totally playing it cool.
Attending three college newspaper conferences in three amazing cities. Covering the 2012 presidential election. Absentee voting. Interviewing Jon Huntsman one-on-one. Dancing unabashedly at the first and last Student Media Prom. Embarrassing myself, but having fun.
Seeing two College GameDays and almost every home football game. Sitting in the same spot with the same friends. Staying the whole time. “Sandstorming” and cheering till I was hoarse.
Having my heart broken. Figuring things out. Scoring some fantastic summer internships. Stressing out about the future. Having the most incredible parents, family and friends I could ever ask for.
Not even wanting to go to USC in the first place.
But realizing with conviction there’s no place I’d rather have spent the last four years.