I just wanted to share with the CC Trojan family that I attended USC’s graduation this weekend and it was fantastic. With four kids, frankly, I don’t always look forward to these things (cause we have done so many starting with Kindergarten (cute) and 8th grade graduations - are these really necessary???) They can be so exhausting for that 30 seconds of glory as your student crosses the stage, but I ended up loving every minute of this one. I actually can’t believe how much I enjoyed it. Maybe I had set the bar really low going in that it could only be better than I thought. Will Ferrell gave the most enjoyable commencement speech I have heard in years. Seriously, it was that good. (I much prefer a comedic yet sincere speech without a bunch of political puffery.) I just love a good commencement speech and usually check them out when posted if there is some buzz, and it seems Ferrell got the buzz this year. Here it is for any one that also enjoys these things:
I have one finishing and one going in, so we will continue to Fight On. For those graduating in the future, I will try to remember some tips to make it a great day.
I also just got home from five wonderful days in LA for USC commencement. My tip for making it a great day is to make sure you designate a meeting place for finding your graduate after the ceremony is over. And don’t say Tommy Trojan! Everyone wants a picture with Tommy Trojan. We met my D at the fountain at Trousdale and Jefferson and took pictures later.
Also, if your graduate lives in a fraternity or sorority house, he or she may have parking available at the house.
Don’t miss the baccalaureate ceremony and dinner on Thursday night. The food was delicious and the evening was relaxing before the nonstop activity of the next day.
Commencement day was exhausting. We were in our seats before 6:30am, but even that early we didn’t get prime seats.
We stayed at a great Airbnb near DTLA.
Can’t believe the four years went by so quickly! I think I’ve enjoyed USC as much as she has.
I loved Will Ferrell as well, but I definitely had a bigger fangirl, er, fanboy moment when I saw that they were giving Helen Mirren an honorary degree and I loved how Will worked in a joke involving her My mom actually lost her phone as we were heading home. I wanted to change into my Vans after standing around in my dress shoes all day, so we took a break on a bench near the Marshall building and she left it there. Luckily, a fellow Trojan found my mom’s phone and called me to meet up and get it. I would have assumed that her phone was a goner given the massive crowds, but I guess you can never underestimate the power of the Trojan family and how loyal/trustworthy they are
Also, I loved the ethnic/cultural ceremony I attended. It was easily my favorite ceremony. It makes me want to go back to USC for my masters or PhD just so that I can experience it again, hehe.
On a funny note, my family slept in and I had to Uber it to make it for the Friday morning main ceremony. I got there at 8:20. Needless to say, it was a mad scramble and I somehow wound up sitting with the computer science masters graduates, lol
@zettasyntax Say it ain’t so, are you done already?! I know you were a transfer but gosh, that was a fast couple years! You have been so awesome on the other thread, it has been so nice of you to help your fellow Trojans! I forget, what did you get your degree in? I suppose you are staying in LA (I recall you are from there) are you ready to be a grown up?
Great story about the phone, but not surprised - it a good bunch. :)>-
I had no horses in this race, so to speak, since my middle son graduated last year and my youngest opted for Cal. That didn’t stop me from watching the entire graduation livestream this year! I also have to give props to Cooper Nelson, the adorable valedictorian, for striking a balance between insightful and hilarious in her speech. In many ways, I thought her speech was better than WF’s. She talked about being unemployed, but my guess is that she had job offers before she got back to her seat. All in all, a lovely commencement.
@CADREAMIN It sure was. It seems like it was only yesterday that I was having a blast at orientation for the spring admit transfers. I was technically supposed to graduate this fall, but I took that somewhat less than successful summer semester to speed things up. I did finally get an awesome grade in a Viterbi course though, so it seems like I finally got into the groove of things - it only took until my last semester heh I got my degree in computational linguistics. It’s basically a linguistics degree, but I had to take the lower division prep that computer science majors take and a couple of upper division CS electives. I was apparently the only comp ling major to graduate this year, so that made me a little nervous that my major is so new at USC. Yup, I only live about 8 miles from USC, so I’ll be sticking around LA. I didn’t get to explore the job fairs and various other great opportunities that USC offers us in my rush to graduate, so now it is time for me to explore the job market and be an adult Or go back to USC if they’ll have me. My department is such a great bunch.
@CCMThreeTimes Ah, I thought I posted this but realized it was still sitting here…Anyway, totally agree about Cooper, I rewatched hers too. Her timing and her giggle were so adorable! It was like she was talking to friends in a living room, just happened to be about 20,000 of them.
Making plans for D’s USC graduation in 2019. We booked at the USC Radisson because my parents are planning to attend and we want them to be able to get to events easily (and take a rest if needed). They will be 82 and 85 in 2019 and flying in from Florida. Yikes. They are currently (at a spry 80 and 83) extremely mobile and healthy.
Question for @CADREAMIN and @museoffire - should we arrive Wednesday or Thursday? We booked for Thursday, but that seems too close if we want to attend the Thursday night event. Also, is that dinner/event open everyone? Do you have to purchase tickets in advance or are students given a certain number?
Thanks for any and all advice! Two years ahead seems excessive for planning, but we live in the Boston area so plan ahead we must. :)>-
@jmek15 Kudos for planning ahead! We arrived Wednesday so my 80-year-old father could adjust to the timezone. The baccalaureate service and dinner is open to everyone–though a $40 ticket is required for the dinner, including for the student. I didn’t think I would enjoy the dinner as much as I did. It was a relaxing, joyous evening.
Here’s the info from this year’s commencement. I don’t think the timeline changes much year to year: https://commencement.usc.edu
There’s usually a lot of discussion with tips as the time approaches on the general USC Parents Facebook page. You might also check out the USC Parents Class of 2019 page.
We’ll probably stay longer in California but move to another hotel or AirBNB on Saturday. My daughter says a lot of folks do a little sightseeing afterward. My parents plan to visit my brother in San Diego.
Great link, @museoffire, Love the photos - cardinal red as far as the eye can see!!
I’m on the 2019 Parents Facebook page and there has been some helpful information there.
@jmek15
If I was coming from Boston, I would come in at least Wednesday and hit up a good downtown restaurant - got a few to recommend! I would think coming in Thursday you would be wiped out for Friday. Enjoy some CA time and relax if you have the time. Us, let’s see, we left Norcal at 7pm the night before - driving - got into LA at 1am and were on campus at 6:15am. Ready for this…then drove home that night. Don’t do that, ha. Lot’s of Redbull on I-5. But I had been to the campus at least 40+ times over last several years (had athlete there), so we literally just went for the graduation ceremony and a great lunch/dinner afterwards. I should note, we also had a senior prom to get D back for on Saturday! That was a bit exhausting, but gotta enjoy the madness before it gets too quiet around here.
My mom actually lost her phone as we were heading home. I wanted to change into my Vans after standing around in my dress shoes all day, so we took a break on a bench near the Marshall building and she left it there. Luckily, a fellow Trojan found my mom’s phone and called me to meet up and get it. I would have assumed that her phone was a goner given the massive crowds, but I guess you can never underestimate the power of the Trojan family and how loyal/trustworthy they are 