<p>Ha ha- yes- you need to put out the flag! I have to admit, it’s actually very funny to see the “House Divided” flag that is cardinal and gold on one half and blue and gold on the other. The co-presidents of the USC parents association have such a flag because one went to USC and the other to the west LA school. They joke that they have a blended family but they are all “Trojans” at USC events.</p>
<p>Sequoia- are you from the UK… neighbour?</p>
<p>Yikes cc411, I don’t want to blow my cover, but no, not from UK but another country in Europe. British spelling though comes from my having grown up in Australia and attending university in Canada. Old habits don’t die easily lol.</p>
<p>When it was just my husband “the USC alumnus”, I was amused by the yelling at football games and wearing of the colors, USC alumni license plate frames, etc. Now that my daughter is entering this fall…I’ve morphed into a USC mom 
The excitement is contagious! I seem to keep telling my daughter to “Fight on” :)</p>
<p>Morphing is right! I was shopping for a sweatshirt for myself, and pushed the ones from MY university aside to purchase a USC one! I have never paid any attention to college football, but at Parent’s Weekend last October there was a session where they gave us, in essence, lessons in proper fan-ology of USC footbal games. At the actual game I enthusiastically showed off what I had learned - and my D claims I fully earned the “lame” part of my username. We - having never watched the Rose Bowl in the past - had a Rose Bowl party. It’s fun to be in the Trojan family!</p>
<p>bmom checking in here, I’m the representative for the internationals, I guess, but just Canada, not too far.</p>
<p>cc kept me sane last year and introduced me to a great group of people. All the info that I’m able to get from this group is definitely helping me survive.</p>
<p>Can’t believe there is only 7 weeks left till end of the year. I’m already stressing out about s packing up and moving out and living in an apartment next year having to cook and clean. His assigned roommate hasn’t replied his message yet so another unknown there.</p>
<p>So excited to read about all the new admits. Sure bring back a lot of memories. I can also feel the anxieties of the ones who are still waiting.</p>
<p>Ha-ha - all you new “football” moms - that is me!</p>
<p>Never understood football, was a band geek in high school went to all the games for 4 years, never did it interest me.</p>
<p>1st hubby, 14 years of married to a football nut - borrring.</p>
<p>Job, flight attendant, sometimes flying football teams around - did I care? Nope!</p>
<p>Fast forward, 1st son admitted to USC 4 years ago, 1st football game on Parents weekend, facing AZ wildcats, well I was crazy HOOKED!</p>
<p>Now I even watch pro games once in a while to follow the players after they graduate! I can talk college stats, coaches and players and game plays with any guy now plus my son and I have something to talk about - LOL! </p>
<p>Fight On!</p>
<p>Great stories, alamemom and ebay…</p>
<p>Glad you checked in, bmom. It’s much better on this side of admissions, isn’t it?</p>
<p>Welcome doame!</p>
<p>Thanks for the thanks! I’m honored to be an honorary mom! My mom told me to check on this thread, and asked me to post this for her:</p>
<p>Yes, cc411, I’m out here. My toe is in the water, but I haven’t jumped in because I haven’t coined an appropriate nom de plume. After four years of avid lurking with nary an inspiration, I may have to take the plunge with a generic handle. Hey, how about Genericmom?</p>
<p>Well, I felt a little hesitant posting. My D just got accepted and we are waiting on another decision from and Ivy, but I think she is leaning towards USC. But that is not why I am not hesitant about posting----it’s that I graduated from UCLA! How can I be a USC mom??? Maybe I should start a new thread: Recovery for Bruins Whose Children Go to USC. </p>
<p>I feel good about her going there and am very proud of her. I have many good friends that went to 'SC…</p>
<p>But I am fearful about Freshman Orientation week----do they still have that one meeting in Bovard where they teach the spell-out and show the film with all the Bruin quarterbacks getting sacked and then the marching comes in down the aisles and it is the big feeding frenzy of newly initiated Trojans!? I went to one of those many years ago–incognito–and it scared me. </p>
<p>I can be proud of her and I can cheer USC on in the final four, but I don’t think I could wear a USC sweatshirt. :D</p>
<p>Congrats on your D’s acceptance! And congrats on step #1 of the morphing process: posting on the USC mom’s thread!!!</p>
<p>LOL happy_sunflower. Join the group! My H graduated that other school and I (gulp) teach there. I felt all of your feelings, too. Including having many great friends who are USC alums. But there is nothing that prepares you for the warmth of the welcome that USC puts out to our kids and, really, to all of our families. I actually bought a football jersey-type shirt last year and (gulp again) wore it on game days. And I loved it!!! Prepare to be won over by the positive morale-boosting spirit.</p>
<p>As I recall from Orientation: Yes, the Trojan Band shows up. No, I don’t recall the film of the sacking of UCLA quarterbacks. It was a really positive SC (not anti UCLA moment).</p>
<p>My D did notice on the campus tours–she did USC and UCLA in one day–that USC was positive towards UCLA (no put-downs). At UCLA there were many negative references to USC. In fact the tour at UCLA left much to be desired (kind of embarrassing for me).</p>
<p>Thanks for the welcome. Wow Madbean, thanks for helping me not feel alone.</p>
<p>My husband wears the USC T-shirt all the time now. He does not only watch football but basketball as well. Before our daughter attends USC, soccer is the only team sport we watch.</p>
<p>happy_sunflower- Just know that you will not be the lone UCLA alum. I know there are MANY parents who are Bruins and everyone does come together for their kids. Watch for one of the Parent Meetings at Orientation hosted by the husband/wife co-presidents of the Parents Association- the wife went to UCLA and the husband went to USC. (Oh- their tenure might be up by then but you get my point…)</p>
<p>Nikara’s Mom/GenericMom- I KNEW you’d be watching! You have great restraint to just watch for four years. Sometimes I tell myself I am not going to post for awhile then something riles me up and I can’t resist. Congrats on Nikara’s graduation- well… in May, that is. You really should be proud and it’s obvious to see she is going to be successful in whatever she does.</p>
<p>I love this love-fest. :D</p>
<p>Do you ever do this:</p>
<p>Someone posts something here that infuriates you so you write out a biting response- and then, fortunately, you come to your senses and delete it before posting?</p>
<p>I do that ALL the time. There have also been occasions when I didn’t delete and later wish I had.</p>
<p>MOST of my posts are never posted. Either I get my venting done by typing it out and no longer feel the need to post it, or I re-read what I wrote and realize I have nothing of value to add. Other times I time-out and am unable to post before logging in again - which gives a much-needed chance to reflect…</p>
<p>yes, I have deleted quite a few posts, mostly because it didn’t seem helpful. </p>
<p>I’m always amazed at how patient and poised some of you are when dealing with some of these posts.</p>
<p>One nice thing that happens often:</p>
<p>After I (luckily) delete a ridiculously my unhelpful or ranting post, I will see that one of you moms just posted a great answer that I didn’t think of or couldn’t articulate like that. It’s so satisfying.</p>
<p>I remember one particular poster that made us so angry. I received a number of PMs about it from those who like me were deleting potential posts in response. So we ranted in a few PMs and that really helped.</p>