Notes from the Underground, or more like the hyper-manicured grounds

For those of you who are unaware, after a long and arduous process, I am officially a first year grad student at USC, or S-C, as they call it here, now enrolled in the school of PPD- Planning, Policy & Development- with an emphasis on sustainable land use i.e. go green! More green building materials, more access to mass transit, building environments that promote a better standard of living for all people, etc.,

I am still getting used to seeing kids clad- willingly- in apparel (and not just the athletic kind) that bears the school's logo and/or colors.

At my art school, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) to wear the apparel sold at the bookstore was to be met with indifference, or why did you spend $60 on that hoodie?!

There are probably a thousand "beach cruiser" bikes here too- in just about every color imaginable- though they tend toward the citrus hues and a lot of Pepto-Bismol pink. These bikes would get you laughed out of any self-respecting "real" bike shop- one gear!? you've got to be kidding me! But they're happy to sell them to you on Main Street in Santa Monica for $300+ a pop. Ouch.

It is also "rush" week at school this week i.e. sorority Barbie Yup, every stereotype you think of when the word "sororities" comes up is pretty much here. I am obligated to say tho, that not all sororities are like that. As one of my best friends is both a self-proclaimed metalhead and member of a very non-Barbie-ish sorority.

But it is a beautiful campus- really freakin beautiful- I can't decide which is my favorite building- pictures to follow- and the faculty are top-notch.

It's nice to have pretty buildings to look at as I engage in a death sprint from my Tuesday class of the History of Urban Planning in Ralph and Goldy Lewis Hall to um, I call it Tapien, which is about a 1/4 mile away, which wouldn't be bad, except I only have ten minutes between classes- thanks to a last-minute scheduling change.

I like to pop in my earbuds and crank up the ol' ipod, but I have to be mindful of the maintenance, grounds, and other staff who whiz around on their little electric cars, driving like the maniacs that they and every other driver are in the City of Angels- hello! I pay your salary- yes you! Would it kill you to slow down? At least the carts are electric.

Some kids also ride their skateboards, which I possess absolutely no experience in, and only have admiration for them as they navigate around the swarms of bodies. I'd like to learn, but I'm pretty sure that I do not possess the requisite inner-ear balance necessary not to kill myself.

I've been able to watch the USC band practice their songs and I must say that it is quite inspiring, think "Chariots of Fire". Though again, as a former art school attendee I simply cannot comprehend the hoopla surrounding the Trojan football team, nor the desire to fork over $160 of my student loan dollars to attend 6 home games. Um fight on?

I can know pick out an undergrad from a grad student at sixty paces, the Lauren Conrad wannabees don't count. Nor the guys who hope to be the next Brody Jenner *shudder* I thought they broke the mold. Some of the guys it is a little harder- facial hair is not a surefire indicator, though it usually points to underclassman. But it amazes me how little I have in common socially with the vast majority of these people- even the seniors. We have different attitudes on cell phones, ipods, and even laptops- all of the aforementioned items were not "givein's" when I was their age- they were all pricey, techy gadgets that I could live without, not something that everyone and their grandma (!) have. I think the fact that we are carbon-based life forms are the only thing that we have in common. Cuz it certainly ain't music.

So, there, in a nutshell, is the USC social campus.