It’s time to say goodbye to the most memorable two years I had at USC. It all started with tears of joy when I received my acceptance letter; my happiness knew no bounds. With all the excitement and nervousness of living thousands of miles away from home, I reached LA for the very first time on Dec. 25th, 2015. The first week I stayed with my relatives in Laguna Beach and everything was just so beautiful and lit-up with the Christmas lights. I knew I would love the next two years.
The first time I visited campus – Oh! what a beautiful sight it was. My first words were – “WOW! I am so lucky to be here!” I was finally going to begin my journey as a Masters student in Electrical Engineering from one of the most prestigious universities. The biggest challenge that I faced when I began school here was choosing the subjects and getting used to the absolutely different study pattern. But with the help of the EE advisors, I was able to set a routine and accustom myself to the new life pretty easily. I was enjoying every moment at school. I made sure to not miss out on the wonderful things that LA had to offer. And, I explored around a lot. I fell in love with the City of Angels and it sure is my second home.
The most memorable part of my classes were the amazing professors and the opportunity to take a class on the Fokas method under the mathematician who invented it, Professor Athanassios Spyridon Fokas, himself. Apart from my regular classes, I had the most wonderful experience working as a news writer for the Daily Trojan – from interviewing extraordinary people to struggling with deadlines and still being able to produce a great piece. Come my second semester, and I got the opportunity to work with William Schwerin as a blog writer for Viterbi Pulse. William was present at my department orientation before I began school and who knew I would be working with him in the coming months. It’s been such a delight sharing stories and experiences with all the fellow Trojans.
From going crazy about assignments and exams to trying to learn taekwondo to taking vacations to looking for an internship and living each day to the fullest – my time as a USC student has been full of lovely and unforgettable memories.
Always a Trojan! Fight On!
Tanushree Kakani ~ Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (Control Systems) ~ University of Southern California ~ Class of 2018!
Published on December 15th, 2017
Last updated on April 1st, 2021