Student Perspectives: My Favorite USC Traditions
Hey everyone!! I’m Roy Gantz, a senior studying Public Relations, with minors in Theatre and Songwriting. Coming up on my final semester at USC, I’m here to tell you about the Trojan traditions that have colored my years here–so read along!
Tommy Watch
Whether you follow football religiously, or you don’t know the difference between a touchdown and a 50-yard line, every USC student knows when it’s time to face off against UCLA. Dubbed “Conquest”, the big game against our cross-county rival is marked by a week-long Tommy Watch by the Trojan Knights. Wrapped in 6 feet and 5 inches of silver duct tape, Tommy Trojan stands proudly protected against any bad actors from the other side, with the Knights surrounding him on all sides. It’s a tradition that caught me by surprise my first year, when a friend in the Knights told me he was going to be sleeping outside for a week. Over the course of that week, we’d come visit him–enjoying pizza and watching the sunset behind Tommy. Although the threat from the other school loomed large, there was peace and friendship under the tents by Tommy.
Commedus Interruptus 24-Hour Show
Something not everyone knows about USC is our insane comedy scene. There are five Improv groups on campus that perform shows weekly, and sketch groups that put on shows every semester. These groups are made up of people from across majors, coming together to be silly and laugh. Every year, though, my favorite comedy show is hosted by Commedus Interruptus, a group with SNL alumni such as Kyle Mooney and Beck Bennett. In the Spring semester, this group hosts a 24-hour show outside in the center of campus. This is exactly what it sounds like. The actors in this group improv together for 24 hours straight, documenting every second on their Instagram stories. The entire Theatre community and beyond comes and cheers them on, with fellow actors coming after their 6pm to10pm rehearsals, and devoted fans cheering them on during the 4am slump. Watching these shows is all the more hilarious, as the actors get more and more delirious the more tired they get. Next year, go to the 24-hour show and bring them some street tacos. They deserve it.
Traveller the Horse
If I asked you “who is USC’s mascot”, you’d probably respond, “Tommy Trojan.” Well, what if I told you that was WRONG?! I know, crazy! Our mascot is actually Traveller the Horse, who stands directly across from the iconic Tommy Trojan in the center of campus. But Traveller is more than a statue–which was evident to me after my first football game in my first year. As much fun as the games are, I remember sitting pretty bored (sports aren’t my forté but I love hearing the marching band!). I was zoning out until we scored our first touchdown, and a white horse started galloping around the football field. That’s right, a real life horse. I couldn’t believe my eyes. This was the first of my many OMG moments at USC.
All Hail Acapella
Start doing your vocal warmups, it’s time for All Hail. If you want your college experience to be exactly like Pitch Perfect, now is your chance. Every semester—and every Halloween—the 10 acapella groups on campus put their friendly competition aside and come together to perform at All Hail. Hosted by ICCA winners, the SoCal VoCals (the group I’m in!) It’s an awesome way to see the best of college acapella in one concert and, if you’re a singer, a great way to see what groups you’d want to audition for! The music at All Hail is always a fun surprise, with everything from K-Pop to Jazz being performed. My favorite group to see is The Trojan Men, an all lower-voice group who perform in three-piece suits– their signature looks–and always bring the energy.
Written by: Roy Gantz, Class of 2025