Friday, June 14, 2002

Gloria Estefan, baby! Get on your FEET! WOO! ::twirls around::

Because I spent way too many hours procrastinating on this essay, I thought I'd share part of it.

Q: Please tell us about your most outstanding experience as a student at USC.

A: The echoes of 90,000 fans reverberated loudly in the white-washed walls of the Coliseum. Three fighter jets flew overhead, but the resulting thunder only increased the intensity of the din. The ucla band struck up a tinny version of “The Hills of Westwood,” adding even more commotion to the cacophony. Yet as I stood at the edge of the playing field, clutching my flag, I could only hear my blood rushing in my head. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and unsuccessfully attempted to ignore the rapid beating of my heart. Suddenly, the drum major blew his whistle, and a jolt of electricity spread throughout the entire band. I straightened my spine, lifted my head, and pasted a smile on my face. As Ito confidently strode to the middle of the field, glints from the afternoon sun’s rays reflected off of his shiny golden armor. The atmosphere changed immediately. A sense of awe flooded the crowd, as everyone in the stadium watched Ito plunge his sword into the middle of the field. I uttered a last minute silent prayer, and then the drummers started playing “Fanfare.” I stepped out onto that field of dreams and performed flawlessly. The rest of that game against ucla remains scattered images in my mind. I remember the smiling faces of my friends cheering ardently. I remember the impudence of the streaker running through the ucla band. I remember a near-perfect halftime performance. I remember Coach Carroll’s beaming face as he led the band in our final performance of “Tribute to Troy” for the night. I remember the violent outpouring of emotion as the students attempted to rush the field. But above all, I remember that yellow scoreboard: USC Trojans – 27: UCLA Bruins – 0.

Short, but sweet.

And here's a *picture* of me on that fateful day. (Kudos to Nicole for letting me scan it!)