THE USC

Today we decided to take a family trip to the university to see where David will be studying. It is a beautiful and historic campus. One of the first things we learned is that the University of South Carolina is THE USC, not the one in California. After all, it's been here a lot longer. We also learned that the Gamecocks are big news in town, everything bears their name. Oh, and Clemson is the enemy.

Note "the" on the smokestack.

Our first stop was at the LDS Institute of Religion. What a refreshing place (literally, the humidity was awful and the air conditioning was awesome). But more than that, it was just great to see friendly faces and feel right at home. David got a pass to park for free at the Institute, which saves us the $100 it costs for a campus parking pass. Plus, the Institute is just two blocks from the School of Music.

The School of Music reminded me a lot of where David studied at the University of Houston. It seems like a nice facility.

Baylie and Jalen were very impressed with it.

The primary spot at USC is called The Horseshoe. It features the original buildings from the campus, which date back to or before the Civil War. They've been restored and the entire square is very beautiful. Actually, everything I saw on campus was attractive. I was impressed.

The Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center is amazing. It is humongous and contains numerous basketball courts, an enormous weight room, a track, an indoor climbing wall, huge swimming pools (one with lanes and one just for recreation), raquetball courts and more. I've never seen anything like it and apparently other schools come to check it out to get ideas because it's so state of the art.

Jalen and Baylie liked hanging out by the reflection pool outside of the library.

And even though my dad isn't a Steve Spurrier fan, I had to get a picture of the stadium. It is humongous. It seats 80,250, but they've had attendance up to 85,000, so maybe some people just stand. (BYU seats 64,045.) Too bad Lou Holtz isn't here anymore. I think he's awesome.

I didn't take this one.

So far, South Carolina has been great. Our apartment complex has a pond with ducks and turtles, there are also lizards and tons of squirrels. Baylie goes crazy over all of them. Our ward (church congregation) is the friendliest I have ever attended.