‘They’re smack in the hood, but they don’t know it’: What South Central locals really think of Trojans

Apparently, UCLA students are snobby, and we’re just terribly unaware

USC is a utopia in South Los Angeles. Students walk a campus protected by “yellow jackets” and DPS officers who monitor every square inch of the university, often completely unaware of the violence and gang-related activity happening a mere two blocks away. Classes are held in multi-million dollar buildings donated by wealthy alumni, which hides the devastation of the poverty-ridden surrounding neighborhood.

In result, USC was coined the “University of Spoiled Children.” The administration has spent the last few years trying to shake the nickname, but do our neighbors in South Central still see us as spoiled children?

The Tab took to South Central to ask locals how they really feel about USC students.

Keijera Jackson, SMC student and Crenshaw resident

“USC students think they’re all that just because they go to school. All the people at USC, I think they have a lot of money.”

Big Daddy, Watts resident

“I love USC students because they’re here in the community. It is a nice college and it’s close by. They also have good games at the Coliseum, especially against UCLA, and I like to go to tailgate parties.”

Tony Truong, South Los Angeles resident

“I think that if they made it into USC, they are all privileged because USC is one of the top colleges in the nation. I’m assuming everyone that’s there is well-educated and they have money.”

Michelle Ortega, South Los Angeles resident

“I think they’re nice, kind people. But to be honest, I think they’re spoiled and they think they’re high up, when the people who don’t go to USC but are in the area are poor.”

Alicia Barker, South Los Angeles resident

“One of my friends actually goes there, and she’s pretty laid-back; she just does her work and goes to school. I think UCLA is more the ‘University of Spoiled Children’ because it’s in a really fancy neighborhood.”

Jameel Hasan, Crenshaw resident

“I feel like USC students misunderstand the community because they’re in the middle of South Central, but they don’t know what happens where I’m from in the streets. They’re smack in the hood, but they don’t know it. They need to be more aware and cautious.”

Tareva Walton, South Los Angeles resident

“I love USC students. They’re awesome. I think that students at the other college campus near us, we won’t say their name, are kind of snobby, but the USC Trojans always seem like down-to-earth, fun people. They’re always riding their bikes around the city…GO TROJANS!”     

James and Dorothy Billard, South Los Angeles residents

“They’re good people. You never hear of students getting into trouble.”

“Most of them don’t get into trouble, I mean things happen around the campus, but that’s the area. The students as a whole are good students. And most of them are there to get an education, not to fool around. I love USC.”

There you have it. Even though South Los Angeles residents have a love-hate relationship with us, at least they too dislike UCLA.

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University of Southern California locals south central south los angeles