We are the real Carolina and the real USC. Here's why.

• It's only cold here for, like, two months. And by cold I mean almost 40 degrees.
• Our colors, garnet and black, look classy on literally everyone.
• The Horseshoe is the most magical and beautiful place you could ever imagine.
• You get to go to the State Fair every year (and usually a couple of times a year) because it takes place ten minutes from campus.
• The Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center is top of the line and gorgeous (we have a rock climbing wall).
• Pawley's Front Porch is the best burger you will ever eat and was featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.
• We actually do have students from all over the country, but mostly Maryland.
• You will never get tired of going out in Five Points because there are so many bars.
• Chicken Finger Wednesday.
• All of our campus has historical significance.
• The new Darla Moore School of Business will be the world's largest net zero building, which means it generates as much energy as it consumes. It is also beautiful.
• Our women's basketball team is coached by an Olympic gold medalist (Dawn Staley) and they kick butt every year.
• We're lucky enough to have a Greek Village with some of the grandest fraternity and sorority houses in the country.
• We're in the SEC. The most exciting and competitive conference there is.
• Our southern food is amazing.
• We have the #1 International Business program in the nation, as rated by US News and World Report.
• You never have to leave Columbia to buy something you need because it's all right here (besides the Apple store).
• The constant trains running through Columbia always give you an excuse as to why you were late to class.
• Off campus living includes everything from a beautiful one-of-a-kind house to a high-rise apartment to a gated community or the historical Olympia and Granby Mills lofts.
• There's always great musicians coming to town because our music scene is poppin'.
• You can have functions at a plantation home, a museum, a concert venue or even the football stadium.
• Lake Murray is right here, we're surrounded by awesome rivers you can float down, and Folly Beach is less than two hours away.
• Tailgating is an all day event that makes driving past the stadium on game day impossible.
• Our ladies' traditional game day attire, black dresses and cowboy boots, are actually way more functional than they are stylish (comfortable shoes and less sweating).
• Our baseball stadium is nicer than most minor league stadiums.
• Hootie and the Blowfish was formed at USC and Darius Rucker comes to almost all of our football games.
• Our football coach, Steve Spurrier, is a Heisman trophy winner (we love you HBC).
• When it snows here, class is cancelled for a week, there are giant hills to sled down, and we have massive student snowball fights on the Horseshoe.
• We consider Wagon Wheel to be one of our school anthems.
• Cocky, our mascot, has been named national mascot of the year four times, and has been on the Capital One Bowl All-America Mascot Team six times.
• Columbia is the state capital of South Carolina so we get a ton of political action.
• Our live mascot, Sir Big Spur, rides out onto the football field on a mini remote controlled field goal post every game and if that's not the coolest thing ever I don't know what is.
• Our St. Patty's Day celebration in Five Points is one of the largest and craziest in the country.
• And last, but certainly not least, the University of South Carolina is home to the best people in the world -- Gamecocks.