Final stop on the SEC Tour: the University of South Carolina.

We couldn’t get into the general campus tour but instead did a tour of Darla Moore School of Business, the Engineering school and a self-guided tour through the campus

The school is named for Darla Moore, a graduate of USC who ran Chemical Bank and then took over Mesa, Inc. (oil & gas) when T. Boone Pickens ran it into the ground. She and Condelesa Rice were the first two women admitted to Augusta National. She made a humongous donation to the school, and left them with this statement:

The business school was really impressive, and the student guides did a good job showing us around… after they got warmed up.

We finished at the business school and headed back to main campus, and the Horseshoe (like the quad at most schools). At the visitors center, we checked in and met with a guide to map out our self-tour before heading over to the engineering school. We also got to see what the smallest dorm size looks like at USC (still pretty good size).

The boys aren’t really interested in typical engineering but some of the civil and industrial engineering seemed pretty cool – especially the labs! It was like a big kid playground!

We headed back to checkout the student union and food court (and of course, the student store)

A picture with Cocky finalized the tour.

Back in the car, and headed home…

Four universities.

Four states.

Four nights.

And four tired Browns.

We know how precious these trips are now more than ever. Not going to miss a moment! ♥️

SEC Stop number #3, and the one Michael has been most anticipating… the University of Georgia

The campus is big but not nearly as spread out as Alabama. There’s a much more homey feel than some of other schools we’ve visited. We decided that if UNC and NC State had a baby, it would be UGA. Athens was like Chapel Hill in that the whole town is centered around the university, and like Raleigh in the mix of new and old buildings and grounds.

We met our guides and hopped on our tour bus to cover south and east campus, then walked near (but not under) the Arch to walk through North Campus. You do NOT walk under the Arch until you are a senior! (It was crazy, we watched every single student walk around the Arch). The campus is beautiful – lots of outdoor space and plenty of historical spots and stories.

We, of course, had to check out the rec center, and end up having a muscle-up dip contest🤣

UGA absolutely made you feel welcome and our tour guides were great, especially addressing out-of-state issues/financial aid and tuition. Our guide, Olivia, was a senior from Texas and had some great advice for the boys about getting involving and connecting socially and academically at a big university. (Mike and I both said we wish we had those suggestions when we went to school). Then we ended our tour with a big shout: Go Dawgs! Not surprisingly, it was Michael’s favorite tour.

We checked out the dining hall, and picked up our traditional shirt, and off we went for our last stop, Columbia, South Carolina and the University of South Carolina. After we checked into the hotel (and getting a suite upgrade for being understanding and polite when they originally didn’t have the room we booked), we headed out for Mexican dinner.

We found a small Mexican restaurant online with great reviews, so off we went. We got a little concerned when we got close because the neighborhood was a bit questionable BUT we saw lots of families going in and out so we gave it a chance. Holy Moly, so glad we did! It was amazing!!! So if you’re near Columbia, definitely worth the drive!

Up and going in the morning for the last tour of our trip. Even more thankful for this time with my people.

Here we go with SEC #2, the University of Alabama.

Oh. My. Word. This is by far the prettiest campus we have seen so far. Everything was larger and bigger than really necessary, but it all fit together like a movie set. The welcome center (formally a hospital) was redone in 2008 and was now available for rental/receptions.

The campus is ginormous – so large that we had to board a bus to cover the campus with 3 stops along the way. First stop was the student rec center… imagine the largest/nicest gym you’ve ever seen (in real life or tv/movies), then add multiple basketball courts, 25 yd lap pool, workout studios, classes and running/walking track. It was just crazy!

At Stop 2, we headed off to see a model dorm room. Let me just say, dorms have changed quite a bit in the 30 years since I was in college…

This all-female dorm is right across from sorority row and Bryant-Denny Stadium… bet this is a prime spot on game day. But these sorority and fraternity houses were insane! Seems like everywhere else you live in life is going to be a downgrade after this.

Our last stop was into the heart of the campus, library and student center. Everything on the campus was so clean and manicured. I don’t think we saw one piece of trash ANYWHERE.

Both boys were impressed but both said they didn’t see themselves going here. (Whew! Because I don’t think I could leave them 9 hours away from home). They said it was just too fancy for them.

We checked out a few more stops on our own, and of course, had to get a t-shirt (it’s our college tour tradition). And then we hit the road for our next visit. As we drove, I started researching a local spot for lunch. I kept finding articles on J&J’s Grocery and Deli in Bessemer, Alabama. Since we don’t have anywhere to be until tomorrow morning, off we went to find it.

Don’t let the outside fool you, this place was AWESOME! Michael said it was the best cheeseburger he has ever had in his whole life! Leo said the same thing about the onion rings, and the chili cheese dogs were fantastic! When they found out we were first-timers, they yelled, honked a horn and rang a cow bell. We sat across from a sweet couple who lived 10 miles from J&J’s and came here once a month for the last 30 years. When we asked how long J&J had been here, he said he moved there in 1968 and it had been there a while before then. So glad we took time to find this place!

Bellies WAY too full, we headed to our next stop: Georgia! We checked into our hotel – loved the coathanger hooks (little bulldogs), and then headed out for dinner. The hotel clerk recommended a local pizza place, Stoner’s Pizza, within walking distance, so off we went. We loved all the bulldogs around town.

Great pizza followed by a stop off at Insomnia Cookies for a sweet treat.

Thankfully, we don’t have the early tour in the morning, so we can sleep in a bit before we head into Dawg territory and visit number 3.

Off we go, SEC #1: the University of Tennessee

What we have learned most about college tours is that your tour guide makes all the difference. As a proud NC State grad, I wanted our tour to be awesome… it was awful because the tour guides were awful. On the other hand, the UNC tour guides were advertising and marketing majors and did everything they could to sell you on Carolina and it worked. We absolutely lucked out today because every contact we had with UT makes me think these folks actually bleed orange 🧡

UT has become a big draw for out of state students. In fact, on our tour of 100+ people, no one was from Tennessee! Our guides, Hanna and Kyle, were so much fun, and the University itself is gorgeous. Think of the UNC Chapel Hill campus spread out over some hills and in a bigger city.

Both boys loved the campus and tour, and if it were a bit closer, I imagine this may be close to the top of their college choices. (Secretly, it makes my mama’s heart happy that NC schools are still top choices). But for now, it’s on to Tuscaloosa…

What Brown trip would be complete without a random stop… leave it to mom!

Mayfield Dairy Farms in Athens, Tennessee was voted World’s Best Ice Cream in 1981 by Time magazine. So an $8 factory tour sounded perfect and provided some awesome pictures 🤣🍦🥛

And nothing screams factory tour like hairnets 🤣

The tour was really cool – think Laverne & Shirley in the brewery with milk instead of beer. But no photos and videos allowed inside so you’ll just have to trust us. You do however get a free ice cream at the end of the tour, so that’s a 5-star rating from the Browns 😁

Back on the road and headed to Tuscaloosa…

A couple of hours later, we are in the land of Roll Tide. We dropped our bags at the hotel and headed to the cutest downtown, with a very familiar Main Street name.

We ate at Mugshot – a cool pub downtown with the theme that you wear and photograph yourself in your Mugshot t-shirt all around the world – send it in and try to make it onto the walls. Good “bar food” and great atmosphere. Loving these meals, conversations and laughter as boys get older.

Thankful for Central Standard Time since we’ve got an 8:15 am tour of University of Alabama.

No new states this time around. Instead we are off on a four state SEC College Tour.

First things first – BIG day for Leo. SIXTEEN years old and licensed to drive per the most joyless DMV on the face of the earth!

Car loaded, puppies to Abbots and off we go… First stop: Knoxville, Tennessee, home of the University of Tennessee 🧡🍊

Our tour is tomorrow morning. So we spent the evening celebrating the Big 16 🎂 at The Chophouse. It was fantastic, and quite frankly the biggest onion rings ever seen.

Great food is always a good way to give off Spring Break!