Latine Heritage Month is a great time for Latines to celebrate their culture, build connections with those of similar backgrounds, and learn about their family history. USC offers many resources to aid Latine USC students in this pursuit of celebration and solidarity–including a Latine student lounge in the Student Union, numerous clubs that highlight the intersection of Latinidad with various interests and fields of study, and a range of events being held between September 15 and October 15. For me, I will be spending this month specifically celebrating the half Puerto Rican side of my heritage. To do so, I will be taking the following steps to celebrate half of Latine heritage month.

We have all probably had one too many near-miss scooter encounters. Speaking from personal experience, I have almost been hit by a scooter on or around campus when minding my own business numerous times. So I am here to highlight the importance of pedestrian safety. 

Fall semester typically brings an exciting aura into the atmosphere: tailgating, the smell of the street hotdogs after a football game, waiting in long lines at Dulce, joining new clubs, etc. But for those who embarked on a full-time Summer internship, going back to school brings a weird mix of feelings. During the last week of my Summer internship, my team gave me words of wisdom for approaching my senior year like, “have fun,” “live in the moment,” “treasure it!” I took these pieces of advice to heart but internally made a duh face. Of course, I’ll enjoy going back.

I am a senior in the Business of Cinematic Arts program at USC, so when I am on campus, I spend a majority of my time either in a breakout room in Fertitta or on a balcony in the School of Cinematic Arts. But I recently discovered a hidden gem on campus, a space in the Student Union that I think every student should enter at least once during their time at USC... The Sustainability Hub! I documented my first time entering the Sustainability Hub in a previous blog article, but I came back again for its Open House this semester. Here is how it went:

I love back to school season! This time of year always feels magical because the possibilities are endless. Ast the school year goes on, it's easy to fall into bad habits, but in August, I always like to pretend that's not going to happen. I’ve always considered myself a pro at making back to school resolutions, but I struggled with keeping them. Last year, however, I was able to make my healthy habits stick. So, without further ado, here are my back to school tips to help you start off the school year on the right path… and stick to it!

USC offers many different meal plans to students, and if you live on campus, you are required to have one of these plans. Students can purchase dining dollars to use at dining halls and other campus dining options, or you can opt for meal swipes. Regardless of your plan, here’s the rundown on which dining halls to visit for the best meals at your new home for the semester.

I’m a current senior studying biomedical engineering (BME) with an emphasis in electrical engineering. However, my time at USC in terms of extracurricular activities was not BME-focused; rather, it was consulting-focused. I joined AIM (Association of Innovative Marketing Consulting) in the first semester of my sophomore year and was immediately placed as a Project Manager of a team. Following my experience there, I joined the E-Board and have taken on different roles within the club, ranging from social media management to client recruitment.

My first year at USC was a hazy blur. The highs were high and the lows were low, to say the least. My biggest struggle was adjusting to life in a place very different from my small Illinois hometown. My classes at USC were difficult, and there was immense pressure to fit in. There were so many moments that year when I would go out to a social event – be it a party, club, or wherever everyone else was going – and leave the night feeling horrible about myself. Though I wasn’t able to admit it at the time, I was forcing myself to be someone I simply wasn’t. While I was changing and growing as a product of my new environment, the positive aspects were getting lost behind the mask I felt I had to present to those around me.

ACCT 387- Risk Management in Entertainment, Sports, and the Arts is the first course I took to satisfy my Marshall upper division elective requirements, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed taking this class. My professor for this course was Kristen Jaconi, and I was in the 2 p.m.-3:50 p.m. section on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Last semester, I started at my first work-study job, and it was exactly what everyone thinks of when they think of work-study; I sat at a front desk and did homework for four hours while occasionally being interrupted to make a photocopy or direct a lost student. This type of job is a great option if you worry about balancing work with school – I certainly was my most productive at work and often felt like I was doubling up on my productivity by basically getting paid to do homework. If you’re looking for a more fun and engaging way to earn your work-study award, however, I highly suggest applying next year to be a cat care assistant at the cat shelter Kitty Bungalow, my much more interesting current work-study position.

LA is known as a city with many culinary wonders. At USC there are tons of great restaurants near and on campus. From cafes, to breakfast spots, to Mexican restaurants you can find anything in South Central. Here are the most popular restaurants that USC students frequent.

After being at USC for two years, I’ve realized that getting ready to go back to school in college is very different than in high school. Especially if you’re from out of state or simply do not live at home, getting prepared for the new school year is more than just buying school supplies.