UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
STUDENT BLOG
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Navigating Your First Year as a USC Trojan
by Lanie Brice
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Navigating Your First Year as a Spring Admit
by Lanie Brice
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How to Balance Your Social Life During Finals
by Donal Buckley
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Study Tips and Habits to Get Through Finals Season
by Lauren Liang
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First-Generation Students
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
Nearly one-third of students entering two- or four-year college in the U.S. are first-generation students. Who are first-generation students? Those whose parents do not have four-year college degrees are considered first-generation. If you fit this description, you may have felt, as many do, at a disadvantage compared to your continuing-generation peers while adjusting to college life.
5 Tips for the Commuting Student
By: Samantha Romero ‘16
1. Bring Something to Do: Long car or metro rides can easily become a bore, especially when you’re listening to the same songs over and over again on the radio. So whether you’re taking public transportation or driving, create a playlist with a variety of music to help alleviate the morning commute…
Cool 1&2 Unit Electives Offered Spring Semester
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
Last year I wrote a blog post highlighting all of the cool, interesting electives that I wish I was able to take during my time at USC. To be honest, my course load was so packed with classes required for graduation, I didn’t get a chance to take advantage of the great electives USC offers. Even though my time here as a student has come to an end, I hope to live vicariously through all my friends who are still here! If you’re looking at your courses right now and realize you have 2 leftover units our tuition includes, check out these classes! They’re currently being offered this upcoming Spring!
Can’t Study Aboard Next Semester? Take USC’s Sailing Class Instead!
By: Emily Young MA ‘16
Ahoy! Are you up for adventure? Want to try something new? Have room in your spring schedule? Then take USC’s Sailing class: NAUT-001A Deep Water Cruising! NAUT-001A is a class unique to USC. At what other school can you take a sailing class where one of the requirements of the course is to sail to Catalina and spend the night aboard? Hooked?
Greetings from Matagalpa
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
I’m in Matagalpa now which is super cool compared to Managua, both in terms of climate and also just in terms of the general vibes it projects. I’m working on my ISP which stands for Independent Study Project, emphasis on the independent.
Better Schedule, Better You
By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17
It’s that time of year again: the holidays! You know Halloween, and Thanksgiving and Christmas, but did you know the greatest holiday of them all? Course registration!
Studying Abroad in Paris: 6 Things I’ll Never Forget
By: Samantha Romero ‘16
My daily French diet consisted of at least one if not all of the following: baguettes, croissants, and crepes. Everyday as I would walk to class I made it a ritual to stop by our corner bakery for a croissant au chocolat. It feels like it was just yesterday that I was savoring the freshly baked layers of buttery goodness. Croissants will never taste the same…
What to Do to Ensure Your Future: A Professor’s Excellent Advice
By: Kelly Kinas ‘17
Professors. We all have them. We’ve had the good, the bad, the ugly, the monotone, the foreign accent, the adorable. The crazy thing is how none of us really keep in contact with them after we take the final.
Work On It Wednesday: Preparing for Midterm Season
By: Emily Young MA ‘16
It’s hard to stay calm and focused when one test is worth 35% of your grade. It’s even worse when you have four tests and a paper due all in the next two weeks.
Work On It Wednesday: Writing Well
By: Emily Young MA ‘16
Writing college papers can be a daunting task: the amount of writing, the standard that teachers expect, the level of research behind it—and did I mention it’s due in a week. In high school, we wrote papers about our thoughts and feelings on book we read in class. Now that we are in college, we’re expected to use the book we read in class to stimulate a topic idea, research the topic more, and present unique arguments and critical thought. Not only is this style of writing new, but on top of that different professors may want different writing and citing structures that you might not be familiar with.
Being a Transfer Student
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
To all transfer students out there….you’re not alone! Embrace being a newbie to USC and just do you. I was once in your position as a transfer student myself and I can happily say I’ve found my place of belonging in this great school. It didn’t happen overnight — it was certainly a process that lasted months — but it was an experience that personally challenged me. Enjoy the ride and get out there and make some friends!
Fun 2-unit electives that will bring you to 18 units next Spring
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
As a full-time USC undergraduate student, we are provided with 18 units each semester in our flat tuition rate. The average student typically enrolls in four 4-unit classes that satisfy their graduation requirements and let the extra 2 units go to waste. Consider taking a fun elective instead. 2 units at USC costs approximately $2,300! These classes can be taken pass/fail and won’t affect your GPA whatsoever (students are allowed 24 units of pass/fail). I went through the course catalogue and chose the most intriguing 2-unit elective classes USC is offering this spring to over in all disciplines. Learn to play an instrument or try a new form of dance. Whatever it is, have fun! :)