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
looking for something to read?
The DON’Ts of Study Abroad
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
There’s a lot of different reasons to study abroad but one of the most common, and important, is to learn about a culture different than your own. I’ve learned first hand how challenging this can be- to embrace the unfamiliar, to accept my own cluelessness, to depend on strangers, to laugh at my mistakes, and keep on putting myself out there be it conjugating verbs or trying to use slang words correctly.
Working Towards My B.A. In BsA
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
Yesterday was my first day of school in Buenos Aires at la Universidad de San Andrés, where 6 other Trojans and I will be taking our classes until our finals end in mid-July. It was a beautiful start and I have high hopes for what is yet to come. The program that USC students take, PLAS (Program of Latin American Studies), includes a number of cultural activities so this past weekend we all had the opportunity to go on a guided tour of the city and at least have a frame of reference for all it has to offer (a lot!).
A Guide To: Annenberg’s Progressive Degrees
By: Judy Lee ‘17
First thing’s first: I’m not pursuing a progressive degree. However, I was very keen on pursuing one throughout my sophomore year and did an extensive amount of research into the prospect at the time. What primarily drove me towards obtaining a progressive degree was a career panic I had concerning receiving a master’s degree. I had been hearing a lot about how having a master’s degree will increase your competitiveness in the market (especially having one at such a young age) as well as boost your starting salary. In light of this, I did more research on possible master’s I could receive from Annenberg only to stumble upon a very tempting opportunity: pursue a master’s parallel to your bachelor’s and graduate with both degrees.
Student Organization Spotlight (SOS): Peaks and Professors
By: Kelly Kinas ‘16
Ever wondered what a professor was like outside of the classroom? Ever wondered if they’re actual people? Do you also like being active? Have you ever wished you and a cool professor could hike a trail together and talk about your hopes and dreams and hopefully get to know them better?
Difference between class at USC and London
By: Judy Lee ‘17
Having been a the University of Westminster for almost two months now, I’ve come to steadily realize the minor (and major) differences between going to school in sunny Los Angeles and going to school in moody London. They certainly came as a shock to me, but are rational in a different train of though, which I respect.
7 Tips for Transfer Students
By: Samantha Romero ‘16
A new campus, an unfamiliar environment, and making new friends are all part of the process of transferring from a community college to a university. It’s been almost two years since I transferred, and it still feels like it was just yesterday. Here are some tips to ease the process of transferring and settling into a new campus.
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!