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 a specific read?
3 Tips to Strengthen Your Application to USC
By: Sanaa Alam ‘25
Are you an aspiring Trojan and confused how to navigate the USC supplemental questions? Here are some brainstorming tips that helped me show many different sides of myself in my application:
Day in the Life as a Public Relations Major (with Communication Design and Music Industry Minors)
By: Kathryn Aurelio ‘25
Four ignored alarms later, I finally roll off my foam-topped mattress, brush my teeth, and apply skincare and make-up all by 8 am I throw my homework, laptop, charger, sketchbook, pens, keys, water bottle, AirPods, and a Clif Bar into my tote bag. The past two semesters, I’ve had the unique experience of taking classes in four of USC’s schools–dabbling in Annenberg, Roski, Thornton, and the School of Cinematic Arts. It’s extremely fulfilling being a “Renaissance Woman” of sorts–educating myself in different fields of study and striving to enhance creativity through several outlets.
Getting Involved in the Arts as a Non-Arts Major
By: Lauren Liang ‘23
Before I came to USC as a Cognitive Science major, I spent the entirety of my high school career at a performing arts school. Although I genuinely enjoy my major, it’s a totally different wheelhouse from the joy I feel when I’m breaking down a script, singing my heart out, or creatively collaborating with friends. If you’re in a similar position, here are some of the ways you can get involved as an artist!
Study Tips To Get You Through Midterms and Finals Season
By: Lauren Liang ‘23
It’s that time of the semester again (or is it always that time of the semester?): exam season is upon us. While it might be tempting to just wing it, you can better prepare yourself with these studying tips.
8 pieces of advice for Graduate Students at USC
By: Joshen Mantai ‘24 (USC Student Life Guest Blogger)
When I first got to USC as a graduate student at Annenberg, I didn’t know what to expect for my experience, especially at a university in the middle of such a big city. Would it be like my undergraduate experience at UC Santa Barbara, or did I have to prepare myself for a whole new environment with a separate identity? So, for any incoming or current graduate students, I’m sharing what I’ve learned through my first semester experience so far.
Making the Most of your Semester Abroad
By: Hannah Skinner ‘23
Studying abroad will already be one of the most enriching experiences you have as a student, but there are ways to add even more value. Looking back at my experience at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, I felt like I adequately prepared myself to go abroad, but there was still plenty I learned along the way. Here’s some tips I implemented that helped me make the most of my time in South Korea.
Hate the Gym? This class will change your mind!
By: Tamanna Sood ‘24
Last semester, no matter how hard I tried to take care of myself and go to the gym, I found myself making excuses. I hated going to the gym and felt like I didn’t know what I was doing. Knowing my struggles, a friend suggested I try out PHED 104A. It turned out to be one of the best classes I’ve taken at USC!
My Life as a BCA Major: Sophomore Fall Edition
By: Kristen Adams ‘25
Whether you are a prospective student interested in learning more about the BCA program, or a USC student nosy about what our 50-student BCA cohort does on a daily basis, here are my experiences, insights, tips, and opinions about USC’s BCA program.
I’ve Tried Soooo Many Planning Systems: Here’s The Good, The Bad, and The Unproductive
By: Ngai Yeung ‘23
In college, our time and attention is split between buckets such as chores, career, school, social life, health, finances, and many more. I’ve experimented with a whole variety of apps and methods throughout the years — here’s my ranking of the ones I’ve tried from worst to best.
5 Pieces of Advice I Would Give to My Freshman Self:
By: Sanaa Alam ’25
I read many of these types of articles when I committed to USC, but sometimes the best way to learn is by living. For any incoming freshman, don’t be afraid to make your own mistakes and learn through your experiences—there’s no right way to do college.
Your Complete Guide to Course Registration At USC: How To Build a Schedule You Won’t Hate
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
As someone obsessed with planning and spreadsheets, I’ve worked out a formula over my last year at USC for tackling registration season, so here’s my best advice for navigating your advising meetings, choosing your courses, and being prepared for when you have to log into WebReg to secure your dream schedule.
I Changed My Major and Here’s Why: Chemistry to Health Promotion & Disease Prevention
By: Sanaa Alam ’25
Despite loving numbers, when I stepped into my CHEM 115a class freshman year, I realized that college chemistry is not the same as it was in high school.