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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What I’m Doing Differently This Semester
By: Kathryn Aurelio ’25
It’s that time of year again where we’re all jamming our notes app with new year's resolutions, collaging magazine clippings into a vibrant vision board, and saving TikToks of new food plans (and never clicking on them again). My Fall 2022 semester was jam-packed with extracurricular activities, an internship, and work-study jobs, and while I see a pattern of the workload repeating itself this semester, I hope to prioritize—or at least hold to the same level—my physical and mental health. This semester, I’m breaking the cycle…and I’m using this article to hold me to it.
Advice from a Second Semester Senior
By: Hannah Skinner ‘23
It’s my last semester at USC and the ticking of my undergraduate clock is growing louder. Without the luxury of years ahead, I’ve been thinking about what I want to do (or wish I had done) before I leave. Here’s a senior’s perspective on how to take advantage of everything USC has to offer.
Don’t Be Afraid To Drop That Class: Advice For Add/Drop Period
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
While it can be intimidating to make last minute schedule changes, it’s better to be a little chaotic now and have a strong semester than to grin and bear a bad class for fifteen weeks. Here’s my top tips for navigating Add/Drop season and finding the right fit for you.
Advice for Making Friends on Campus
By: Ela Rybak ‘25
Meeting new people can also be as easy as running into classmates in the elevator or around campus or making plans to study together for upcoming tests. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone by participating in fun activities because you never know where you will meet your next friend!
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.
Sistxrs in Solidarity: Prioritizing Wellbeing While Fighting for Our Spaces as Black Women
By: Chia Okwaraibekwe ‘26 (USC Student Life Guest Blogger)
Every time I found myself at a hospital or clinic, I desperately searched for people who looked like me. As I grew older and started to become more knowledgeable about the hidden truths in life, I began to realize that being both Black and a woman would make navigating the medical field more difficult than I anticipated.
Transfer Tips: What I Wish I Knew Before I Transferred to USC
By: Lauren Liang ‘23
Transferring is a scary (and exciting!) process. New school, new people, new city. I should know– I am a transfer. I’ve loved my time at USC, and while I haven’t had to learn too many lessons the hard way, there are definitely some tips I wish I knew before I started.
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.
Desi @ USC: How to stay involved in your culture
By: Tamanna Sood ’24
As a freshman, the main organization you might be hearing about is APASA, [but] APASA bears the burden of representing a lot of communities and groups a lot of experiences together. Here’s a list of clubs that might offer more of the nuanced and personal experiences you’re looking for:
What I Learned From Transferring Colleges Across the Country: Syracuse to USC
By: Ashley McKean ‘24 (Guest Blogger)
In all honesty, there was a period early on when I wanted to leave USC. It was short-lived but it was definitely real and I really wanted to give in and just take the easier, more comfortable path and go home. That’s what I did my freshman year at Syracuse. I pretty much decided almost immediately that I wouldn’t be staying for long. Had there been no COVID-19 imprisoning me in my 103-degree dorm room with no air conditioning, (no I’m no kidding it was actually that temperature in the room one day,) and impeding me from going out and meeting people, and the fact that 80% of the time my classes were virtual, I honestly feel like I may have come to love Syracuse and I would have stayed until graduation. Regardless of using COVID as an excuse, I didn’t give Syracuse the chance it deserved.
Being Muslim at USC: Experiences and Advice
By: Badruddin Mahamed ‘25
As a practicing Muslim, I faced many unique challenges during my first semester. With some preparation however, you're transition to life at USC as a Muslim student can be much less tumultuous than mine.