By: Grace Carballo ‘17

Today is Ash Wednesday so if you see someone walking around campus with what appears to be dirt on their forehead, don’t wipe it off for them! It’s actually ashes, obtained from burned palms from last year’s Palm Sunday.

By: Judy Lee ‘17

I’m not going to lie—being abroad in London is already one of the most wonderful experiences of my entire life to date. However, there are things about this place that just isn’t…well, just isn’t USC. Here are several:

By: Emily Young MA ‘16

Thoughts of returning to school Tuesday after this glorious three-day weekend might have you thinking: “is it Spring Break yet?”

By: Kelly Kinas ‘16

2015 was a fantastic year for the USA and for the world. But what specifically happened at USC? Well, I am so glad you asked. Take a look back at USC in 2015 and think of the amazing things yet to come!

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

It all started when my dad got his first teaching job in Oahu back in the 70′s. He was 22 and had $2,000 to his name. The simple life was all that interested him and the surf in Hawaii was spectacular enough to make my dad move out there for a year. He suggested that his mother check out Hawaii for herself. She fell in love instantly and today, over 30 years later, my grandma and her husband retired from teaching and live in Hawaii permanently. Naturally, I escape the Southern California “cold” (in my defense, it was pretty cold the days leading up to my departure) and spend my Christmas’s in Hawaii. This isn’t the most traditional form of Christmas considering Hawaii is the polar (pun totally intended) opposite of how Christmas is normally imagined.

By: Judy Lee ‘17

If you’re trying to live off campus this year, you need to have started planning for it by now! But if you’re having some trouble starting out, here are some things you should consider before you sign that lease!

By: Samantha Romero ‘16

1. Portland: This past Thanksgiving my friends and I planned a quick getaway to Portland. The breweries and lush hikes are totally worth the 15-hour drive. I recommend going with a group friends to split the driving time…

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!

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

When I came to USC, I was on the fence about joining Greek. I disliked how outsiders would dismissively remark how people in Greek are essentially paying money to be friends with people who were chosen to be in a house based on their appearance. To be honest, the notion that I was paying for friends really got to me. I knew I didn’t need to do that. As a transfer student, however, I recognized I didn’t have the same opportunities those who were at USC since freshman year had; namely, the chance to mix with students who were all freshmen just like them. So I joined a house. I had two amazing years in the sorority but when my final semester at USC came around, I decided against staying.

By: Kelly Kinas ‘17

Knowing that you go to the greatest university of the world can change you in some ways. One of those ways is linguistically. Here at USC, we have some different ways to describing things or places. Take a look through the list and see how many you recognize!

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

So. You live in Southern California and want to celebrate fall. Well, in the words of the great Mindy Kaling: first of all, how dare you? That’s right, I said it. Who do you think you are, to want seasons? To want to recapture that childlike wonder of cold noses, hot apple cider, pumpkins, falling leaves, and copious amounts of candy? That sounds like a bummer time to me. No way, Jose. That magical autumnal experience is not for me.

By: Judy Lee ‘17

Halloween is always a blast–especially in college. Turning up is just different when you have a cool costume on. But sometimes, shit gets weird (or awesome, depending on your tastes). Here are some of the people you’ll be running into this weekend: