By: Lauren Brose

This past summer, it really dawned on me just how old I am getting. Deterministically not pursuing a Master’s, the next chapter for me is my career. I call this “Adulting.” As far as I can tell, adulting is the bane of my existence and the cause of death to this huge part of my soul: my social butterfly. I think to myself more often than not why I never took naps when I had the time. Now, naps are a luxury reserved for the weekends and the “occasional” I-have-so-much-to-do-I’m-gonna-nap-instead moments.

By: Emily Young MA ‘16

Ta-Dah! You’ve made it to the third week of classes. You are finally getting settled in and bam—a group project with students you have never met before. Thus, this week’s focus is leadership.

By: Emily Young MA ‘16

Have you ever heard of Big Data? Big Data explains that with the world’s use of technology constantly growing, the mass amount of data we produce can be organized and analyzed for key insights. Yesterday at Explore @ 4, there was a panel of five data scientists working for various companies, Dun & Bradstreet, Verizon, Netflix, KIPP, and OpenX, who use data to solve business problems.

By: Paul Samaha ‘17

Walking around the USC campus, you probably heard of an organization called Troy Camp as they recruit new counselors on Trousdale this week. But what exactly is Troy Camp? To get to the bottom of this question, I interviewed Junior Andie Furber (pictured below), who is the Troy Camp Director of Counselor Affairs.

By: Emily Young MA ‘16

I was sitting in the computer lab with nothing pressing until 6:30pm. Yes, I could have done all of my prepared reading for weeks ahead, but we’re at USC—surely something had to be happening on campus. I scanned events online and looked at the clock—3:45; I could make it to Explore@4.

By: Emily Young MA ‘16

I am a huge believer in the power of two very important words: “thank you”—you can’t say them enough. In building your career path, it is important to be gracious about all the opportunities you receive and acknowledge them. Mentors, job interviewers, informational interviewees, professors, friends, family etc., they all deserve thank-you letters.

By: Emily Young MA ‘16

An elevator pitch is a speech designed to capture someone’s attention and answer the universal question “tell me about yourself.” In about 30-45 seconds, the length of an elevator ride, you should get across who you are and what you aspire to become.

By Emily Young MA ‘16

You’ve landed a summer internship, have a lay of the land, and figured out your commute; now what? Check out these tips to make the most of your summer internship.

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

I remember the first time I started to interview for jobs. My heart was racing, my hands were shaking, my voice trembled as I spoke. My obvious nervousness hindered me from being the confident person I normally am and it affected the likelihood of my interviewer trusting my competency for this position. Through time, the nerves became less noticeable and I began to sound sure of myself and passionate for the career I am pursuing. What started off from landing initial phone interviews and then being eliminated has turned into being invited to second round interviews. Along the way, I’ve reflected back at the lack of professionalism I displayed both in interviews and in the application process.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

I met Evan Brown on a Peaks and Professors Hike this semester and upon hearing he was a senior, asked the (for many) dreaded question, “What are your plans after graduation?”

By: Judy Lee ‘17

A thunderbolt who crashed onto the USC organization scene, Pocket is one of the most driven people I’ve met – with precision and execution to actualize her ambitions. Currently pursuing a Masters of Science in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Pocket is also the founder and president of the newest female-oriented organization on campus: SoGal (previously known as GirlsUp). Her favorite snacks include a variety of Asian desserts!

By: Hannah Kim ‘15

The SoGal summit was the first of its kind- a day-long conference for female entrepreneurs! The day was packed with everything from free snacks to a selfie booth to a pitch competition. It was an opportunity for hundreds of women entrepreneurs/wannabe entrepreneurs to learn from and talk to investors and incubators. It was an incredible event but I was struggling with a bit of a hangover and found that all of the panels and speeches filled me with panic as I realized how much work it takes to create a start-up. What have I been doing with my life? Why have I wasted so much time? How will I ever be an entrepreneur? These despairing questions filled my throbbing head.