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?
My Favorite Quaint Areas on USC Campus
By: Karla Leung ‘22
USC is an incredibly busy and bustling campus; walk down Trousdale during the afternoon and it seems like every single student is walking down that street too. Getting away from the crowds on campus can be difficult at times, but I have a few favorite places to get away and relax.
Nature in LA: More of an adventure finding than experiencing (but that’s fun too)
By: Lindsey Hamilton ‘22
You read that right…nature in LA! Who knew? I wasn’t being sarcastic either — half of the fun of the nature that exists in this metropolis is finding it. Because, well, it’s LA. In a city with stars seemingly everywhere but in the sky, green space is one of the last things I think of. Lucky for you all, I’ve done the intrepid (internet) exploring for you. For those brave enough to venture where the paths are dirt and there’s a little more wildlife than rats and roaches, here are the best places in the LA area to catch a breath of fresh air.
Explore LA: Sawtelle
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
Looking for great Japanese food and cute plushies but don’t want to deal with Little Tokyo tourist traps? Visit Sawtelle instead. Just 10 stops heading west on the Metro Expo line from USC is West LA’s “Little Japantown.” This mini center of East Asian food and novelties is located on Sawtelle Blvd. As a West LA resident, this was one of my go-to spots growing up. Here are some of my favorite things to do at Sawtelle.
Stuck at USC? 5 Tips for Spring Break on a Budget
By: Antonia Le ‘22
After a month of midterms, rainy days, and late nights, spring break is finally here! Your best friend is headed to Cancun, the girl you sit next to is going to London, and your roommate has a plane ticket home for the next week! Meanwhile, you’re still here at USC. But don’t worry, whether you’re stuck here because of work, money, or because you simply don’t want to go home, here are some ways to make the most of your week at USC without emptying your wallet!
Things to Do on a Rainy LA Day
By: Ann Nguyen ‘22
“It’s Los Angeles. It won’t rain in Los Angeles!”
…And now it’s raining. So, aside from giving in and buying an umbrella, are you at a loss on what to do? Well, as the band TOTO tells us, “take some time to do the things you never had.”
Griffith Museum
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
Just 12 miles north and 1,273ft up (in elevation) from USC is the Griffith Observatory. The museum, though small, hosts an extensive display of astronomy related exhibits. Free for all and an easy two Metro rides away, it’s a place every student should frequent at least once in their four years at USC.
Learning to Love your Loft
By: Antonia Le ‘22
The general housing lottery has come and gone, and cancellation/reassignment time is nearly upon us. For many Trojans who were lucky enough to get into the housing of their dreams, it’s a time to step away and think about what’s really important: buying new decorations for next year’s digs. However, some Trojans are faced with much different tasks: trying to get reassigned to any room other than a loft or figuring out how to downsize their lives so that everything fits into a dorm room the size of a shoebox.
Arts District/Little Tokyo Vlog
By: Awo Jama ‘22
Earlier in the semester, I had the chance to explore both Little Tokyo and Downtown LA’s Arts District with the USC Photo Club on one of their off-campus excursions. After taking the Metro to Little Tokyo as a group, we were each given a map listing several notable sights in the area, and had free reign to explore what peaked our interest the most. Instead of taking stills of the vibrant murals and bustling shops I passed, I opted to film a short vlog which would document my trip:
Football Season’s Over…So Now What?
By: Cameryn Baker ’22
If you’re a big football person and an avid tailgater, you’re probably feeling sort of at a loss about what to do this weekend. Since September 1st, you’ve always had the football team to count on for your Saturday plans. Even if the game was away, you could still always make an event out of it—you could go watch the game at a restaurant with some friends, or, if you were really dedicated, make a road trip out of it and go see the game in person. But we’ve fallen to the Irish, and season is over. Not another Game Day until next Fall. If you’re a football person, that hurts. But don’t be too bummed, to the point where you sit at home and do nothing all weekend. Think of this not as an end to something, but as an opportunity to go try new things. Here are some fun ways you can fill your weekends now that football season has ended.
Where the Locals go in Santa Monica
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
You’ve all heard of and been to the over-crowded Santa Monica Pier, 3rd Street Promenade, and Main Street strip. While these places are fun to explore, you won’t find them on this list (but if you do want to the stereotypical Santa Monica things, I guarantee there are hundreds of sites that can recommend you activities). The following are some less touristy places in Santa Monica that y’all should visit. Here’s a quick guide of some really amazing attractions and food places sorted by Metro stop!
USC Football When You Hate Football
By: Alexis M Peters ‘20
I stood in the Coliseum, the crowd bellowing their support for the Trojan football team all around me. I clapped my hands. This would be fun. This would be fun. I had snagged a spot in the front row, which meant I couldn’t really see everything that happened on the field, but I got to wave to my mom when the Fox camera guy came up to film us. The girl standing next to me kept shaking her pom-pom in my face, so I couldn’t be sure Mom even saw my whole face. Maybe just a peek.
Commuting to USC
By: Camila Grases ‘21
I commute to USC. It’s about a 45 minute to an hour drive to and from my house. “Aw thats so sad, you aren’t getting the FULL college experience.” Oh hush hush now. It’s not sad. I wake up every morning in my own bed, my mom makes me breakfast in morning, and when I get home late, there is almost always food waiting for me (or for my brothers, but who am I to complain?). It’s really not so bad. There are definitely days where I wish I could live here, and have roommates and be able to stay late without having the fact that I have to drive home be in the back of my mind always. But I think having the constant support from my family has helped with my mental stability so much. Of course, there are commuters that don’t still live with their parents and whose experience is so different from mine. And there are students that don’t feel the same way about their parents. I’m just here to share a little bit of wisdom I learned from commuting for a full year now.