By: Kelly Kinas ‘17

Studying for finals can be difficult and while it is necessary, sometimes some small dogs can be ever more helpful. Every semester, USC and USG help sponsor an event where study snacks are a plenty and there are puppies to stroke. Outside the Leavey library on Thursday December 4th, Friday December 5th, and Monday December 8th, the University sponsored this exact activity, which definitely did brighten my day.

By: Kelly Kinas ‘17

So this guy walks into a classroom a couple minutes late and tries to find a seat near the front. He then gets up to talk in front of the room holding over 200 people. I would probably already be asleep if this was a normal classroom. But this is not a usual classroom. Usually, I wouldn’t expect this guy to be cussing, relating to the students, and encouraging these students to become more politically active and not simply take what the media gives them so willing. But on Monday, December 1st, at 8:00pm, a former speech writer for the President of the United States and a current comedy writer for NBC came to speak to talk about the complete and utter bull$#!t our media is consumed by and how to overtake that. Jon Lovett spoke in that classroom, bursting with students, and it was throughly entertaining as well as enlightening.

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

At the end of every semester, my lucky friends who are privileged with Trojan Plan tend to have over $1,000 dollars leftover in dining dollars. This is typically around finals week when I am practically living on campus and all sense of self-sufficiency has flown out the window. Fortunately, my friends are generous enough to order me meals on campus using their Dining Dollars (all hail free Lemonade!!). If you currently have dining dollars and aren’t clear on where to spend your funds, I’ve outlined where and what on campus you can indulge in during your breaks. Explore outside the confines of Campus Center. There’s a plethora of cafés and quick stop offs situated around campus and if you play it smart, you can find yourself sipping on boba and munching on a pitaya bowl during your gap between lectures. #fancy

By: Kelly Kinas ‘17

Much like most other college students, I constantly use social media. To stay relevant, you need to tweet 5-6 times a day. If you Instagram more than two photos a day, all of your followers will be annoyed with you and unfollow you. Do not send anyone game requests on Facebook because no one actually wants to help you play Farmville. I feel the need to post about my life on all of my social medias because that’s how people know I did them. If I don’t have a photo to show someone, did I really go to Venice or did I just watch The West Wing on Netflix all day? The line continues to blur on whether social media is for those who want to show off their lives or is it actually to stay in touch with old high school friends and family members? Social Media- positive or nah?

By: Kelly Kinas ‘17

A lot of people are pessimistic about the United States of America’s future. The economy hasn’t been doing amazingly well. The two main political parties are constantly at odds and are too stubborn to compromise. Many people are worried. Fortunately for us, on Friday November 7th at Bovard Auditorium, Former President Bill Clinton reminded us all that change can be our friend and must happen to ensure that the U.S. continues to be an amazing country.

By: Isaac Moody MA ‘15

Diane Winston, former journalist and scholar spoke at Ground Zero today about issues that matter most to her, both as a person and journalist.

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

Thanksgiving break is just weeks away. Many return home to be reunited with family but most importantly we have a ton (and I mean TON) of Netflix to catch up on. It seems like the norm these days is the watch Netflix when you’re not in the mood for human interaction. Ironically, when I go home to see my family we utilize Netflix as a means for getting everyone in the same room to enjoy quality home entertainment. Whatever you use Netflix for, consider some suggestions that I have received from family, friends and my personal (and eclectic I hope) taste.

By: Kelly Kinas ‘17

There has been a really big push within the past year for sexual assault awareness and prevention. Trust me when I say, I feel much safer now that some of the guys around campus are educated on what rape and sexual assault are. Unfortunately, people are still gonna rape others and still sexually assault others, either out of ignorance or because they are horrible people. This blog post is for that horrible situation or if one of your friends comes home from the night claiming to have been sexually assaulted or raped. This is the guide to helping the person who has been assaulted and getting them to help if they need some.

By: Matthew Freihofner ‘15

I’ll start by saying that I don’t think anyone under 21 should be drinking. But I recognize that it still happens so, here are some tips to at least stay safe if you choose to drink.

By: Kelly Kinas ‘17

Everybody makes mistakes. Everybody has those days. Everyone knows what I’m talking about. Everybody gets that way.

By: Isaac Moody MA ‘15

Midterms are some of the most dreaded times of the year for most students. During this time, you’re probably spending most of your time last-minute cramming before the exam or essay is due, and there’s even more stress added, if you have a part-time, full-time job, club meetings, internships and other activities.

By: Kelly Kinas ‘17

One of the best decisions I made my freshman year was joining a club whose message I agree with wholeheartedly. For me, Dance Marathon was the best decision for me because I love working with children and dancing around for extended periods of time.