By: Paul Samaha ‘17

This past weekend I turned 21. I had a great birthday (aside from the loss to Stanford) with great friends and even some family that flew in town from Virginia to visit me. While part of me is terrified of getting any older and wants to freeze time where it is, I’m mostly just excited to be able to explore new areas of USC and the nearby LA area that I couldn’t explore before! Below are some nearby places I can now legally enter/order from that I couldn’t before.

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

Did you know you can be a producer? Yes, of course you did. You might be one of the plenty of business and film students are currently working away in pre-professional classes at USC, dreaming of the day you can work behind the scenes of shows like SNL, Jimmy Fallon, or The Daily Show.

By: Judy Lee ‘17

My mile time in elementary school was 9 minutes and 8 seconds. Nowadays, getting to a 10-minute mile is hellish. Since then, age and the freshman 15 have not done me any huge favors. So when I signed up for the Santa Monica Classic for $40 (roughly equivalent to almost FOUR Chipotle burrito bowls with guac), I knew the wager was enough to get me going.

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

We all knew it when we applied, we all knew it when we chose to come here, and we all know it every time we leave the house: celebrities live in LA. We live amongst the stars; this is Hollywood, land of glamour and paparazzi and home to every one of our favorite entertainment industry professionals (except the odd ones out who live in New York – whatever).

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

Until this past May, I’ve never owned a pet that didn’t belong in a tank. I grew up not only loving animals and desiring one for myself but with a brother who had asthma accompanied with a string of allergies such as grass or dust. While it was devastating to not have a dog or a cat in the family, I knew when the time was right, I would get my very own fur baby.

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

Saturday. 2 am. If you’re Taylor Swift, at 2 am, you’re in your car, with windows down (you pass my street, the memories start). If you go to USC, at 2 am, you’re probably in Spudnuts Donuts. Should you never have had the pleasure of attending this incredibly fine establishment in the ever-classy strip mall (at the corner of 28th and Fig), boy, are you missing out.

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

To all transfer students out there….you’re not alone! Embrace being a newbie to USC and just do you. I was once in your position as a transfer student myself and I can happily say I’ve found my place of belonging in this great school. It didn’t happen overnight — it was certainly a process that lasted months — but it was an experience that personally challenged me. Enjoy the ride and get out there and make some friends!

By: Kelly Kinas ‘16

Kelly walks us through some examples of when she officially felt like a Trojan. What were yours?

By: Paul Samaha ‘17

Los Angeles is known for being a diverse city, and the food options are a great representation of that. While exploring the heart of Downtown LA will offer you infinite possibilities, there are still some great options that are just a walk, bike ride or free USC Uber away from campus. Listed below are restaurants that are necessary for every USC student to experience while at school.

By: Emily Young MA ‘16

Career fair networking is different than an interview; it’s more like speed dating. Instead of a half an hour or hour for a typical interview, you have two minutes to break the ice and determine if you are interested in the company and if the company recruiter is interested in you. Luckily, company recruiters (who do this for a living) are friendly and genuinely want to get to know you. They’re not going to make hiring decisions on the spot, but leaving a lasting impression will help pave the way for later hiring interviews.

By: Donald Annarella ‘17

Hey Trojans! My name is Donald Annarella, and I’m a Junior majoring Public Policy, Planning, and Development, emphasis in Real Estate Development, and minoring in Business Law.

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

We all know that USC is famous for its Greek scene and athletic teams. And that’s great, it’s our mark. Fight On! Go Greek! Those organizations rock and give homes to countless Trojans.