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?
How to Declutter Your Space Before the Break
By: Ellice Ellis ‘20
Let’s face it, the semester is basically over. It’s the last week of classes and I bet you all are extremely stressed and exhausted. I get it! On top of studying, finishing up projects and writing essays, some of you have to pack and tidy up for the winter break. This was very difficult for me my freshman year. It was my first college break and I didn’t know what I needed to bring home and how to prepare for the upcoming holidays. My advice to you all is to make sure your room is tidy and neat BEFORE you leave for the break. In addition to not coming back to a huge mess and clutter, a clean room made my studying more effective and helped me clear my head. To help jumpstart your pre-winter break tasks, here are the tips and tricks to de-cluttering your room before you leave.
Kitwana - How Black Greek Life was Reborn at USC
By: Joy Ofodu ‘18
Kitwana is a Swahili word, meaning that one vows ‘to live.’ This is what Junior USC student Marcus Burke, an Animation and Digital Arts Major, roared into the cold air Wednesday as he ascended the steps of PED. He and senior Marquis Morris (USC Sociology major and All-American Track athlete) had just officially joined one of the most esteemed fraternities in the National Pan-Hellenic Council: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Game Day As A TMB Member
By: Lilly Kate Diaz ‘20
As we are going through Conquest week, and approaching our season ending (of course, with the exclusion of Pac-12/Bowl Game), I have been reflecting on my time here as a part of the TMB and will, in this article, tell you about my game days as a TMB member.
A Look Inside The Suspenders— USC’s Sketch Comedy Troupe
By: Danielle Collins ‘20
Need an end-of-the-semester pick me up? Head over to The Suspenders show this weekend and laugh ‘til you drop! The Suspenders is USC’s sketch comedy troupe, and the show will feature original skits written, produced, and performed by USC students. Tickets can be reserved here. Keep reading for an inside look inside The Suspenders!
10 Steps to Write a Killer Paper
By: Danielle Collins ‘20
You sit down and stare at the blank Word document. The ominous cursor blinks in the top left corner. After you painstakingly type out the heading, the empty page taunts you as the deadline looms in the distance. The moral of this story: writing is hard. Hopefully I can provide some advice to make it easier, and maybe even fun!
Happy STEM Day to These Trojan Entrepreneurs
By: Joy Ofodu ‘18
In honor of National STEM Day, I thought I’d shine a Trojans 360 flashlight on some of the most dynamic USC student-made apps and tech companies!
5 USC Alumni to Inspire Your Grind
By: Ellice Ellis ‘20
IT’S HOMECOMING WEEKEND! Midterms are over and it’s time to be on your finals grind. So much is going on! On top of finals, you may be searching for Spring and Summer internships or planning on starting your next venture. With all these tasks on your plate, you might be searching for some inspiration to get you going. Personally, I love hearing the stories of people like me, whether female or black or USC alums, to inspire my work ethic.So, in the spirit of Homecoming and to inspire you to apply to that job, get that degree or start that homework; here are 10 USC alumni to look up to.
Break Out of the USC Bubble— LA Service Opportunities
By: Danielle Collins ‘20
I’m sure you’ve heard someone say it before: we live in the USC bubble. Whether we like to admit it or not, there’s some truth behind that statement. I totally get it— USC is a great place and I want to spend as much time soaking it up in the 4 years I’m here as I can. But you can still soak up USC’s awesome-ness even once the bubble is popped. One of the best ways to break out of the USC bubble is getting involved with service opportunities in the LA area. And, trust me, there are a lot of them. Not only will you become more aware of the community we live in outside of USC’s campus, but you’ll be helping others and have some great experiences to grow along the way.
Places to Go That Aren’t the Row
By: Joy Ofodu ‘18
I remember dressing up in wacky costumes every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night as a freshman (yup, throwing it back to Fall 2014, folks) jumping from house to house, looking for adventure and hiding from trouble. 28th Street and I were new to each other then: I graciously tied hair, passed out water bottles and ushered giggling floormates away from the ragers, the comforting blue glow of DPS Emergency light-posts guiding us home. Over the next three semesters, visits to The Row came fewer and farther between. I found community, meaningful (audible) conversation and good vibes in so many other places on and off campus that I didn’t need to lean on The Row anymore. As a Sober Trojan and non-Greek, we simply grew apart. If you or someone you know is looking to get away from 28th Street, I have a few ideas.
USC Athletics Recruiting - Working in “The Office”
By: Joy Ofodu ‘18
The flyest on-campus job you’ve never heard of? Think: watching every home game from the field, working with players like Iman Marshall and Velus Jones Jr. to host recruits and reporting back to one of the nation’s top university Athletics facilities every week. I had the chance to sit down with Taylor Lott (left) and Haley Coleman (right), two Recruiting & Operations Assistants for USC Athletics. Both are seniors in Marshall and Annenberg, respectively, and key-holders to an exclusive, fast-paced working world that changes the face of the USC football team each year. Let’s go behind the scenes of USC Football, through Taylor and Haley’s eyes!
5 Reasons to Take CTCS-466
By: Ellice Ellis ‘20
Los Angeles is known for film. Hopeful actresses and actors flock to the city in hopes of making it big and seeing their name in bright lights. Not only is it home to historic sets and studios- it also lays claim to one of the most highly ranked and prestigious film schools in the world, USC School of Cinematic Arts (SCA). Here at USC not only do we have an amazing film school but classes and programs at the school which are open to more than just SCA students. If you’re a journalism major like myself who watches movies to stay sane or a fan of the Spike Lees, Tarintinos, and Kubricks of the world; you can live out your wildest dreams at SCA.
Meditation Tips for College Students
By: Ellice Ellis ‘20
It seems like it’s always something when it comes to our health and wellness. From yoga to barre to being gluten-free or juicing every day; there is always a new trend. “Mindfulness” and “meditation” are popular buzzwords these days but they’ve been a part of my life for almost 10 years! I started meditating after attending group yoga when I was in middle school. My parent’s had recently gotten divorced and my mom found it was a good way to channel and focus negative energy and thoughts. 7 years later, I found she was right.