By: Awo Jama ‘22

On September 27th, USC’s School of Dramatic Arts kicked off its 2018-2019 season with its production of “Kentucky,” a two-act play written by Leah Nanako Winkler and directed by Tim Dang. I had the pleasure of attending the show on its Friday performance, and was incredibly enchanted by both the expertise of the performers and the dimensionality of the story they conveyed. “Kentucky” centers around a headstrong young woman named Hiro, who, after escaping from her native Kentucky and the emotional traumas it dealt her, relocated to New York City, where she has been living and working for the past 7 years. After learning that her younger sister Sophie, who in her absence has become a born-again Christian, is to be wed to a man she has only been seeing for 6 months, Hiro storms her old town to talk some sense into her. What ensues is a hilarious yet heartbreaking narrative in which relationships are rekindled and shattered, and wounds are healed and formed.

By: Amy Wang ‘21

Many of us come to USC previously as some of the top students at our high school. We were the school presidents, the editors-in-chief, and the honor students. But when you gather all the great students and put them in one place, we are no longer the big fish, but rather one of many fish in a large pond. I was not spectacular in high school, but I definitely worked hard. I pushed myself to my limits, ate late, slept later if I slept at all. I came to USC expecting myself to and actually trying to do the same. I would say I achieved my goal my freshman year for the most part. And because I survived, I decided to try again my sophomore year this semester. The results… I crashed and burned, literally.

By: Jamie Wu ‘18 (Guest Blogger)

It’s not every day that you hear a song remixed to USC’s fingerprint scanner located in every freshman dorm on campus. But Michael Azuna, a junior from the Bay Area majoring in music industry and minoring in music production and known by his musician name AZU, did just that in the Spring of 2017. He posted this catchy and creative piece of work on the infamous USC Memes for Spoiled Pre-Teens Facebook page and it was an instant hit. Since then, the video has garnered over 3.5k views, coupled with high praise in the comments section. Trojans 360 sat down with him in an interview and asked about where the inspiration for the song came from. Check out the piece to find out more about how Michael came to make this creative piece of work!

By: Alexis M Peters ‘20

When Amber Rose walked into the room, I couldn’t help but nudge my neighbor and whisper anxiously: “She’s here!” The model, actress, and activist entered the room to a smattering of applause, her blonde-headed entourage bobbing behind her. The event hadn’t even started, but a respectful hush had fallen over the crowd, everyone ready to absorb empowerment and knowledge. On Tuesday, October 2, I attended OpenEd: A Fireside Chat with Amber Rose, hosted by USC Dornsife and The Amber Rose Foundation. It was an event to promote open dialogue and education about sex positivity, rape culture, gender inequality, and digital activism. With Amber Rose herself as the discussion mediator, there were four women panelists: Shafika Ahmadi, Associate Professor of Clinical Education at the Rossier School of Education; Genie Harrison, a trial lawyer with her own law firm, and recognized by Best Lawyers in America; Liz Havstad, executive director and COO of Hip Hop Caucus, a civil and human rights organization; and Nicole aBeckett, the cofounder of SameSide, an organization that uses art, music, and culture to make political action more accessible. This was certainly an esteemed group of women, and they perched on their little stools, smiling out at us like elegant queens.

By: Lilly Kate Diaz ‘20

Hello, all! I hope your semester has been going well and that you are all taking care of yourselves. While I am a bit late on posting this, I firmly believe in “better late than never!” If you haven’t heard yet – it’s a very special time of the year for me and my fellows Latinx/Hispanic folks:

By: Danielle Collins ‘20

In my opinion, study abroad opportunities are one of the best parts of going to USC. I’m currently studying abroad in Madrid, Spain and absolutely LOVING it! If you’re considering study abroad, it can be daunting to decide where to go. There are so many amazing places to choose from…how can you be sure you pick the right place for you? Read on to find out!

By: Sophia Pei ‘22

It may be autumn but it won’t be cooling down (much). Here are some of my favorite ice cream stores in LA that are easily accessible by public transport from USC. This list is not for the weak of heart, all of these stores are known for their unique (and unconventional) flavors so explore with an open mind!

By: Alexis M Peters ‘20

Here we are, already getting into the swing of things on campus! We’ve moved in, had reunions with our friends, knocked out the cobwebs from the summer and… now it’s time to actually get some work done. What? I know, I sort of miss summer too, but it’s time to buckle down. How can you start this semester off right so you don’t end up sobbing into your textbooks in the back of Leavey Library come midterms? (Unfortunately, I think we’ve all been there.) Here are some great tips that worked last semester to keep me sane.

By: Danielle Collins ‘20

Hopefully you had a chance to go the Involvement Fair last week. Great! Now you’re probably wondering what to do with all the flyers you got, email lists you joined, and information you received. It can be hard to narrow it down. Here are some tips for what to do next:

By: Amanda Curtis ‘19

A one-and-a-half week crash course into Japan’s economic, diversity, and political history and modern issues. Hundreds of pages of reading every night. That was all we had before hopping on a 10-hour flight to Tokyo and dive deep into our independent field research. For some students, those two weeks were their first and only exposure Japanese culture before being expected to conduct a research project. While a daunting task, there is no one more capable of teaching this than Professor Katada. For me, however, this Maymester was a culmination of all the research and learning I have done throughout my educational career. I have always been fascinated by different societies and histories, particularly the rich culture of Japan. To be able to finally immerse myself in Japanese culture, while also pursuing my academic interests through my research, was a truly life-changing experience. Looking back at those four weeks as I sit here writing this blog post, it is clear the impact this trip has had on me, personally and professionally. When conducting my research, which was about the social implications surrounding female video game players in Japan, I got to not only dive deep into my prospective industry, but learn how to tap into a passion that I’ve always had. People have long known that travel is good for the soul and for our personal development. This Maymester managed to combine that with academic growth, pushing me further than I thought possible. And from my conversations with my classmates, I know I am not the only one who has received this clarity.

By: Natalia Wurst ‘21

It seems almost impossible to encapsulate everything your first year of college teaches you about adulthood in one blog (which is great, because it should be). For awhile, I put off even trying–until I realized that, 12 months ago, I was exactly you. I didn’t care whether the author of the content I was reading felt self-conscious about the quality or relevance of her words. I needed answers, and I needed them before I spiraled into a black hole of doubt and what-ifs. So without further ado, the following are four takeaways from my experience, yours to leave or take.

By: Jamie Wu ‘18

Have you ever wondered what the Priam Residential College in USC’s University Village looks like? Check out this video to get a glimpse!