UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
STUDENT BLOG
-
![]()
Navigating Your First Year as a USC Trojan
by Lanie Brice
-
![]()
Navigating Your First Year as a Spring Admit
by Lanie Brice
-
![]()
How to Balance Your Social Life During Finals
by Donal Buckley
-
![]()
Study Tips and Habits to Get Through Finals Season
by Lauren Liang
looking for something to read?
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.
How to Stay Healthy (Physically and Mentally) While Abroad
By: Danielle Collins ‘20
When you go abroad, you’ll start to hear all the usual jokes about the “Abroad 15.” And to be honest, you might put on a pound or two. I mean, let’s face it, there’s a whole world of new foods to try. But that doesn’t mean you should completely let yourself go. Here are some tips to stay healthy, physically and mentally, while abroad.
8 Things you Should be Doing to Ace your Finals
By: Sophia Pei ‘22 and Camila Grases ‘21
Ah, good old finals are approaching. We know this can be a stressful time, but don’t fret. Here are some tips on end-of-the-semester stress management we’ve learned during our time here. We hope this information is just as helpful to you as it is to us.
USC’s Dragon Boat Team
By: Camila Grases ‘21
Not many people know what dragon boat is. I didn’t either before I tried out. Little freshman me was looking for a cool new sport to try out, and when I read the word “dragon”, I was sold. Now, I can’t imagine having done anything different.
A Comprehensive List of the Best Campus Study Spots
By: Alexis M Peters ‘20
I recently embarked on a quest to find the perfect study spot. I wanted to find a place that was perfect to set up camp for a couple of hours and chug through some homework. And if you’re like me, the two main libraries on campus just don’t cut it. They can get pretty crowded sometimes, and it just isn’t the kind of atmosphere I want for a long study session. So, here it is: Your comprehensive list of nearly all the places to study on campus that aren’t Doheny or Leavey. Let’s hit it!
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!
To-Do List for the “Real World”
By: Fred Akau ‘20
Some career things to know before leaving ‘SC.
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.
Being Low-Income at USC
By: Lilly Kate Diaz ‘20
This year is my junior year. For some, it is their last, their second, or their very first. Some are wealthy, some are living decently, and some are barely surviving when it comes to money. While I have other identities, being low-income in college is what I will talk about in this post. In this post, I hope to share my story for those who are going through something similar and to share resources that I have used to help me get through financial issues.
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.
Adventures in Aerospace: Viterbi Screening of “First Man” and Chat with Astronauts
By: Awo Jama ‘22
On October 5th, USC students were granted a rare opportunity when they had the chance to not only attend an early screening of the film First Man, but to witness a discussion panel featuring several notable figures in the aerospace field. The event was produced by both the Viterbi School of Engineering and USC’s Arts and Humanities initiative, Visions and Voices.
5 Reasons Parkside IRC is the Best Freshman Residential College
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
From great food, to diverse cultural events, and great accommodations, Parkside IRC is definitely one of the best places to stay. Let’s pretend I’m unbiased and don’t currently reside in it…here’s why: