By: Sophia Pei ‘22

Looking for great Japanese food and cute plushies but don’t want to deal with Little Tokyo tourist traps? Visit Sawtelle instead. Just 10 stops heading west on the Metro Expo line from USC is West LA’s “Little Japantown.” This mini center of East Asian food and novelties is located on Sawtelle Blvd. As a West LA resident, this was one of my go-to spots growing up. Here are some of my favorite things to do at Sawtelle.

By: Sumaya Hussaini ‘22

The Gender Studies Department at USC is an interdisciplinary program that offers an intellectual environment, sense of community, and dynamic course load. The classes emphasize the importance of realizing the intersections gender has with other relations of power including race, ethnicity, sexuality, class, and religion. In honor of Women’s History Month, I wanted to recognize a professor in the Gender Studies Department who has inspired me and taught me so much in less than a year of being at USC. As gender studies minor, I’ve had the privilege of taking classes offered by Dr. Heather Berg, a professor and activist who does research that explores how workers navigate and resist capitalism and gendered oppression. She has a Ph.D. in Feminist Studies and teaches classes about feminist theory, gender and social justice, gender and creative labor, and my personal favorite, unruly women.

By: Natalie Oganesyan ‘22

I was recently moved to make this post because of an experience in my personal life concerning relationships. Without going into too much sensitive detail, I cared about a person who did not reciprocate my same feelings. They led me on and, in the end, I felt a whirlwind of overwhelming emotions that I could not shake for a long time — frustration, anger, sadness, betrayal, even stupidity. I felt cheated, discarded, naive, especially since this was my first attempt at a romantic relationship. I wanted to make this blog post to help others who may be in the same position, who are struggling to get over a friendship or relationship with a toxic person or who need a little help practicing self-love in getting rid of people in their lives that only spread negativity.

By: Ann Nguyen ‘22

International Women’s Day was March 8th this year, and I knew the perfect way to celebrate — by spreading some love, appreciation, and confidence throughout USC. After all, the first step of female empowerment is believing in yourself, ladies!

By: Lindsey Hamilton ‘22

Challenge: name one woman scientist… other than Marie Curie. While Ms. Curie certainly earned her title as the quintessential female scientist with her discovery of radioactivity and the elements radium and polonium, she is just one small piece of the larger picture of women in science. Women have made invaluable contributions to science, despite many obstacles preventing them from succeeding in a field not historically welcoming to females. But times are quickly changing, spurred on by passionate, brave, intelligent women in all fields of research. It is therefore with great pride that I would like to feature some of these incredible women making big strides in the world of science right in our very own USC community.

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

Just because Black History Month is over does not mean people have to stop celebrating Black history. As a testament to that, the creators of the Black Love docuseries, Codie and Tommy Oliver, were invited to USC for a screening and discussion. In addition to having the creators visit, Hollywood stars, Michael White, Jillian White, and Jo-Ann Turnman were invited. The event was organized in collaboration between the USC School of Cinematic Arts, USC’s Black Alumni Association, and USC’s Black Student Association. Black Love has already aired two seasons on the Oprah Winfrey Network and features couples opening up about the joys, challenges, and realities of romance in the Black community. It is the most-viewed unscripted series debut in the network’s history and features couples (outside of the ones already mentioned) such as Viola Davis and Julius Tennon, Meagan Good and DeVon Franklin, Tia Mowry and Cory Hardrict and many more.

By: Natalie Oganesyan ‘22

As an intersectional feminist, I love going to events around campus which feature panels of successful and powerful women. I’ve seen Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie being honored, Roxane Gay and Amanda Nguyen tackling the pervasive problem of sexual assault, Grammy-nominee artists TOKiMONSTA and Cam discussing the lack of gender parity in the music industry, Sandra Bland’s sister calling for police accountability, and much more. All these events uplift women and give them a space to talk about the struggles they face not only as women but also within the intersections of race, sexuality, and class. While these events on campus are phenomenal and I am grateful for the plethora of opportunities available at USC to engage in thoughtful discussions about activism and social change, I feel that engagement on a mass scale is lacking.

By: Sumaya Hussaini ‘22

With recent events on campus like lawsuits being filed against the USC Student Health Center and growing conversations over sexual assault, it’s imperative that students understand the services that their university has to offer. If you’re unaware of USC’s current policies and regulations concerning sexual violence prevention and protection, don’t worry! This article will explain Title IX policy, RSVP Student Health Services, information regarding rape kits and date rape drug testing, and what the Undergraduate Student Government is doing to protect the sexual health and safety of its students.

By: Alexis M Peters ‘20

Yes, USC does have six different Starbucks locations either on campus or just nearby. And yes, I did get coffee at all six places just so I could conduct a proper review. I ordered the same drink at every location (decaf iced chocolate macchiato with almond milk) in order to judge fairly.

By: Antonia Le ‘22

After a month of midterms, rainy days, and late nights, spring break is finally here! Your best friend is headed to Cancun, the girl you sit next to is going to London, and your roommate has a plane ticket home for the next week! Meanwhile, you’re still here at USC. But don’t worry, whether you’re stuck here because of work, money, or because you simply don’t want to go home, here are some ways to make the most of your week at USC without emptying your wallet!

By: Natalie Oganesyan ‘22

We all know the struggle of trying to look good in college, especially when we’re low on funds and can’t afford Sephora brand products. I’m here to let you know that there are good makeup and skincare products that are effective, inclusive, and cheap! Here’s a go-to guide on affordable makeup when you’re balling on a budget.

By: Karla Leung ‘22

Accidents are a part of life, and in a pinch, it’s good to know where to find emergency contraceptives. Purchasing Plan B, a pregnancy test, or any other sexual health item can sometimes be embarrassing or nerve-wracking. Luckily, there are a variety of places around and off campus that provide discrete and convenient access.