By: Karla Leung ‘22

USC is an incredibly busy and bustling campus; walk down Trousdale during the afternoon and it seems like every single student is walking down that street too. Getting away from the crowds on campus can be difficult at times, but I have a few favorite places to get away and relax.

By: Lindsey Hamilton ‘22

Trying to get all of your classes — the right courses and the right time with the right teacher — can sometimes feel like a ferocious free-for-all. But with patience and a little strategy, figuring out next semester’s schedule should feel less like a mad dash and more like a fun puzzle. (Not even an exaggeration — I’m not the only one who finds planning fun…right?) Here are the top tips to finessing fall semester and taking another step towards that degree.

By: Natalie Oganesyan ‘22

For self-care purposes, obviously. I don’t know about you, but for me, Netflix is on par with therapy (okay, maybe that’s an overstatement). However, I can recall turning to Netflix for help any time I was upset, overwhelmed, angry, or felt any other negative emotion. Not only do I believe that taking your mind off of things by watching TV is stress-relieving, but I also believe media, movies, and shows can enrich your mind. Especially nowadays, more and more movies offer political and social commentary on important topics and present themes which were previously left untouched. So, without further ado, in the name of self-care and college student survival tips, I present to you my comprehensive list of the most binge-worthy shows and movies to watch on Netflix.

By: Lindsey Hamilton ‘22

You read that right…nature in LA! Who knew? I wasn’t being sarcastic either — half of the fun of the nature that exists in this metropolis is finding it. Because, well, it’s LA. In a city with stars seemingly everywhere but in the sky, green space is one of the last things I think of. Lucky for you all, I’ve done the intrepid (internet) exploring for you. For those brave enough to venture where the paths are dirt and there’s a little more wildlife than rats and roaches, here are the best places in the LA area to catch a breath of fresh air.

THE FALL 2019 EDITION

By: Ann Nguyen ‘22 and Camila Grases ‘21

It’s time to register again? Already?! Well if you’re looking for hidden gem electives to fill up your 12-18 units, then you’ve come to the right place. Here are our top picks for classes to take next semester, ordered by school/class type. Lucky you — we even included some student testimonials and listed the time offerings!

By: Sophia Pei ‘22

Every Sunday there is a food festival with hundreds of vendors hosted in Downtown LA and New York City. Smorgasburg in LA is hosted from 10AM to 4PM at 777 S Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90021. This is the perfect place for open-minded people willing to try LA’s signature food fusions as well as a great place to just browse the latest food trends and enjoy aesthetic lifestyle stands (after all, admissions is free!). This Sunday, some friends and I decided to explore. Here are some highlights and breakdown on the biggest open-air food market in America.

By: Talia Walters ‘20

I want to make it clear that the “standard” study abroad options aren’t bad. The key is that your comfort zone is something that only you are able to measure, and decisions based off of that are yours alone. I just don’t think the image of a great, vast world filled with billions of people who aren’t the cookie-cutter USC student is well-presented to students traveling abroad.

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

For people who are socially anxious, even day-to-day conversations can be a bit taxing, so professional interviews are far from easy. Whether you struggle maintaining eye contact, controlling your fidgeting hands, or stumbling over your words, there are ways to improve your chances of scoring that dream job. From one socially awkward over-thinker to another, here’s how to ace your interview:

By: Antonia Le ‘22

Let’s face it, with midterm season still in full swing and finals season edging closer every day, going to the gym is probably one of the last things in your mind. Even if there was all of the time in the world, many USC students do not take full advantage of the fitness opportunities available to them. Right on USC’s campus, there are two state-of-the-art fitness centers, the Lyon Center and the USC Village Gym, that students can walk in and use for free. It’s normal to have anxiety over going to the gym (especially if you’ve never gone before, or have little knowledge of the machines), but there’s no better time than the present to start your fitness journey. Gym memberships will only get more expensive once you graduate, so if you wanna make the most of your USC experience, here’s some tips for getting over gym anxiety and living your best life.

By: Karla Leung ‘22

Fashion Industry Association, most often abbreviated as FIA, is a Marshall School of Business based club and is the only fashion focused club on USC’s campus. Hosting a fashion show for the past fifteen years, this year’s theme was Made in LA, meaning every brand and designer featured is based and made in Los Angeles. Not only is it supporting local brands (including USC student designers), but also ensuring that the clothing is ethically sourced. Los Angeles is known for being one of the fashion capitals of the world for its innovation and fashion startups, and the USC fashion show highlighted some of the great talent coming out of LA.

By: Natalie Oganesyan ‘22

As we all know, college is expensive. Extremely and unnecessarily so (but that’s a topic for another blog post). If you’re anything like me, the enormous cost of college, basic necessities, and also extra fun expenditures are always on your mind. Stressing out over money, budgeting, and if you can afford certain things is not only detrimental mentally, but it’s also distracting from studies and extracurricular activities. I wanted to provide a conclusive list of ways to make money that are feasible and accessible for college students, regardless of their year or experience. Contrary to popular belief, there are plenty of ways to make money as a college student. You just have to look for them! Hopefully, this post can help ease some worries and give you a look into how simple it can be to get that bread and secure the bag($).

By: Sumaya Hussaini ‘22 and Ann Nguyen ‘22

“They’re taking someone else’s spot.”

For years, the sentence was uttered in reference to affirmative action — admissions practices that provide equal access to education and are preferential toward groups that have been historically underrepresented, disadvantaged, and/or discriminated against. However, the same sentiment was recently expressed by the general public in response to college admissions scandal, in which the children of wealthy celebrities and prominent business leaders were accepted to USC and other elite universities through illegal means of bribery and fraud.