By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

Looking to explore Los Angeles, but not really sure where to go? Check out the Japanese Village Plaza in Little Tokyo! With great scenery, great music, and great food, it’s the perfect place if you’re looking to get off of campus. Simply hop on the expo line right from campus, ride eastbound to 7th St/Metro Center, transfer to the Red/Purple train eastbound to Union Station, transfer one last time to the Gold Line southbound towards Atlantic Station before getting off right at Little Tokyo. From there, use this guide to score some of the best snacks available!

By: Sophia Pei ‘22

It’s the height of midterm season and everyone around you is getting sick. The combination of lack of sleep, stress, and lack of self-care can easily lead to you feeling unwell when you most need to be at your best. It’s easy to forget to do the things that keep us well when things get hectic, leading to a positive feedback loop of stress. Here are some reminders and tips for you to be and stay well!

By: Sumaya Hussaini ‘22

Academic, author, diplomat, and former UN ambassador Samantha Power joined USC students and faculty in Bovard Auditorium to discuss her new memoir, The Education of an Idealist, Tuesday night. The event was presented by the USC Speakers Committee and Power was accompanied on stage by USC Center on Public Diplomacy director, Jay Wang.

By: Alexis M Peters ‘20

So, you’re an introvert, huh? Me too. I didn’t even realize it until I got to college. In high school, I’d hang out with my friends after school on a regular basis. I went on fun trips and hangouts all the time. And after all of that socializing, I got to go home at the end of the day. But college is one crazy ride. You’re surrounded by your friends 24/7. There are events happening nearly every weekend from parties, to club meetings, to concerts. And living in a big city like Los Angeles, there are always more fun events demanding your time and attention.

By: Karla Leung ‘22

After the recent summer earthquakes — a 6.4 and later a 7.1 magnitude only 150 miles away from Los Angeles — earthquakes have become an even more pressing issue in California. Throughout the Los Angeles area, the quake and its aftershocks were felt and California residents have been increasingly concerned of impending earthquakes in the future. If you’re from out of state and have never experienced the threat of an earthquake, it’s important to be aware of the steps to take in case one hits during your time at USC.

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

If you do not write follow-up emails on the regular, you are probably missing out. Networking is a huge part of the college experience and a great way to foster those relationships with future employers/possible mentors is through follow-up emails. Even if you are writing them to every recruiter, speaker, or alumni you meet, you may not be going about it in the best way. So, if you want to learn the most effective method to express your self, thankfulness, and career aspirations through email, keep reading!

By: Camila Grases ‘21

On Saturday, September 28, I had the privilege of joining students from the ARCG 305L class on a trip to Catalina. The purpose of the trip was to train students to create 3D models of sunken ships in Lake Tahoe— a trip they will be taking during the fall break. The class combines students and teachers from varying backgrounds with the goal of teaching the students how to create photogrammetry models underwater.

By: Antonia Le ‘22

We’ve all been there. You tell yourself that you’ll stay up a little bit to study for your midterm, but when it comes time to actually take the test, you find yourself wanting to doze off halfway through. Or maybe you had a great night’s sleep, but there’s that one professor whose voice just puts you to sleep. However, you might not want to reach for that cup of coffee just yet. Drinking too much caffeine (or caffeine at the wrong time of day) can mess up your sleep schedule and send you into an infinite loop of feeling tired, reaching for a cup of coffee, and not getting enough sleep. Instead, try these tricks for staying awake in class!

By: Talia Walters ‘20

USC has hundreds of minors in almost every single school, and so sometimes it’s hard to find the right minor for you. There’s so many that it’s overwhelming to try to sift through all of the programs, and often, minors that are really interesting, cool, and unique get thrown to the wayside only because students don’t know about them. To try and combat this, I’ve curated a list of 16 unique and interesting minors (by my standards) below that I’ve never heard someone declare. As always, if you have any questions about if you have room for a minor or how you declare a minor, it’s best to stop by your major adviser’s office so they can…well…advise you in the right direction.

By: Talia Walters ‘20

After three finished years at USC, applying and deciding to come here feels like a distant memory. However, as I continue to trudge slowly through my senior year of college and as I see all of my friends in graduation caps announcing their future plans, I’m beginning to realize, much to my horror, that it might just be time to open those college apps again. In honor of a trying time for all of us, both high school and college seniors, I’ve been reflecting on my own journey to USC. I think my story’s a bit on the unique side, and I wanted to share it with everyone who might be worried about their upcoming applications or who might be regretting the commitment they made just a few weeks ago. Thus, I present: Talia’s Journey to USC.

By: Antonia Le ‘22

Ever since returning to USC for another fun semester of schoolwork and stress-eating, I have come face-to-face with an extremely uncomfortable truth: sometime between my last final in May and my first day of school in August, I had lost the ability to write. Once able to write pages upon pages of semi-passable work for WRIT 150 in one night, I now struggle to write more than a paragraph of coherent thought. It’s difficult to get back into any sort of formal writing when you haven’t done it in a while. However, over my lifetime, I’ve picked up a few tips and hacks for writing when you really don’t want to (or know how to). They’ve helped me get back into the groove of writing, and I hope they’ll help you too.

By: Alexis M Peters ‘20

Ah, money management. As broke college students, it’s something we all inevitably struggle with. We’re new to this big wide world, and now we have to figure out how to responsibly use money. And studying at USC, there are so many amazing opportunities that, unfortunately, cost money. So it’s extra important to manage your moolah wisely. Here, I’ll share a few tips that I’ve found to be helpful when you’re starting to budget for the first time in college.