By: Sophia Pei ‘22

With the raging pandemic and social distancing, it can be increasingly difficult to have meaningful interactions with friends and family. Perhaps your best friend, whom you previously saw every day, is halfway across the country in a different time zone, and, now that you’ve moved back home, the parents you missed are breathing down your neck and nagging about grades and future plans. Whether it’s due to the increased distance or the lack of any distance, your relationship dynamics have changed. To improve relationship quality and promote mental well-being, you should make the time to find ways to check in with your loved ones and show them you care.

By: Claire Wong ‘23

Amazon has thousands and thousands of products for college students and dorm rooms. Whether you are living at home or at a small apartment in Downtown LA, here are some fun and practical gifts to add to your wish list this holiday season.

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

With a lot of us still stuck at home, fitness has been a popular topic this year — everyone trying to make the best out of their situation. I’ve made a post about fitness/working out before, but I recently became aware of another option for students: WORK. USC Rec Sports partnered with WORK to bring you even more workouts. WORK offers not only live (everyday but Sunday), but a collection of pre-recorded videos for constant access. Not limited by a schedule, students can have full control over when you’d like to work out, even past the semester. While there are a collection of free classes available, WORK and USC Rec Sports is offering a 70% discount for USC students to total in at $25 a month.

By: Celine Vazquez ‘24

This semester has been far from easy, and pushing through finals season has seriously taken a toll on all of our mental health. After finals are finished, it’s important for us to take a step back and take care of our minds! Here are just a few ways you can mentally recharge after finals, so you can be ready to have a wonderful, relaxing break. Let’s get started, Trojans!

By: Sophia Williams ‘22

Let’s face it- social distancing, quarantining and trying to get through a global pandemic has left lots of time for self-reflection. While it can be lonely at times, this period also makes room for everyone’s own personal renaissance! I’ve spent a lot of time this quarantine building my confidence and personal style, so here’s a couple tips I’ve collected for how to kickstart your rebrand and escape from the real world for a bit during quarantine.

By: Claire Wong ‘23

With COVID-19, there are not many restaurants open with dine-in options. It is already super limited to travel affordably as a student without a car. Here are some of my favorite restaurants with great outdoor seating options that are super accessible (via Metro or walking distance) and very local to the USC area!

By: Celine Vazquez ‘24

As college students, we don’t get those organized back-to-school supplies lists anymore. We often look to the internet or asks friends to see what we need. However, with this semester being a new experience for everybody, it can be hard to find what materials are best to have a successful virtual semester! Luckily, I’m here to help! Here are 10 things I found extremely useful during USC’s 2020 Fall Semester.

By: Sydney Henry ‘24

Welcome to Part 2 of my recap of the first semester of freshman year. Part 2 of this recap is all about discussing how to deal with the mental and emotional toll this semester has taken on everyone. Between the pandemic, attending Zoom University: USC Edition, and dealing with everything else going wrong, it’s a lot. So how do you stay calm and sane with everything going on?

By: Sydney Henry ‘24

All the freshmen, including me, are rejoicing at the fact that this first semester is almost over and a long break is soon to come. But the journey isn’t yet over and we still have a long way to go. There are definitely many moments where I had full on breakdowns and wanted to give up so bad. Between the all-nighters, the lack of social interaction with others, and the frustration at myself for not being able to find the motivation to do anything, I was still able to reflect on this first semester. That reflection has prompted me to share what helped and hurt me academically, so your first or next semester could go much smoother than mine.

By: Sophia Pei ‘22

It’s that time of year: college applications. SATs and ACTs may be canceled by the Common App essays are not. Keep reading for my college essay and my reflections on it, the college application process and time at USC.

By: Dara Udobong ‘23

There’s nothing quite like spending money that didn’t need to be spent, is there? Or being so proud of a purchase, only to find out it retails at a cheaper price in another location. When you’re in a new city, town or off to college (omg) things like this are bound to happen. Navigating a new place is hard enough without being stressed about money management or how much you don’t have. Thankfully, USC has loads of resources just for college kids to help you spend less—because I mean, who doesn’t like free stuff?

By: Celine Vazquez ‘24

College comes with tons of responsibilities, and finding easy breakfast recipes shouldn’t be another thing you have to add onto your plate. Luckily, this go-to guide with some of my favorite breakfast ideas has got your back! Stop skipping the most important meal of the day and try these 4 cheap and fool-proof recipes. Let’s get eating!