UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
STUDENT BLOG

Trojans360 Articles
A Guide to Student Jobs
By: Kelsey Cheng ‘25
Interested in finding a job on campus? Trojans work a variety of jobs that range in time commitment, responsibilities, and environments. Keep reading for an in-depth look at just some of the different ways students can earn cash!
5 Books To Keep Reading Through The Spring Semester
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
The start of the new semester always means a major loss of reading momentum for me. I read 15 or so books over the three weeks of holiday break, but I’ll be lucky to read 15 over the course of the entire semester. I maybe get to five. We all have to do so much reading for classes that it’s easy to let the joy of reading evaporate. I’ve compiled a list of 5 books that range from romance to general fiction to essays to YA and nonfiction to hopefully inspire you to keep reading for fun even as the semester gets busy.
How To Teach Yourself To Code From Scratch
By: Nathan Kim ‘24
As technology is becoming more and more integrated into our everyday lives, it’s useful to pick up some skills to become more technologically savvy. Coding would be considered one of these skills to have because it can be utilized in virtually any field and can be a tool as one’s personal hobby. To anyone learning how to code from scratch, it may seem like climbing Mt. Everest because of the sheer amount of information and how it requires a different way of thinking. However, there are now tons of online resources that one can use to teach themselves at their own pace. Still, it is definitely confusing to navigate this whole field alone, so here are some ways that you can teach yourself to code and also resources that might be helpful to you.
How to Make the Most of the Virtual School Experience
By: Nancy Aguilar ‘22
Now that we have had almost two years of online school as a result of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, it’s safe to say that we’re way past Zoom fatigue. This is chronic pain. Just when we thought we were safe in Fall 2021, Spring 2022 gave us a wake up call.
How to Create a Mood (Vision) Board *Updated*
By: Sydney Henry ‘24
Happy New Year everyone! 2021 may have not been the best year for you, but 2022 is all about increased positivity and making it the best year for you. So, how exactly can you map out 2022 to make it the best year for you? Try creating a mood board to help you accomplish all that you are looking forward to in 2022.
Tips and Tricks to Get Started with Notion + Mini Notion Tour
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
Notion has taken the planning world by storm in the last couple years, but it can be an intimidating and confusing tool to get started with. Notion offers the allure of nearly infinite possibility of formatting, planning, and notetaking within an app that’s available on your computer, iPad, and phone. I’ve been using Notion on and off for a couple years now, and it’s taken me a while to create systems that support what I need and are easy to stay consistent with. Here are my best tips for getting started with Notion and how to best utilize it to stay organized during this already chaotic semester.
Day in the Life of a BCA Major
By: Kristen Adams ‘25
Business Cinematic Arts, or BCA for short, is a unique major offered by the Marshall Business School and the School of Cinematic Arts for students interested in learning about the business side of the entertainment industry. As a freshman, I have enjoyed the classes I’ve had to take thus far, ranging from economics to film classes, and am excited to see all the new opportunities I’ll have coming up. Here is a rundown of what it’s like to be a BCA major at USC!
Get Active at USC!
By: Kelsey Cheng ‘25
New year, new me! Do you want to get active this year? Here are some ways you can exercise at USC.
Webb Tower vs Birnkrant: A Review of Apartment vs Dorm Living
By: Kristen Adams ‘25 and Kelsey Cheng ‘25
Choosing where to live while at USC can be a difficult feat, especially for freshmen. With four traditional freshman dorms, two freshman suites options, and four freshman apartments to choose from, the process of finding your best housing fit can be tiring and stressful. In this article, Kelsey and Kristen will be diving into their freshmen living experiences so that you can learn more about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the dorm experience versus the apartment experience at USC!
5 Travel Tips for Heading Home during Winter Break
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
Growing up, I spent a lot of time in airports during layovers and on planes themselves, but since the pandemic hit, I’ve only been on a plane twice since March of 2020. Since winter break is coming up and it’s time to head home for the holidays, I put together this list of tips to remind myself and all of you of easy ways to make air travel less daunting this holiday season. All of these tips I’ve learned, tested, and used over the years — especially when I have to travel on my own — to help manage the potential chaos an anxiety travel can bring.
Time to Recharge: Here’s What I’m Doing Over Break
By: Sydney Fiorentino ‘24
The semester is almost over, and if you are like me, your social battery may need some recharging. I would say I’m an outgoing person and partially extroverted, but there are definitely times where I would love to stay home and watch Netflix by myself. I’ve noticed USC is a pretty social school, and I get to see my friends every single day and night. However, I do get tired of partying or going out every weekend, and sometimes I just want to sleep and be left alone. Now that winter break is coming up, this is the perfect time for me and anyone else to recharge their social battery. Here are some things I am going to do to help myself relax:
Come with Me to the 2021 Teen Vogue Summit
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
On Saturday, December 4th, I headed down to Goya Studios to attend the Teen Vogue Summit. This outdoor event was half block party and half convention: there were booths from LA brands and vendors, as well as panels and musical performances running on an outdoor stage. I was immediately drawn in by the event advertising a chance to network with other Teen Vogue readers, editors, and panelists as well as receive career advice from Condè Nast recruiters. The event felt full of opportunity and community.