UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
STUDENT BLOG
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Navigating Your First Year as a USC Trojan
by Lanie Brice
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Navigating Your First Year as a Spring Admit
by Lanie Brice
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How to Balance Your Social Life During Finals
by Donal Buckley
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Study Tips and Habits to Get Through Finals Season
by Lauren Liang
looking for something to read?
Come with Me to a Men’s Volleyball Game
By: Kelsey Cheng ‘25
Did you know that USC students can watch regular-season, home games for almost every sport? Last week, Trojans faced off against UC San Diego at the Galen Center. As a long-time fan of USC volleyball, I jumped at the chance to see my school’s victory over the Tritons. Follow me to learn more about the volleyball game experience!
5 Tips for Double Majoring from a Double Major
By: Nancy Aguilar ‘22
Deciding to pursue a second major is a difficult decision on its own, and it can be a very tedious and lengthy process depending on which major you’d like to add to your existing curriculum. Plus —even if you are successful in adding it—the work has only just begun. In my experience, this process took months to achieve. My first major under Dornsife was International Relations and Global Business; later, I applied to the School of Cinematic Arts in August 2020. Prior to, I had months of preparation for the application entailing essay writing, storytelling and creating my own film. If you’re adding a major that is within the same school it’s probably a relatively easier process, but, sooner or later, all double majors have to deal with the same obstacle: finding balance.
What It’s Like Being a Tour Guide!
By: Kristen Adams ‘25
Having been a high school senior only one year ago, I vividly remember the stress associated with the college admissions process. From writing supplemental essays, to completing my Common App, to touring college campuses, there is a lot that goes into creating a college list. I toured a handful of colleges myself (unfortunately not including USC) before making the important decision on May 1. Now, as a freshman at USC, I am in the process of becoming a USC Student Ambassador – in other words, I’m soon going to be a tour guide, walking around the USC campus with a mic and a large group of anxious high school students and their families. Here is a little bit about my experience thus far!
I Tried Jade Rolling. Does it Live Up to the Hype?
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
Jade rollers have gone in and out of fashion in the beauty world for years since 2018, but after seeing them in one too many YouTube videos recently, I decided I needed to try out the practice for myself. Aside from the claims it promotes lymphatic drainage and might help contour your face, I thought that the cool roller might just be soothing, so I figured I didn’t have much to lose. So, one day at Whole Foods, I gave in and picked a pink jade roller off the shelf and decided to finally give it a try.
The COVID Survival Guide
By: Sydney Fiorentino ‘ 24
We are all trying our best to not catch COVID-19, but cases have gone up because of Omicron and the holidays; unfortunately, I caught the virus myself. Let me say, you do not want to get it. But on the off chance that you do, here is a small survival guide that’ll help make your 10-day quarantine and recovery better:
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.