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?
Making the Most of your Semester Abroad
By: Hannah Skinner ‘23
Studying abroad will already be one of the most enriching experiences you have as a student, but there are ways to add even more value. Looking back at my experience at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, I felt like I adequately prepared myself to go abroad, but there was still plenty I learned along the way. Here’s some tips I implemented that helped me make the most of my time in South Korea.
Free and Accessible Activities I Recommend for Your Downtime
By: Nancy Aguilar Sanchez ‘22
Once you finally have the time between classes, exams, and homework to go explore LA, it’s often hard to find activities that are free or affordable. Here’s some inspiration for the next time you want to go out without blowing your budget!
Is living at The Lorenzo worth it?
By: Nancy Aguilar-Sanchez ‘22
I’ve lived at The Lorenzo for two years now and can say with certainty that everyone’s experience and the value they get out of it is different. Most freshmen and sophomores live on campus because housing is guaranteed but once you reach junior year, it’s a lot less likely that you’ll get on-campus housing; lots of students find themselves living at The Lorenzo.
The International Student’s Guide to Getting a Driver’s License
By: Ngai Yeung ‘23
Having grown up in a city with excellent public transit, I didn’t know a thing about cars—my automobile knowledge was so lacking that I didn’t know there was more than one pedal until my first driving lesson here. Here’s what I learned from my bumbling journey to getting a license in California.
Sistxrs in Solidarity: Prioritizing Wellbeing While Fighting for Our Spaces as Black Women
By: Chia Okwaraibekwe ‘26 (USC Student Life Guest Blogger)
Every time I found myself at a hospital or clinic, I desperately searched for people who looked like me. As I grew older and started to become more knowledgeable about the hidden truths in life, I began to realize that being both Black and a woman would make navigating the medical field more difficult than I anticipated.
Brunch Worth Trying in LA
By: Hannah Skinner ‘23
Los Angeles has an impressive brunch scene, and no, it’s not just avocado toast. If you are looking to try some good brunch food but are overwhelmed with options, don’t worry! I’ve recently tried five new brunch spots in LA so you don’t have to.
Hate the Gym? This class will change your mind!
By: Tamanna Sood ‘24
Last semester, no matter how hard I tried to take care of myself and go to the gym, I found myself making excuses. I hated going to the gym and felt like I didn’t know what I was doing. Knowing my struggles, a friend suggested I try out PHED 104A. It turned out to be one of the best classes I’ve taken at USC!
My Life as a BCA Major: Sophomore Fall Edition
By: Kristen Adams ‘25
Whether you are a prospective student interested in learning more about the BCA program, or a USC student nosy about what our 50-student BCA cohort does on a daily basis, here are my experiences, insights, tips, and opinions about USC’s BCA program.
The Perfect Hike For You
By: Ela Rybak ‘25
As USC students, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with work and find ourselves not going outside as much as we probably should. Hiking is a great way to get out and relieve stress, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed trying to find the perfect trail!
Transfer Tips: What I Wish I Knew Before I Transferred to USC
By: Lauren Liang ‘23
Transferring is a scary (and exciting!) process. New school, new people, new city. I should know– I am a transfer. I’ve loved my time at USC, and while I haven’t had to learn too many lessons the hard way, there are definitely some tips I wish I knew before I started.
I’ve Tried Soooo Many Planning Systems: Here’s The Good, The Bad, and The Unproductive
By: Ngai Yeung ‘23
In college, our time and attention is split between buckets such as chores, career, school, social life, health, finances, and many more. I’ve experimented with a whole variety of apps and methods throughout the years — here’s my ranking of the ones I’ve tried from worst to best.
I Meditated for 30 days Straight, and You Should Too
By: Juan Miguel Bugayong ‘25
Each breath marked the formation of my inner peace, working towards focusing on not what I needed to do, or what I have done, but what I have in the present moment. If anything, meditation has taught me how to be more present in the day, and with anxiety running through my mind almost 24/7, it gave me room to actually slow down and breathe.