With not much to do over Winter Break, I made it my mission to go through my saved ‘cafes’ Tik Tok folder and actually try out some of those bookmarked cafes. Below is a review of 5 cafes throughout SoCal that I tried and if I would recommend it or not. 

Unless you are a morning person, an 8 AM class is probably not ideal. While it may not be your first choice, with the right approach and a few strategic habits, you can make the most of it. Instead of just trying to survive the early mornings, you can actually get the hang of managing them and make the most of it. So, here’s your ultimate guide to surviving your 8 AM class!

Whether hopping on the Tube, catching a bus, or taking a train beyond the city, knowing how to navigate London’s transport like a local can make your journey smoother and stress-free. Here are some key tips to help you master the system.

As some consider me to be a “film person” – which mainly stems from my parents showing me a lot of old movies when I was younger – people occasionally ask me for film recommendations. Additionally, since I was once in SCA, some of these are pretentious and annoying choices! You can add them to your Letterboxd and proceed to act better than everyone else, you have my blessing. 

London is an incredible city, but sometimes a quick getaway can be the perfect way to explore more of what the UK offers. Fortunately, there are plenty of charming towns, historic landmarks, and stunning countryside destinations within a short train ride from the capital. Here are some of the best day trips from London that you can reach in under two hours.

Overall, I’ve found that bringing my Switch to school has been such a positive experience. I love playing it and I’m sure I’ve forced my friends into loving Mario Kart too. In all seriousness, it offers such an easy activity to bond with close friends or make new ones too. If you have one, don’t take it for granted.

Looking for a more fulfilling way to procrastinate than doom scrolling? Luckily, USC provides free HBO Max (now just Max) specifically for these situations! Perfect for midterms or finals season when you’ve already cleaned your whole apartment/dorm, and now there’s nothing else to feasibly rationalize not working. As a professional procrastinator, here are some of my recommendations for shows to binge watch deep into the night and early morning.

Like the freshman fifteen, there are a few things you can expect to happen during the start of your college career. At the beginning, I thought that secondhand stories and research about college life had prepared me for it all. I knew I would miss my home and my old friends. I could count having conflicts with my roommates and struggling with balancing work and fun. But during my second semester at USC, one thing I hadn’t planned to encounter snuck up on me— an OCD diagnosis.  

As a Cinema and Media Studies major, there aren’t a lot of students who are interested in law school within my major nor within SCA. As someone who untraditionally chose the Pre-Law path, one of the first things I considered was if I really needed to major or minor in a traditional pre-law subject for law school. To cut the chase: no, you don’t need to.

Are you a pre-med student struggling to memorize anatomy terms? Do you read your notes but find it difficult to remember them when it’s time for the test? One tool that I’ve used all through college is Remnote. Remote is a note-taking software that automatically creates flashcards as you type. Remnote makes it easier for you to retain and recall information when it matters most—on test day.

I recently did a student panel for SCA Admissions with prospective students and felt like I was transported to freshman year. I remember what it felt like to be a freshman in SCA. You are fed compliments about how you got into one of the best film schools in the country, itching to be on set, and daydreaming about winning an Oscar. I don’t mean to come off as a debby-downer when I say this, but the reality is that most students enter SCA with a strict plan on where they want to be after college is over and then a few semesters into the program realize that their initial path isn’t what they want anymore.

Dreaming of a career in civil engineering where you’ll design sustainable cities, build essential infrastructure, and lead impactful projects? If you’re looking for a club that brings these ambitions to life, meet the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) at USC. In this Club Spotlight, I’ll dive into everything ASCE offers. Get ready for the inside scoop on how ASCE can launch your journey into civil engineering!