Looking Back at the LA Times Festival of Books 2024 (+ Summer Reading Recs)
The LA Times Festival of Books is impossible to miss if you visit USC’s campus in the second to last week of April. Every year, campus is overtaken by stages and white tents in the week leading up to the weekend-long book fest that spans genres, age groups, and the entire campus. After three years of watching the assembly of the event, and being a lifelong major book lover, I decided to check off another senior year bucket list item and visit.
9 Small Things That Make My Life Better As a College Student
Heading into my senior year of college, I’ve finally learned the embrace that college is hard. Whether it’s a tough class or just homesickness and general overwhelm, there’s always a new challenge to work through. I guess that’s what growing up is all about. But, over time, I’ve learned one of the best ways to treat those low moments is finding small ways to make your life a little better every day.
Pizza, Please Brings a New Affordable Spot to the Village
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
Like all restaurants at the Village, Pizza, Please is counter service, and ordering was easy and efficient. With six kinds of pizza (though they are customizable into more options), a few types of wings, and a couple sandwiches, the menu isn’t so extensive you’ll be overwhelmed. Given that pizza is a notorious college student staple, it’s about time the Village locked in a permanent pizza stop open for late night runs until 11 p.m.
Trying to Read More This Year? Get an E-Card from the LA Public Library (and your guide to Libby)!
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
In my humble opinion, one of the best parts of living in the US is access to public libraries, but unfortunately, most people aren’t familiar with all the things the library has to offer. While USC has plenty of incredible libraries, they’re more suited to research or a late night study session than finding the hottest new fiction release. If you made a resolution to read more for fun in 2023 like I did, don’t overlook the LA Public Library to save on books, get free movies, documentaries, magazines, music, and much more.
A Hidden LA Gem: The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
If you’re looking to go back in time through art, you’ll probably struggle to find inspiration outside of the Getty or the LACMA, known for its once Instagram trending installation. Luckily, there’s another hidden gem museum much closer to USC if you’re looking to immerse yourself in fine art, take a walk around a gorgeous pond area, or grab a bite to eat at the outdoor cafè that is the cherry on top of the Parisian vibes. It’s called the Norton Simon Museum, and it’s located just north of us in Pasadena.
Creating an Easy and Affordable Skincare Routine For Busy College Students
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
While the beauty gurus 12-step super expensive routines still overwhelm me, I’ve slowly eased into researching the most essential steps to formulating a simple routine I can maintain even on the most chaotic college days. Here’s the steps I use in my morning and evening routine to offer some inspiration if you’re overwhelmed by the skincare world too.
The Ultimate (Affordable) Holiday Gift Guide
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
With the holidays already upon us, you might be scrambling to think of last minute gifts for everyone on your list. This gift guide is focused on keeping gift giving affordable (everything is under $50) and heartfelt. Hopefully it will spark some inspiration to make your friends and family think you read their mind.
HBO’s The Sex Lives of College Girls Returns for Season 2: Episode 1 and 2 Recap
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
While HBO often loves to play up shock value and larger than life plots in their popular shows, The Sex Lives of College Girls is a refreshingly down to earth, hilarious, sometimes ridiculous, honest portrayal of what it’s like to stumble through adulthood for the first time. Schedule a Thanksgiving/winter break binge session to catch up on this delightful show that’s now back for season 2.
My Favorite Books of the Year (So Far) to Add to Your Summer TBR
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
Summer is finally in sight past the last few days of finals season, and that means that we’ll finally have time to get back to our favorite hobbies that fell by the wayside during the semester.
Attempting to Cook a New Dish Every Week for a Month
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
In March of this year, I moved across the street from a grocery store, and I realized that I no longer had an excuse to not try new food and make fun, healthy dishes for myself. I’d wanted to explore cooking for a while, but I’d been stuck in a rut of making the same roasted cauliflower and rice on rotation. I have worn the picky eater badge my whole life, and I decided that now would be the perfect time to work on it.
Next on Netflix: Why You Should Watch Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
This year, Jonathan Van Ness launched his own Netflix series after finding success on the wildly popular Queer Eye revival.
March 2022: Must See LA Concerts
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
Now that it’s spring, touring is back in full force, and there are so many shows coming to the LA area. While there are plenty of huge stars making their way here, I much prefer shows in smaller, more intimate venues. Here’s a sampling of shows I’m super excited about at some of my favorite venues in the city from the El Rey to the Roxy.
The Best Gluten Free Treats You Can Find at the Grocery Store
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
When I was around 14 years old, I found out that I had a pretty severe gluten sensitivity. As a kid who lived off pasta, bread, and cheese in different variations for most of the years leading up to this moment, I was pretty upset to hear I’d never get to eat many of my favorite foods again.
Donut Friend is Dessert Heaven in DTLA
By: Lanie Brice ‘22
Over the weekend, I took a field trip over to Downtown LA to explore a new part of the city and stumbled upon the cutest donut shop. On my way back from visiting The Last Bookstore, I looked up and saw a sign for a bakery called Donut Friend.
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.