I Raised a Part-Wild Cat During My Last Semester at USC
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
Everyone said I was crazy for getting a cat and it was totally unexpected of me. I’ve always wanted to have a pet and raise a kitten or puppy at a young age. I considered waiting off until the end of my last semester, but I thought about my upcoming summer. I thought the perfect time to get a pet was when I finish school and have to transition to the rest of my entire life aka the real world. So a week after spring graduation, I got King George.
25 Things That Cross Your Mind During a USC Campus Tour
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
USC’s acceptance letters are out and more often than not are we spotting more families accompanied by their eager future Trojan. For me, this was the single most exciting part about my acceptance to USC.
An Expert’s Guide To Napping
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
I’m just gonna put this out there: I really really love naps!! In fact, I took a glorious three 3 hour nap today. A lot of my friends are in full agreement that power naps, no matter how long or short, are better than not having naps at all. So I did some research on the topic of naps and found that not only are they good for your mental alertness but also your overall health.
I Stopped Caring About How Society Perceived Me & Haven't Felt More Liberated Since
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
When I was in high school I didn’t understand my personal worth. I looked upon my peers for validation and defined my self worth by the number of people who knew and liked me as a person. My lack of self-actualized self-love hindered me from gaining the confidence I now have within myself.
USC Annenberg's 2nd Annual Media Mix & Mingle
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
Ben Blatt is the Executive Director, Digital Strategy at ABC Television. He is the creative genius behind the #TGIT campaign that kicked outa trifecta of prime time television perfection that included back-to-back-to-back episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How To Get Away With Murder. At Annenberg’s 2nd annual Media Mix and Mingle networking event, I had a chance to sit down and listen to Blatt’s insights on digital marketing strategy as he served as the event’s keynote speaker.
USC bike etiquette on campus
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
USC students commute to class a number of ways: on foot or by car, bike, skateboard as well as the occasional Razor scooter. During prime hours, getting around can get a little clustered and cause unwarranted collisions—especially during the first week of school when many first attempt to brave the intersection at Jefferson and Hoover. If everyone was on the same page, the ebb and flow of student transportation would be much more efficient and less dangerous, too.
Finding Your Passion with Alexis Jones: Author, Activist and Founder of I Am That Girl
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
Alexis Jones is wearing fitted black jeans with tears at the knees, a loose black tank top and a pair of long necklaces. Her long brown hair bounces effortlessly as she walks over to a number of familiar faces sitting in the audience. Sharing the captivating story of how she found her passion, wrote a book, and founded I Am That Girl, Jones’ inspiration was first sparked at her alma mater, USC. Before she dove into the meat of her story, she first asked the audience a question:
Movies filmed on USC's Campus
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
USC’s School of Cinematic Arts’ award winning architecture is undoubtedly one of the best parts about USC’s Campus. Established in 1929and with more part time academic staff than full time, USC’s SCA is a premier private film school located conveniently at the heart of the entertainment industry. A number of famous filmmakers are connected with the school including George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Judd Apathow, Jason Reitman and Will Ferrell. Unsurprisingly, USC’s campus has been known to be filming locations for over 20 films and television shows.
A Conversation with #RealResults
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
Rini Sampath and Jordan Fowler are the first all-female running ticket in USC and Pac-12 history. Despite a discouraging remark from a fellow peer–– who expressed her concerns of having two female student leaders––Rini and Jordan have received an overwhelming amount of support from both men and women, Greek and non-Greek students alike. They’re also the most endorsed ticket in USC history, currently standing tall with 48. I had a chance to meet with them after their debate and discuss platform points, USG background, and how these two accomplished women came to become partners in crime this USG election.
10 Things You Must Do On Valentine’s Day
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
Valentine’s Day is this weekend and I will be spending it alone this year. I have no issue with it, as I don’t believe v-day is synonymous to S.A.D (single awareness day). Like every major holiday, it is not defined by the man or woman you wake up and go to bed thinking of, but instead being in the company of people you love.
USC + Uber Join Forces
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
Have you ever been stood up by your Campus Cruiser, waited a solid 10 minutes longer than expected, or was placed on hold for 20 minutes before making it through to the dispatcher? Like many, I frequently take advantage of USC’s free taxi service to save money on Uber drivers and to get from point A to point B safely when it’s late. Sometimes, however, the inconveniences of using Campus Cruiser far outweigh its conveniences. For example, if I need to be somewhere in 15 minutes, I consider walking or calling an Uber because I don’t feel as if Campus Cruiser will receive and process my call in a timely manner. I am not alone—many share these feelings toward Campus Cruiser.
5 New Year’s Resolutions You Will Actually Stick With
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
January is coming to a close and I have one question: have you stuck with your new year’s resolutions or have you forgotten all about them already? Don’t fret if you already gave up because according to Forbes only 8% of people actually achieve their New Year’s resolutions this year.
Introverts and Extroverts: What are these pseudointellectual words being thrown around and what does it mean?
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
What exactly is the difference between an extrovert and an introvert? Most speculate that introversion is synonymous to shyness and being an extrovert means you have a very outgoing personality. I agreed with that statement until I did a bit of digging around. I became interested in this topic because I never identified myself as a full on extrovert although between the two I was definitely more so that than an introvert. I most precisely identified myself as a mix between the two. Friends would say “Lauren don’t be ridiculous you’re not a shy person at all” and although I wasn’t the shyest at the very least, I identified with a lot of the attributes I assumed an introverted person—that being, a lesser outgoing person—would possess.
Hikes In LA That You Must Try Right Now
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
Hikes are a great way of toning your body (a natural lift for your backside, ladies!), getting your suggested 30 minutes of cardio in, as well as simply venturing outside the concrete confines of USC and downtown. The best part: you get to chat to your friends throughout the entire trail and be close to nature. One of my biggest accomplishments was hiking the tallest mountain in South Lake Tahoe called Mt. Tallac. It took me nearly the entire day and I was gasping for oxygen as I literally crawled the last quarter mile. In my defense, oxygen was becoming sparse considering the increased elevation and change in altitude but I felt the greatest surge of endorphins imaginable when I finally reached the top. Never had a PB&J tasted so heavenly. Maybe you’re not about that 12.5 mile hike. Instead, I outlined a handful of hikes around Los Angeles that range from less than two miles to up to seven miles.
Campus Eats: The Many Places Students Can Use Dining Dollars At
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
At the end of every semester, my lucky friends who are privileged with Trojan Plan tend to have over $1,000 dollars leftover in dining dollars. This is typically around finals week when I am practically living on campus and all sense of self-sufficiency has flown out the window. Fortunately, my friends are generous enough to order me meals on campus using their Dining Dollars (all hail free Lemonade!!). If you currently have dining dollars and aren’t clear on where to spend your funds, I’ve outlined where and what on campus you can indulge in during your breaks. Explore outside the confines of Campus Center. There’s a plethora of cafés and quick stop offs situated around campus and if you play it smart, you can find yourself sipping on boba and munching on a pitaya bowl during your gap between lectures. #fancy
![The Ugly Truth: We Live In A Rape Culture [Part 2]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d3cc4a960d41134f9099d7/1645925497355-4741FME18EQIG1F9FX4G/tumblr_inline_pcha7vwsIH1rjic88_500.jpg)
The Ugly Truth: We Live In A Rape Culture [Part 2]
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
Last week I posted Part 1 of this two-part piece. Today, the story continues.
![The Ugly Truth: We Live In A Rape Culture [Part 1]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61d3cc4a960d41134f9099d7/1645925072064-VHIR26OFH4TOEFON020O/tumblr_inline_p7r82evudm1rjic88_400.jpg)
The Ugly Truth: We Live In A Rape Culture [Part 1]
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
So I am standing at Study Hall, the newly remodeled 2-9 off of Hoover that serves draft beer, sandwiches and shareable starters. It’s Saturday and USC is slaughtering Colorado at our home front. An older male wearing a Colorado shirt approaches me and my boyfriend and strikes a conversation. I learn he went to USC undergrad and is currently a grad student at Colorado. After getting the fundamental details of our backgrounds out of the way, he asks if I want to hear a joke. I love jokes and I am not easily offended—why not? He says: “What’s the best thing about duct tape?” By choice, I am not going to finish this joke because I do not advocate rape jokes of any type—but nonetheless he delivered a rape joke to me, a female. I was disgusted.
Feminism Done Right: Why Everyone Should Declare Themselves Feminist (And Why Most Are Too Embarrassed To)
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
“Want to Hear a Joke?”
“Sure.”
“Women’s Rights!”
Easy Recipes and Kitchen Hacks Every College Student Should Know
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
The 2013-2014 term was a year of drastic changes for me. I moved out of my house and into a one-bedroom apartment I shared with a girl from Chicago whom I had absolute nada in common with. Always more of a guys girl (you can thank my brother for that), I faced my fear of socializing with large groups of girls and joined a sorority. Until then, I had never found myself surrounded by so many attractive, accomplished girls who are just my age.
Quick, easy ways to save money in college (without going insane or being called frugal)
By: Lauren Brose ‘15
Like the old cliché that “money cannot buy happiness,” I realize that there is much more to life than wealth. Money certainly isn’t the solution to all of my problems but that doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t a problem I face as a college student who’s entirely dependent on my parents. As much as I appreciate my parents’ generosity of financing my college education, it doesn’t feel right to be wasteful with my finances. Now’s the perfect time to take control of your finances, learn to save here and there and understand the full value of managing and spending money earned.