Introducing USC’s Finest Artists
By: Ellice Ellis ‘20
Hello there! If you’ve read my posts, you probably know that I LOVE music! It’s what gets me out of bed, gets me through the day, and puts me to sleep.
Why the USC Memes Page is So Iconic
By: Terry Nguyen ‘20
What do you meme you haven’t heard of USC’s meme page? For the latest college trend this past semester, students are turning to a new fascination within internet culture: college-related memes featured on Facebook meme “pages” within a university subculture. As meme culture continues to grow in popularity, college campuses are adopting their own, specific brands of humor. USC is no exception. USC’s page, titled USC Memes for Spoiled Pre-Teens, takes its name inspiration from UC Berkeley’s — UC Berkeley Memes for Edgy Teens. UCLA consequently named its group UCLA Memes for Sick AF Tweens, but the Trojan meme-makers would like to believe pre-teens are arguably cooler than “sick af” tweens. But the real question is: what makes USC’s meme page so iconic? An average USC student’s humor consists of more than simply bagging on UCLA students; it’s a combination of poorly Photoshopped Nikias memes, the slow burn torture of rising tuition, and the strange neo-Gothic pointy structures that guard USC’s gates.
Air + Style: Music Festival Recap
By: Terry Nguyen ‘20
What originated as a snowboarding competition 21 years ago in Innsbruck, Austria has grown to be a global event that merges the latest music and the sport into an unforgettable two-day experience. From Feb. 18 to Feb. 19, Air + Style brought the world’s best snowboarders to downtown Los Angeles’ Exposition Park and rising artists, like Grammy-award winning DJ Flume and USC alumnus ZHU. Despite rain or shine, the festival went on for both days from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m., and crowds gathered enthusiastically between the Winter and Summer stages throughout the course of the afternoon into late evening. Their energy did not quell between the sets, as hundreds of people bunched towards the front of the stage, anxiously awaiting their favorite artists.
Commemorating Remembrance Day for Japanese Americans
By: Terry Nguyen ‘20
The diverse city of Los Angeles contains boundless opportunities to immerse yourself in unfamiliar cultures and their traditions. February, although mostly celebrated as the month of love, is also Black History Month and in this stormy political climate, a significant and relevant time to commemorate the Day of Remembrance for Japanese Americans. On Feb. 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, issuing the order to legally contain Japanese Americans in separate internment camps on American soil. The Day of Remembrance should be made aware of, and while we shame this period of American history for its discriminatory legislation, we should also strive to commemorate and understand the stories of those affected by this Executive Order. Below are a few events, exhibits and destinations you can visit if you want to further your understanding of American history and the effect of EO66 on the lives of many Japanese Americans.
USC Own It
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
Last Saturday, September 24, I had the privilege of attending the inaugural USC Own It women’s leadership summit. Luckily as soon as I heard about it a few weeks ago, I booked my spot immediately, because tickets eventually sold out. To give you an idea of the scale of all this, over 450 students and 65 speakers attended. Own It was started by two Georgetown students in 2013, with the first summit taking place in 2014 and being so successful that it expanded nationwide. The Own It network now encompasses 8 universities including USC, and we are certainly in good company.
A Triumphant Return to Campus
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
My friends keep asking me if it’s weird to return to USC after two semesters and a summer program abroad and the answer is a resounding “Yes!” A lot of other folks who were abroad have had similar experiences of reverse culture shock. I saw a line down the bookstore steps and decided to order my textbooks online only to discover later that my peers were in fact waiting for $6 cupcakes to be dispensed from an ATM.
Sign me up!
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
Campuses across the country recognize that extracurricular involvement increases student retention; basically, students are much more likely to continue their higher education at institutions where they feel a sense of belonging and purpose. To find smaller communities within our huge student body, to pursue new and exciting interests, to get to know new and different people, or to find people with similar beliefs - there’s no end to the reasons to get involved at USC.
Summer Reading: Notes from the Cafe
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
With just three weeks remaining before classes start, you may find yourself with very little free time as you finish your summer internships or jobs and start thinking about and preparing for move-in day at USC. But if you find yourself with time to spare, now might be a good time to check out the summer reading list President Nikias proposed last spring as our beautiful campus once again hosted the Los Angeles Festival of Books.
Sexual Assault Awareness Week
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
This week, from April 11 to April 15 is Sexual Assault Awareness Week at USC. The gravity of the problem of sexual assaults on college campuses is starting to be recognized nationwide and hopefully this week will serve as a step towards addressing the issue on our own campus. If you or someone close to you is a survivor of sexual assault, then you know how important recognizing this week is, although it can be difficult or triggering.