Gracefully Abroad: Being the Exchange Student
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
When you study abroad you have a few different types of programs to choose from. You can go to one of the USC Abroad locations, which I did last summer in Madrid, where you are taught by USC professors but in a new city. You can also choose to go through a study abroad provider, like CIES or SIT, which I did last fall through SIT Nicaragua. The benefits to going with a study abroad provider are, in my experience, a strong relationship with the local community, reciprocity, authenticity, and well-organized group excursions included in program costs. Currently, I am doing a direct enrollment study abroad experience, which means I am enrolled as a student as this University and take classes alongside Argentinian students. During my time at USC, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know a number of exchange students, and it’s been very interesting to now be on the other side of that.
Gracefully Abroad: The Tango
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
Some of my tango partners might protest to the title of this blog citing their sore toes from me stepping on them as evidence to the contrary, but I was blessed with a name that can be turned very smoothly into a modifier (adjective OR adverb, how versatile!) and who can blame me for playing the cards I was dealt?
A Weekend Getaway: Portland + Seattle
By: Samantha Romero ‘16
I’ve had the travel bug ever since I got back from living in Paris. So it’s no surprise that I took advantage of Thanksgiving break for a quick getaway up North. Here’s a look into what we did along the way.
Pura Vida Part Two: 5 Things You Must Do in Costa Rica
By: Samantha Romero ‘16
This past weekend I decided to take a trip to Costa Rica. My weekend getaway left me craving the delicious freshly made coffee and lush rainforests. Here are some of the things I plan on doing during my following trip.
Pura Vida Part One: Weekend Getaway to Costa Rica
By: Samantha Romero ‘16
As my taxi drove into the driveway of the Coffee Britt plantation, I could immediately pick up the wafting aroma of fresh coffee. Coffee Britt was one of the places I visited during my weekend getaway to San Jose, Costa Rica.
The Truth About Being “That Annoying Person Studying Abroad”
By: Judy Lee ‘17
I’ve definitely been there. My older sister studied abroad in France when I was in high school and I remember her returning from her trip and complaining about the disgustingly large food portions America has. “There they go again,” we all collectively say, “just another study abroad student bragging about their trip that somehow makes them so much more special now.” Not gonna pretend that isn’t the attitude most people have, and the person I have come to sympathize with.
10 Instagrams Photos You Probably Have if You Go to School in LA
By: Kelly Kinas ‘16
Let’s be real: it’s hard to come up with an original Instagram photo and caption these days. You think of something creative and new to you and then when you search the hashtags, everyone said the same thing! For me, it’s not a bad thing to have a common photo (what some people call “basic”). If you go to school in Los Angeles, you definitely have at least 3 of these photos on your Instagram. How many do YOU have?
Sports 360: March Madness
By: Kelly Kinas ‘16
“Why are all these people caring whether these really small schools win in March? College basketball is cool but people are like caring about every single outcome. What the hell? I always hear about March Madness but I don’t really know what it means.”
Sports 360: Ice Hockey
By: Kelly Kinas ‘16
Hockey is a pretty vague term but there is also field hockey (and my person favorite arcade game, air hockey). Specifically, this blog is about the rules, teams, and history of ice hockey. Hockey isn’t the most common sport in Los Angeles, even while the Kings are very popular, but that might be because the Staples Center is a great place to escape the heat in the summer months. Hockey is actually a pretty amazing sport! Theses guys need to be huge enough to hit another guy into a wall but still graceful enough to skate around the rink. It’s an interesting sport that a solid amount of West and Southwest people do not know too much about. Which is why I am here for you!
International Women’s Day
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
This morning at the gym I joined in Buenos Aires, a trainer wished me “Feliz Día de la Mujer” which was the first time I’ve ever been greeted this way, although for me every day is women’s day. As someone who identifies as a woman and as someone who identifies as a feminist, I decided IWD is something I should probably be more knowledgeable about and I’ve compiled this handy guide for you, as well. So whether you’re abroad, like me, or on campus when you read this, if it’s March 8th, it is International Women’s Day and you should be mindful of this, because as far as women’s rights have come, we’re not there yet and by there I mean ~equal~. The quote below from earlier today sums this up very well.
7 Tips for a Broken Computer
By: Michael Boyle ‘18
Hey is your computer broken? Then watch this video!… Like on your phone or something.
Work On It Wednesday: Why Writing the Cover Letter is the Hardest Part
By: Emily Young MA ‘16
I’ve written my fair share of cover letters and yet they can still be challenging. Why? Sure you stressed over making your resume look great to highlight your experiences, but when it comes to selling your self and creating a short narrative all you’ve got on your internal monologue is: “Ummmm, I really need this job—I’d actually be pretty great at it. I’ve already spent forever on this online application and I just really need to get this done.”
Sports 360: Baseball
By: Kelly Kinas ‘16
Baseball. America’s game. Not really anymore but we still say it to make us feel better about ourselves. Baseball is absolutely lovely sport that is one of my absolute favorites. USC’s Baseball team started in the top 25 in the nation when it had it’s season opener last Friday (they lost to North Dakota, so I don’t know if they are anymore) and it’s a great way to support your school, while not traveling off campus. USC Baseball’s home is Dedeaux field, which is across the street from the KAP building. I know it’s a walk but after reading this blog, you’ll want to be there every time there’s a home game because you are gonna understand baseball. GET READY.
Oscar Predictions
By: Michael Boyle ‘18
We’ve seen all the films. We’ve done all the research. Just in time for the 2016 Academy Awards, Trojans 360 unveils our official Oscar Predictions.
Black Diaries: Diversity Matters
By: Samantha Romero ‘16
Board member of Black Diaries, Koryn Frye Fuentes shares the importance of diversity on campus.
What Facebook Reactions Mean For Social Media
By: Judy Lee ‘17
Recently, Facebook announced their new emotion rating features on the site. Now, instead of “like” or…not like, there are a various range of emotions users can express when it comes to their newsfeeds. Similar to how Buzzfeed comments work, a lot has opened up on the platform. Here’s what it means:
Black History Month Spotlights: Five to Watch
By: Haley Coleman ‘18
Talented. Leaders. The future. These three words best describe five students at the undergraduate and graduate level, are following the footsteps of many prominent alumni within their major fields. In celebration of 40 years of The Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs (CBCSA), we honor five black alumni who have served as great leaders within the community and have paved the way for amazing students coming after them. This is Black History Month parallel.
Not East Nor West: On Asian-American Body Image
By: Judy Lee ‘17
It’s been a few days since Chinese (Lunar) New Year, and aside from all the festivities and vibrant cultural hallmarks, it has given me some time to reflect on my roots. I have no qualms about discussing (in great detail!) the amount of pride I have in being Asian-American. It is a source of strength and beauty I have grown to love more and more with age, but that’s not to say it is without its repercussions…
The Truth About Internships That No One Wants To Admit
By: Judy Lee ‘17
I’m not going to sit here and pretend as if I have never prescribed advice to people in my life regarding how to flag down an internship. In fact, it is something I enjoy doing because I love when people realize their own potential and learn to piece their stories together in a powerful, raw way that benefits them.
Olympic Trials on Campus!
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
This past weekend was long, both because of President’s Day and also because many ambitious folks ran great lengths. You may have seen some world class athletes speed by you on Saturday. If you didn’t ask follow up questions, allow me to clarify- what you witnessed was the U.S. Marathon Olympic Trials. 204 countries will be competing this summer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and each country can send just 3 athletes (except for team sports). The marathon trials are held in February because the event is so exhausting the athletes need ample time to recover and prepare for the actual games in July. Every four years the marathon trials are held in a different U.S. city and this year Los Angeles had the honor.