10 Clubs Anyone Can Still Join Virtually
By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22
Just because we’re online, doesn’t mean we can’t connect — especially in terms of clubs and other activities. The online semester did throw a wrench in things, but a lot of organizations still managed to make it work! Regardless of your major or minor, these are activities that anyone can participate in!
What to Binge on Netflix
By: Natalie Oganesyan ‘22
For self-care purposes, obviously. I don’t know about you, but for me, Netflix is on par with therapy (okay, maybe that’s an overstatement). However, I can recall turning to Netflix for help any time I was upset, overwhelmed, angry, or felt any other negative emotion. Not only do I believe that taking your mind off of things by watching TV is stress-relieving, but I also believe media, movies, and shows can enrich your mind. Especially nowadays, more and more movies offer political and social commentary on important topics and present themes which were previously left untouched. So, without further ado, in the name of self-care and college student survival tips, I present to you my comprehensive list of the most binge-worthy shows and movies to watch on Netflix.
Studying the Wizarding World (And Other Super Cool Screenwriting Electives)
By: Alexis M Peters ‘20
Yes, I am taking that class about Harry Potter.Every time I walk into the Norris Cinema auditorium, it feels like the first day of Hogwarts. The professor has the movie soundtrack playing in the background, and one of the house flags and colors projected on the big screen. Sometimes people come with various Harry Potter paraphernalia, repping their Hogwarts House. (GO Hufflepuff!)
Movies and Moods
By: Camila Grases ‘21
We all know this time of the semester can be stressful. Midterms around every corner, your work throughout the whole semester is culminating suddenly. Sometimes, the best thing we can do for ourselves and our mental health is step away from these stressful situations and take some time to allow ourselves to be transported to different worlds. Here is a list of some of my favorite movies to watch based on the moods and anxiety you might be feeling. Of course, as with anything, this is my own list. These are movies that I love, regardless of whether they are considered “good” or not. All I can hope is that this inspires a movie session or two.
Movie Night on a Budget
By: Danielle Collins ‘20
I love movies, and I love seeing movies at the theater. But in LA, too many movies nights can break the bank. Coming from my hometown where movie tickets are $7, going to the theater in LA was a shock. So I’ve done my best to figure out how to keep seeing movies without draining my bank account. My two biggest recommendations are buying tickets from the USC Ticket Office, or investing in MoviePass if you’re a serious moviegoer. Keep reading to learn about those options and a couple of other suggestions!
My Experience Traveling to China as a First-Year Business Student
By: Adriana Bernal Martinez ‘20
I remember the day I got this little red and yellow box in the mail. It was in late March of my Senior year of high school. I was coming back home from Debate practice at around 6 and at the sight of two little boxes just chillin’ on my doorstep, my breath caught in my throat. I wasn’t really sure what they were about whatsoever, but they seemed rather important and they had the colors of the school I had just committed to on them, so. I was anxious and excited and maybe a little teensy bitsy sweaty but upon opening them, I learned one thing and one thing only: I was going to China.
Jazz Appreciation Month
By: Lilly Kate Diaz ‘20
I can probably spend hours, days, and even years (as I’m sure many other musicians and educators of jazz have spent) describing and defining what “Jazz” is. I found this really great clip and the people who are interviewed describe jazz and what it is to them (and its origins). All of their definitions, in my opinion, are correct!
Sexual Assault Awareness Month: Denim Day
By: Lilly Kate Diaz ‘20
Did you know that in the United States, April is Sexual Assault Awareness month? Spread awareness by participating on Denim Day (April 26th, 2017).
Meet Joy
By: Joy Ofodu ‘18
Hi, I’m Joy! It’s a wonder that anyone would want to read my fanatic raving (or hot tea) about USC. Anyone who knows me will tell you I bleed cardinal & gold like it’s my job (and as a product of Admissions, I suppose it is).
USC’s First Feminist Media Festival
By: Terry Nguyen ‘20
On Sunday, April 2, the Women in Cinematic Arts hosted its first ever Feminist Media Festival. Although this was an inaugural event, the organization hopes to host more festivals in future years to improve inclusivity and diversity within an industry predominantly represented by cisgender white men. The USC School of Cinematic Arts is diverse in its student demographics — the school’s demographics reveal that it is 50% female. Unfortunately, the film industry does not reflect these numbers, as only 3% of women direct the top films of the field. Such events like the Feminist Media Festival aim to create and build a network of feminist filmmakers to pave the way for the film future.
Visions and Voices: Anarchy in Asian America
By: Terry Nguyen ‘20
On Friday, March 24, USC Visions and Voices hosted a panel discussion with four prominent Japanese American directors and producers called “Anarchy in Asian America: Sex, Punk and Transgressive Cinema.” The three directors whose works were featured are Gregg Araki, Roddy Bogawa, and Jon Moritsugu; the panel was lead by producer Marcus Hu, who dubbed the directors the “bad boys” of Asian American cinema. The three had met in the 1980’s and have been in contact since, but haven’t had a chance to host a full panel together due to their busy schedules.
4 Freshman Dining Hall Food Hacks
By: Terry Nguyen, ‘20
As a dorm-residing freshman, it is easy to complain about the culinary scene of the dining halls: The food is too bland, they serve the same options weekly, the cooked meat sometimes looks suspicious, they added cheese into your omelette again — you get the point — the list can go on and on. Nevertheless, as your days at the dining halls are coming to an end, you realize that you have developed some clever food hacks over the past months dining at EVK, Parkside, or McCarthy. It is an acquired skill, and dining hall food is also an acquired taste, especially after months and months of the same salad bar with the same offered options of condiments. You learn to look past EVK’s strange-looking edamame, and un-avocado-like “avocado” sandwich spread. The period of super salty kale and sauteed greens are also fading into the memories of first semester. As a soon-to-be sophomore, here are a few easy food hacks to make the most of your time at a dining hall before that all-you-can-eat privilege is replaced by an apartment meal plan — or, no meal plan at all.
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.
LKD: The Blogger
By: Lilly Kate Diaz ‘20
Hi, all! My name is Lilly Kate Diaz (aka LKD aka Lilly-Kate). I am a First-Year/Freshman (and First Gen!) student studying English with an emphasis in Literature (soon to be minoring in IT).
The Best of USC Radio Shows and Podcasts
By: Ellice Ellis ‘20
Podcasts and radio media are making a comeback and USC students are ahead of the curve. You can find students on campus not only producing their own content; but playing a wide variety of music, discussing the latest pop-culture gossip, or interviewing interesting people around campus. Finding the right podcast or radio show to get into can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t have hours of time to spare or the patience to sit through a crappy show. So what is the solution? Read the list below and get acquainted with following shows. I’m sure they will have you hooked instantly.
Reviewing the Freshman Dorms: 2016-2017 Edition
By: Adriana Bernal Martinez ‘20
Next year, we’ll have McCarthy Honors College in The Village to consider as an additional option to the already present freshman dorms – but for now, I’ve taken upon the task of getting the scoop on current USC students’ reviews of their residence halls and suites for the 2016-2017 year. Here’s to hoping that this post compiling facts and feedback from the people that were in your shoes last year can help you incoming Class of 2021-ers a little bit in your housing preferences! It’s coming up a lot sooner than you think.
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.
Visions and Voices: Free Outgoing
By: Anna Lipscomb ‘19
Last Thursday (2/16), USC Vision & Voices took students to the East West Players in Little Tokyo to see a production of Free Outgoing. Based on a true incident that occurred in India, the play captures the unraveling lives of Deepa and her family after she is involved in a sex scandal that goes viral online. When it feels like the world is against them, Malini, the mother and head of the household, must make a decision to protect the family’s future.
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.
Say What You Need to Say
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
Yesterday on Trousdale, there was a lot going on, so you may have missed the Postcards for Representatives table sponsored by USC Delta Phi Epsilon and Trojan Advocates for Political Progress. I stopped by in a bit of a hurry on my way to class and got a postcard to send to my representatives and some really helpful information about the Day of Action that I’d love to pass along to all of you.