So if you’re feeling that familiar post-grad panic, I get it — I really do. But I also want to say: this open-endedness isn’t a failure. It’s potential. And that’s pretty exciting when you let yourself see it that way.  

No matter your major, creating a resume may seem daunting. There seem to be hundreds of different templates on Google, but thankfully, the USC Career Center offers concise guides on resume-making. These resources not only help you format your resume but also provide valuable tips on how to highlight your skills and experiences effectively.

It’s pretty common knowledge that when your third or fourth year hits, it’s time to look for an internship. However balancing school and an internship can be a lot – and often this balance is not talked about. 

This summer was an absolute whirlwind. Like many others can attest to, the process of obtaining an internship and then moving to a new city to work for three months can be extremely exciting but also nervewracking. Transitioning from applying for my L’Oréal internship to studying abroad in Milan last spring to moving straight to New York City for my internship was a hectic experience, especially as an LA native, but it was definitely manageable and enjoyable!

Fall semester typically brings an exciting aura into the atmosphere: tailgating, the smell of the street hotdogs after a football game, waiting in long lines at Dulce, joining new clubs, etc. But for those who embarked on a full-time Summer internship, going back to school brings a weird mix of feelings. During the last week of my Summer internship, my team gave me words of wisdom for approaching my senior year like, “have fun,” “live in the moment,” “treasure it!” I took these pieces of advice to heart but internally made a duh face. Of course, I’ll enjoy going back.

During my sophomore year, I came across an Instagram post from a friend. She tagged an agency called InternQueen, and as I scrolled through her page, I was in awe of the cool brands she posted about and the new products she was surrounded by. I had never considered becoming a brand ambassador before because I was scared to post advertisements on my personal Instagram account, but after completing 6 different brand ambassador programs, I’ve come to love the job! This is why I’m a brand ambassador and how you can become one too.

During my time doing work-study jobs at USC, I have gradually learned many useful things about navigating work-study that I wish I had known from the beginning. From learning how to obtain work-study to balancing my work-study amount between two jobs, I’ve obtained so much knowledge of the process of pursuing work-study. So, if you’re just beginning to look into work-study allow me to save you some time and effort by answering some of the questions you may have about work-study.

I often joke that getting work-study at USC is harder than getting in, which isn’t entirely untrue. I’ve spent hours completing work-study job applications. I started with high hopes when I arrived my freshman year. Before going to college, everyone told me, “Just get a library job, you can do your homework during it.” Seems easy enough when you put it that way.

If you’re looking for a good laugh, USC’s got you covered. Our institution’s ever-expanding comedy scene is one of the standout parts of the university, which hosts a plethora of sketch comedy, improv, and stand-up groups. Among these is the brand-new 3/5 Comedy, founded by Black students as an effort to uplift and promote underrepresented voices in comedy circles.

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock. Graduating, starting a “big girl job,” and the pressures of building three to five years of work experience into a shot at “entry-level” positions is ever tumultuous and fast approaching. As a PR student in Annenberg, it’s been ingrained in me by professors, upperclassmen, and LinkedIn culture that each student, on average, completes six internships throughout their studies at USC before they graduate. I think this toxic mindset of completing fall/spring/summer internship cycles year after year to merely make progress towards this “six” number only backs students into a corner of doing work they aren’t passionate about.

As my time in college is coming to an end, questions about my future are being launched my way from all angles. From every family gathering to casual meetings with friends, the question, “So… what are you going to do post-grad?” has been looming over me like a shadow. My honest answer of, “I do not know, but I’ll figure it out,” never quite satisfies people.