My Favorite Quaint Areas on USC Campus
By: Karla Leung ‘22
USC is an incredibly busy and bustling campus; walk down Trousdale during the afternoon and it seems like every single student is walking down that street too. Getting away from the crowds on campus can be difficult at times, but I have a few favorite places to get away and relax.
Roski Courtyard
In the middle of USC Roski School of Design is a small square. Although design students walk in and out, it’s always still quiet and a perfect area to relax. Large trees create shade while red tulips grow underneath, and the bright yellow tables and chairs give this area a burst of color you don’t see anywhere else on campus. It’s only a few steps away is the USC Fisher Museum of Art, which features over 1,500 art pieces from old-master paintings to contemporary works.
Zumberge Hall of Science
Enter through the iron gates of Zumberge Hall of Science (ZHS) and you are immediately greeted with a beautiful mural. Take a right at the mural and you’ll find a modest yet charming courtyard. With only a few benches and trees, it feels like a breath of fresh air. Along one wall is a painted timeline of life on earth, with humans as the sliver on the top.
Doheny Library Courtyard
One of the most popular outdoor study spaces is the Doheny Library courtyard, formally called the Nazarian Pavilion Courtyard. Walk around to the back of Doheny and you’ll find an iron gate, and inside you can find a space in the courtyard, enter Doheny, or stop by Literatea. Each table is umbrellaed (it’s shaded), so you can grab a table, get a cup of coffee, and enjoy the peace.
36th Place
Tucked away in the corner between the Denney Research Center and the Technical Theater Laboratory (behind the Downey Way Parking Structure) is a shaded area filled with trees and flowers. Although relatively noisy right next to Vermont Avenue as well as the parking structure, its seclusion and greenery give a nice change of pace. My favorite part is the wooden porch swing outside of the Theater Laboratory.
Mudd Hall Courtyard
Every student has passed by Mudd Hall on their way to the Coliseum during football season, but right before you leave campus stop by the Mudd Hall courtyard. One of the prettiest spots of campus, a fountain lays in the center with rose bushes and benches around it. If you haven’t seen the Philosophy library inside of Mudd Hall, stop by there as well!
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