Navigating Your First Year as a Trojan: A Quick Guide for Spring Admits
by Lanie Brice ‘24
Welcome to campus, new Trojans! As the spring semester starts off, some Trojans are heading into their second semester on campus while others are just learning their way around. If you’re a Spring Admit, you’ve made it to the right place! At Trojans360, we want to help you learn about all the best spots to grab dinner, the best study spots to chill (or work) between classes, how to use Web Reg to get enrolled in classes, and give you advice on ways to get involved in the community. From insight straight from Spring Admits themselves to general tips to get familiar with campus, let our bloggers answer many of your burning questions.
Starting in the Spring
Spring Admits: Next Stop, USC
While this post was written a few years ago, it’s still a great place to start . Along with general move-in and advice about everything USC, there’s also an FAQ section about things like making friends, finding a work study job, and whether LA is really always hot to help with packing.
Advice from a Spring Admit to Other Spring Admits
Camila, a spring admit herself, offers some sage advice on navigating your first few weeks as a Trojan. With advice on making friends, joining clubs, and getting involved in the community, she offers great tips informed by what she learned in the rest of her USC career.
Getting to Know Campus
A Self-Guided Tour to USC’s Campus
If you’re stepping foot on USC’s campus for the first time this spring or need a refresher after your first campus tour long ago, this self-guided, customizable, written tour of campus will help you get your bearings before your first day.
Freshman Dorm Reviews 2023
Now that you have your dorm assignment in your inbox, you’re probably anxious to know what to expect. Here’s the pros (and the honest cons) of each of USC’s dorm buildings so you know what to expect.
Secrets of Doheny Library
Doheny Library is only one of USC’s many libraries, but being at the heart of campus and one of the most picturesque, it’s worth getting to know early on. This article will hep you unlock its hidden gems.
What to Bring (and What Not to Bring) to Your Freshman Dorm
Every Trojan made some packing mistakes when we first came to USC, and we want to help you avoid that if possible.
Underrated USC Campus Study Spots
As you settle into classes, you’ll want to try all the cool study spots. Here’s a few unique ideas to get you started with places to soak up silence and focus or the perfect spot to host your first group project meeting.
Getting Involved & Academics
Getting Involved at USC: A Survey of Clubs You Should Join
While it can sometimes be intimidating to jump into the social scene in the spring semester, there are so many clubs that are open to accepting new members year round. Here’s a look into a handful of USC’s many clubs to get a head start on getting involved.
Reading Web Reg: A Visual Guide to USC’s Class Scheduling System
Web Reg can be hard to navigate the first time you log in, so here’s a quick guide to understanding how USC’s class system works complete with screen shots.
Don’t Be Afraid to Drop That Class: Advice for Add/Drop
Last but not least, navigating college classes where you have so much autonomy over your schedule can be a huge change. But if you’re lecture that gives you a bad feeling, this article is here to promise you it’s okay to pivot.
Embracing the GE Requirements
While GE Requirements can seem like a roadblock on your way to exciting major courses, over my last few years at USC, I’ve realized they can be really valuable if you keep an open mind.
Everything You Need to Know About USC + Food
Four Freshman Dining Hall Food Hacks
As a first year, you’ll be spending tons of time in the dining hall. While they have tons of great meals ready to go, here’s some unique ideas on how to use what’s in the dining hall to make exciting new meals.
A Guide to Campus Dining Halls
USC has so many dining halls that it can be hard to know where to spend your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. While I encourage you to eat your way through all of them, here’s a quick round-up of where to go for the best of each meal depending on your cravings.
Overnight Oats: The Perfect College Breakfast
If you’re worried about not having time to eat or space to make breakfast but know it’s the most important meal of the day, Hannah has the perfect answer: overnight oats. Here’s how she makes them with ingredients available on campus.
Balling on a Budget: Best $5 Cheap Eats in and Around USC
Kathryn gives you the real insider look at the food scene around USC if you want to find the hidden gem, easy meals that won’t hurt your wallet as much as some spots in the USC Village.
All The Feelings
What I Learned From My Freshman Year
From ways to prioritize self-care and intentional downtime to realizing that you still have so much time left to grow to tackling the involvement fair, Claire gives some seriously great advice on approaching your freshman year.
The Socially Anxious Freshman’s Guide to Thriving
Anxiety is a natural feeling in the face of so much change. If you’re an anxious person or just anxious about this transition, let this article address your worries and put them at ease.
Freshman Year: Expectations vs. Reality
From living off ramen noodles to absolutely crumbling under the workload, there’s a lot of stereotypes about college that aren’t so great. Luckily, Natalia is here with a reality check.
Five Pieces of Advice I’d Give My First Year Self
From a pre-med student coming from out of state, this article offers advice on having a smooth transition to USC, especially from an academic point of view.
Advice from a Second Semester Senior
Take it from a senior, there are amazing parts of USC that we’re all guilty of overlooking. There are just so many things to do on and around campus! But make sure you don’t miss out with this overview.
The Miscellaneous
What’s in my Backpack?
What you packed in your high school backpack and what you’ll need for college are pretty different. If you’re not sure what to bring to your first day of classes, here’s a glimpse into one Trojan’s bag.
A List of Discounts and Free Subscriptions as a USC Student
If we’re being honest, one of the best parts of being a college student are the deals. I’m personally going to be devastated when my Spotify student subscription ends next summer. Don’t miss out on the deals with this round-up.
Want more from Trojans 360?
Visit Trojans 360 on Facebook & Twitter to stay up to date with more student content! You can also Ask A Trojan an anonymous question, and we’ll try to answer it in a future post. And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!
Trojans 360 is USC’s official student-run blog. Content created by students, for students
