UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
STUDENT BLOG
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Navigating Your First Year as a USC Trojan
by Lanie Brice
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Navigating Your First Year as a Spring Admit
by Lanie Brice
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How to Balance Your Social Life During Finals
by Donal Buckley
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Study Tips and Habits to Get Through Finals Season
by Lauren Liang
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My Beef with Food
The demanding combination of attaining a degree, maintaining a social life, and growing as a student can be extremely difficult. We, in turn, tend to sacrifice parts of our daily lives in order to meet the vast rigor of college, and a lot of the time, it is our daily meals and nutritional intake that get deprioritized.
Welcome Back Experience: Everything You Need to Know!
I hope everyone had a nice summer break! Just like the first day of classes is getting closer, so is the Trojan Welcome Experience! In the week before classes officially start, there’s new events every day to introduce you to the school, allow you to meet fellow Trojans, and celebrate the start of a new semester.
A brief review of USC’s free vegan meals
By: Ngai Yeung ‘23
Every Tuesday from 12-1pm, USC students can grab a vegan meal from the pop-up Jubilee Vegan Cafe at the University Religious Center. I’m lucky enough to not have class during that time slot, and being a huge fan of free food, I’m there pretty much every Tuesday. Here’s my review of some of the fascinating meals they’ve served throughout this semester.
Have half of your meal swipes and dining dollars left? Here’s A Guide to Campus Dining Halls
By: Kathryn Aurelio ‘25
As the semester ends and you’re cramming a semester’s worth of information into Quizlet flashcards, food can start to feel irrelevant (here’s your reminder to nourish yourself and get your meal swipe’s worth while you still can!). Whether you have 30 unused swipes or have an unlimited plan, here’s a quick guide to USC’s campus dining halls.
Things To Do in LA Without a Car
By: Amy Argueta ‘24 (Guest Blogger)
Thanks to USC”s Los Angeles location there are always so many fun things to do and places to visit so I decided to make a small list of them here. Even if you don’t own a car, don’t worry! All of these spots are accessible by walking or taking the metro. So if you ever find yourself wanting to travel around LA on a weekend here are some places you should visit.
Instagrammable Brunch Spots Around LA
By: Kristen Adams ‘25
Whether you’re celebrating a friend’s birthday, exploring the food scene around LA, or craving something other than dining hall food, here is a list of brunch spots around the USC area that you can add to your must-try list!
What I Eat at USC Dining Halls in a Week!
By: Kristen Adams ‘25
At USC, you can choose from three different dining halls: EVK, the Village, and Parkside. There are pros and cons to each dining hall, though it is important to note that the ratings and opinions about each dining hall and the food they offer are subjective; every eater has different preferences! Below is a quick rundown and analysis of each dining hall, mainly taking location and variety into consideration. Following the rundown is a picture gallery of all the meals I’ve eaten from the dining halls in the past week. Enjoy!
Where to Use Your Meal Plan Swipe
By: Hannah Skinner ‘23
2021 has brought many new changes to campus, one of these being the meal plan swipes! On top of the three residential dining halls, there are now other on-campus options for those with a meal plan - like some restaurants at TCC. So if you are looking to dine somewhere that is not a dining hall without spending coveted dining dollars, take a look at this list so find some of my favorite options!
Staying Sane in the Midst of Midterm Madness
By: Ann Nguyen ‘22
The endless midterm season has fallen upon many of us, and the mere thought of constant, back-to-back exams and midterm papers alone can drive you insane. How can you manage it all? How do you find your own balance? I’m still in the process of figuring it all out myself, but hopefully these tips from my personal experience will help you out!
Get a Head Start on Your New Year’s Resolution: Easy Healthy Changes to Make Now
By: Karla Leung ‘22
Not only is the year ending, but an entire decade, making it the perfect time to make some healthy changes for the better. But you don’t have to wait for the New Year to start living a healthier lifestyle, the best time to start is now! Here are some small and big changes you can make to live a healthier and happier lifestyle.
Staying Well During Midterms
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
It’s the height of midterm season and everyone around you is getting sick. The combination of lack of sleep, stress, and lack of self-care can easily lead to you feeling unwell when you most need to be at your best. It’s easy to forget to do the things that keep us well when things get hectic, leading to a positive feedback loop of stress. Here are some reminders and tips for you to be and stay well!
Cafe Dulce: USC Alum James Choi & Dulce Favorites
By: Karla Leung ‘22
Dulce Founder James Choi graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Accounting ‘05, then went on to work at Ernst and Young. Whenever he had the time, Choi would help out his mother at her Swiss Chocolate shop in Palo Alto, but pursued accounting at Ernst and Young to financially provide for himself and his mother. However, when his mother started battling ovarian cancer, she wanted to follow her dream of starting a bakery in Little Tokyo. Neither Choi nor his mother knew how to run a bakery, but Choi agreed when his mother got a business partner on board. When his mother’s bakery business partner dropped out, Choi decided to put in his 2-week notice at Ernst and Young to open their first Cafe Dulce in Little Tokyo in 2011. A few years later, they opened another at the USC Village in 2017.