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
looking for a specific read?
Club Spotlight: Science Outreach
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
Science Outreach (SCout) is a USC club that brings fun science experiments to 2nd and 3rd-grade classes. The goal is to get the junior scientists excited about science before their science curriculum officially begins in 4th grade. Teaching the kids through experiments, SCout aims to share our passion for science and inspire life-long learners in junior scientists. Keep reading to find out more about Science Outreach!
Updated Explore LA: Smorgasburg
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
Every Sunday from 10AM to 4PM Smorgasburg LA can be found in the oddly gentrified factory lot located at 777 S Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90021. This is the perfect place for foodies to bring their friends to try some of LA’s signature food fusions. Not only is there great food, but it’s also a great place to just canvas shop and enjoy aesthetic lifestyle stands (after all, admission is free!). Looking for fun weekend plans? Keep reading!
Apply to be a RA! FAQs
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
What is a RA? It stands for Resident Assistant and we’re the people planning your community meetings and giving out free food at your residence halls across USC. The application to apply for the RA position for the 2020-2021 school year is now open and can be found at Erezlife. Keep reading to learn more about the position and application process!
Confessions of a High School Valedictorian
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
Transitioning into college is a journey, and one of the greatest obstacles is developing a growth mindset. It can be challenging going from being top of your high school class to “average” in a USC curved class. Nevertheless, it’s vital that college students all learn to dissociate self-esteem and self-worth from grades and prevent a fixed mindset from holding them back. The following is a very personal account of my own slow development to having a healthier mindset about not only grades, but about myself.
UPDATED: Best (and Most Unusual) Ice Cream in LA
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
It’s that time of year! School is starting, summer is coming to an end. You may believe you’ve escaped the worst of the heat, but September only brings more of that dry, signature LA heat. Whether you’re hoping to explore LA with friends, looking for ideas for a date, or simply love ice cream, here are some of my favorite ice cream stores in LA that are easily accessible by public transport. This list is not for the weak of heart, all these stores are known for their unique (and unconventional) flavors so explore with an open mind!
College Budget Glamping: A Review of Lake Cachuma Yurts
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
I was advised against it by parents and friends alike but fortunately, I was able to find an eclectic group of people who were willing to go camping with me during the first two days of Dead Week. We were stressed out enough for finals, so we decided to not deal with the hassle of tent camping and backpacking; we tried out Yurt camping. Here are some highlights from our glamping experience at Lake Cachuma.
Why you Should Pick USC: Honest Review
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
Commitment day is coming around the corner. While USC has been in the media for less delectable reasons recently, it truly is an amazing school. After spending a few nights at Berkeley, UCSC, UCLA as well as some privates on the east coast, I’ve decided that USC is the place for me. Here are some reasons why I appreciate USC (as well some things I would like to change).
Explore LA: Sawtelle
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
Looking for great Japanese food and cute plushies but don’t want to deal with Little Tokyo tourist traps? Visit Sawtelle instead. Just 10 stops heading west on the Metro Expo line from USC is West LA’s “Little Japantown.” This mini center of East Asian food and novelties is located on Sawtelle Blvd. As a West LA resident, this was one of my go-to spots growing up. Here are some of my favorite things to do at Sawtelle.