UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
STUDENT BLOG
-
![]()
Navigating Your First Year as a USC Trojan
by Lanie Brice
-
![]()
Navigating Your First Year as a Spring Admit
by Lanie Brice
-
![]()
How to Balance Your Social Life During Finals
by Donal Buckley
-
![]()
Study Tips and Habits to Get Through Finals Season
by Lauren Liang
looking for a specific read?
Best GEs at USC
The dreaded GE requirements: a set of classes in 8 different categories that every USC student must satisfy by graduation. Sometimes the GE requirement can be annoying because it takes up space in your schedule that you could use to take other classes. However, if you approach it with an open mind, GEs can help you learn about interesting topics you otherwise wouldn’t have explored and can be a much needed GPA boost. Some people are lucky enough to be exempt from some of the requirements if they took AP or IB classes in highschool, so check with your academic advisor before registering. As we enter a new semester I’ve compiled a list of some of the best GEs to take in each category. Hope this helps!
Trojan Welcome Experience Brings New Students into the Trojan Community
The school year always starts with a bang for new students at USC, and this August was no different with a thrilling Welcome Back Concert, electric Splash Bash, and triumphant debut game day. The Trojan Welcome Experience brought thousands of first years into the Trojan Family through unforgettable events big and small — forging new friendships that will last the next four years and beyond.
Tips for Maintaining Good Posture During Zoom Meetings
By: Hannah Skinner ‘23
Zoom Meetings. Today we can’t avoid them. But humans weren’t made to be sitting down in front of a computer screen all day long and you might be feeling the effects of this in your body. So what are some ways that we can all loosen up our shoulders and straighten our spines? These simple actions are the least we could do for ourselves. Below are some tips that I try incorporating in my life and have found to be helpful!
The Ultimate Meditation Playlist
By: Ellice Ellis '20
It’s almost spring break, Trojans! Many of us have taken one or two midterms, outlined key term papers, or are gearing up to take a relaxing week off from our studies. For myself, I stress more than ever before winter break, summer break, or spring break because I try to balance relaxing and being productive before the vacation period even starts. If you’ve found yourself in this boat or are just generally stressed about school, work or life — this post is for you.
Things I Wish I Knew Before Transferring to USC
By: Alexis Peters ‘20
Transferring schools is a big deal when you’re in college. Starting all over again, changing states, losing friends, learning your way around a whole new campus: it can be pretty stressful. USC actually has a quite large transfer student population. So for all the transfers out there: remember you are not alone. I transferred from one four year university to another, so the structure of my college experience wasn’t too different, but the culture was something to get used to. Being a spring transfer student made it difficult to adjust to LA life, from finding my way around the city, making new friends, and joining clubs. And although I have definitely gotten into the swing of things now, looking back on my first semester at SC, I realize there are some things I wish I had known before transferring. So, here it is: 5 things I wish I knew before transferring to USC.
The 6 Most Useful USC Classes for Life
By: Jamie Wu ‘18
As a senior, I’ve taken my fair share of classes here, ranging from linear algebra, acting 101 to Byzantine art history. But as I’m sure we can all agree, school sometimes doesn’t get us ready for the real world. Throughout my time here, these are the classes I’ve found to be the most helpful in my everyday life. If you still have time left in college, I highly suggest taking a look at some of them.
8am Survival Guide
By: Ellice Ellis ‘20
Before coming to college, I was a morning person. I typically would wake up early and do chores, exercise, and cook. I truly thought I was the early-bird who catches the worm. My first 8am proved me wrong. My first semester of freshman year I had an 8am on Mondays and it was h-e-double hockey stick. I was constantly late, tired and cranky. I forgot assignments and even went to the wrong classroom sometimes. Eventually, I learned from my mistakes and was able to thrive and get an A in the class. I bet you’re wondering how I did it, aren’t you? Keep reading for 8am survival tips.
5 Reasons to Take CTCS-466
By: Ellice Ellis ‘20
Los Angeles is known for film. Hopeful actresses and actors flock to the city in hopes of making it big and seeing their name in bright lights. Not only is it home to historic sets and studios- it also lays claim to one of the most highly ranked and prestigious film schools in the world, USC School of Cinematic Arts (SCA). Here at USC not only do we have an amazing film school but classes and programs at the school which are open to more than just SCA students. If you’re a journalism major like myself who watches movies to stay sane or a fan of the Spike Lees, Tarintinos, and Kubricks of the world; you can live out your wildest dreams at SCA.
A Weekend of Feminism with Amber Rose and USC Dornsife Center for Feminist Research
By: Ellice Ellis ‘18
Amber Rose rose to fame as Kanye West’s girlfriend in 2008, but just shy of 10 years later, she is now known for her efforts in the world of feminism. This past weekend in Los Angeles, men, and women who identify as feminists came together for Rose’s inaugural OPENed Women’s Conference and the Amber Rose SlutWalk. The weekend kicked off with Saturday’s OPENed conference, hosted by the Amber Rose Foundation and the USC Dornsife Center for Feminist Research in Ronald Tutor Campus Center.
Lessons From A Trojan Entrepreneur
By: Ellice Ellis ‘20
Lauren Jones will be the first to tell you she doesn’t have it all figured out. Founder and face of LoJo Media started her career right here at USC as a journalism student. LoJo Media is a Los Angeles based media company providing sports fans with a behind-the-scenes perspective on their favorite athletes and trending sports stories. Her biggest client is the Nike sponsored ‘Drew League. “ known for attracting LA streetball legends, collegiate athletes, and several NBA stars. Her company’s goal is to shed light on the positive impact athletes have had historically and continue to have on our society. Jones, only 24 has had many successes in her post-graduate life; including landing her dream job at ESPN and starting her own company. In my interview with her, she offered some advice for college students, specifically those with an entrepreneurial mindset.
Keep up Your Language Skills Over the Summer!
By: Ellice Ellis ‘20
Did you take a foreign language this semester? Maybe it was Spanish, Korean, or French, like myself? Well, that’s great! Kudos to you. Personally, learning languages has been a huge challenge for me over the years. I’ve taken French since the 4th grade and I have always had problems retaining what I’ve learned after the school year ended. And as you may know, summer is typically the time that most of what you have learned during the semester wears away. So I’ve decided to pull from my failures and tell you the best ways to stay fluent, or close to it, over the summer.
5 Ways To Organize Your Life in Time For Finals
By: Ellice Ellis ‘20
Anyway you frame it, preparing for finals can be stressful. Whether they come in the form of your normal tests, essays or other types of projects; these assessments are of the utmost importance because they reflect the hard work you’ve put in all semester and play a major role in your final grade. Personally, I’ve found myself stacked with studying, finishing projects, writing essays and completing other important personal tasks during this time. In addition to the stress there seems to be an attitude amongst many professors that their class assignments are the most important. Despite these tensions, here are five pieces of advice you can take into the next few weeks in order to reduce your stress and get your stuff together during this stressful time.