By: Cherise Clough ‘24

USC was my dream school because I thought it was the perfect school for me. I got rejected when I had applied to start there for my freshman year of college and that rejection broke my heart. Two years later, I decided to apply to transfer—choosing to give myself one last chance at trying (even though I didn’t have much hope that time). Fast forward to 2021, and here I am living my dream, but has it been everything I expected? Here are just a few things I wish I knew before coming to USC as a transfer.

By: Nancy Aguilar ‘22

Last week, the University of Southern California released a crime alert email reporting a sexual assault case in the Sigma Nu Fraternity house. This was found to be correlated to previous reports of drugs being placed into drinks and an ongoing investigation has since been taking place regarding what the email called ‘drug-facilitated sexual assault.’ The Sigma Nu fraternity has been suspended and is unable to host any events; the email also mentions that a member of Sigma Nu has already been detained and academically suspended.

By: Kristen Adams ‘25 and Kelsey Cheng ‘25

Fall is finally here! In southern California, there’s one thing that truly signals the start of the season. It’s not the weather or changing leaves––it’s the Trader Joe’s! Starting in September and October, Trader Joe’s ( aka TJ’s) rolls out an array of pumpkin-spiced, apple-flavored snacks and pastries. Below is Kristen and Kelsey’s review of five fall products that you can purchase from the Village’s Trader Joe’s.

By: Dara Udobong ‘23

Its already been more than 2 months since our return to campus, but honestly, it still feels surreal to be back. With a year and a half away from the great Tommy Trojan himself, 2 graduating classes fresh out of high school, and a new-found appreciation for life itself, everyone seems to be diving headfirst into getting the college experience.

By: Hannah Skinner ‘23

Registration for spring courses has officially begun, so students are well into the process of preparing their schedules. If you want to take something fun or fill up your units, USC offers a variety of 1 and 2-unit courses that are worth trying. Read on for a list of courses that I have taken and heard good things about!

By: Lanie Brice ‘24

Halloween comes right in the middle of hectic midterms season which means coming up with the perfect costume might have totally slipped your mind. If you have Halloween plans but nothing to wear, here’s 5 costume ideas that you can throw together from items that are already in your closet. This way, Halloween can hopefully stay low stress, fun, and cost effective. Even if none of these costumes are the perfect fit, hopefully they can inspire you to look around your closet with fresh eyes to find ways to reimagine your regular wardrobe into a magical outfit for the night.

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!

By: Lanie Brice ‘24

Between classes, homework, clubs, internships, and jobs, it can be hard to find the time and energy to actually make a nutritious meal at the end of the day. I’ve definitely struggled with this myself. Over the last month and a half though, I’ve gotten more into cooking and discovered some quick, healthy meals that I genuinely enjoy making. While many of these are geared towards those of us with kitchens, I’ve done my best to note ways you can make these meals in your dorm as well. Hopefully, some of my favorites will inspire a lunch, snack, or dinner this week!

By: Lanie Brice ‘24

While the leaves don’t change in LA, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy it finally being fall! One of the best is by having an awesome playlist to listen to for your walks around campus. I’ve put together a quick, 8 song playlist to put you in a good mood on your way to class.

By: Dara Udobong ‘23

I started my USC journey back in Fall 2019. I had almost no idea what to expect: I’d only been to LA once before, barely knew if I was even ready to do this whole school thing again (after the most restful gap-year experience ever), and knew almost no one that was starting at USC in my grade. People from my high school rarely (if ever) came all the way out to the West Coast simply because it’s too far away from home, so I already felt like a fish out of water from the jump.

By: Ngai Yeung ‘23

It’s safer to stay outdoors in the middle of a pandemic, especially during meals when everyone’s masks are off. Of course, students could always just eat at the Village, but that gets boring real quick. So here are a few places around campus — and within USC’s free Lyft boundaries — where you can eat outdoors with your friends.

By: Sydney Henry ‘24

Welcome back! This is Part 2 of My Moving Journey, so make sure to go and check out Part 1 first before reading this one. Part 2 is going to be all about the actual plane ride and touching down in LA! The best part!