USC’s Official Student-Run Blog
Trojans360 Articles
The Benefits of Candles
By: Sydney Fiorentino ’24
Candles are just a block of wax in a container and costs over $10. And when the wick is short, you throw the whole candle away. Such a simple creation can do so much for your mental and physical health. Here are a list of things that candles do for you!
Student Life With a Broken Foot
By: Catherine Chen ‘24
Ever since I injured my right foot last month in a sports-related accident, life has become a series of interesting challenges and experiences. I’ve gradually learned how to live and survive life with no use of my right leg. Below are some of the things I learned, resources I used, and any other things to expect should you ever (but hopefully never!) happen to fracture a bone while at USC.
The Best Gluten Free Treats You Can Find at the Grocery Store
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
When I was around 14 years old, I found out that I had a pretty severe gluten sensitivity. As a kid who lived off pasta, bread, and cheese in different variations for most of the years leading up to this moment, I was pretty upset to hear I’d never get to eat many of my favorite foods again.
A Conversation with Southern California Healthcare Outreach Founder Nikhilesh Kumar
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
Yesterday, I had the chance to sit down over Zoom with Nikhilesh Kumar, the founder of Southern California Healthcare Outreach. This USC organization was created in 2019 with an mission to educate the people of Los Angeles and beyond about healthcare and health insurance from how they can enroll in lower cost options and take advantage of policies to how they become more active in the policy choices around the issues. The club is currently open to applications for the spring term until Saturday February 12th. Here’s my conversation with Nikhilesh on his experience founding this organization, what club members can expect when they join, and the initiatives that he’s most proud of.
The COVID Survival Guide
By: Sydney Fiorentino ‘ 24
We are all trying our best to not catch COVID-19, but cases have gone up because of Omicron and the holidays; unfortunately, I caught the virus myself. Let me say, you do not want to get it. But on the off chance that you do, here is a small survival guide that’ll help make your 10-day quarantine and recovery better:
5 Books To Keep Reading Through The Spring Semester
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
The start of the new semester always means a major loss of reading momentum for me. I read 15 or so books over the three weeks of holiday break, but I’ll be lucky to read 15 over the course of the entire semester. I maybe get to five. We all have to do so much reading for classes that it’s easy to let the joy of reading evaporate. I’ve compiled a list of 5 books that range from romance to general fiction to essays to YA and nonfiction to hopefully inspire you to keep reading for fun even as the semester gets busy.
How to Make the Most of the Virtual School Experience
By: Nancy Aguilar ‘22
Now that we have had almost two years of online school as a result of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, it’s safe to say that we’re way past Zoom fatigue. This is chronic pain. Just when we thought we were safe in Fall 2021, Spring 2022 gave us a wake up call.
How to Create a Mood (Vision) Board *Updated*
By: Sydney Henry ‘24
Happy New Year everyone! 2021 may have not been the best year for you, but 2022 is all about increased positivity and making it the best year for you. So, how exactly can you map out 2022 to make it the best year for you? Try creating a mood board to help you accomplish all that you are looking forward to in 2022.
Tips and Tricks to Get Started with Notion + Mini Notion Tour
By: Lanie Brice ‘24
Notion has taken the planning world by storm in the last couple years, but it can be an intimidating and confusing tool to get started with. Notion offers the allure of nearly infinite possibility of formatting, planning, and notetaking within an app that’s available on your computer, iPad, and phone. I’ve been using Notion on and off for a couple years now, and it’s taken me a while to create systems that support what I need and are easy to stay consistent with. Here are my best tips for getting started with Notion and how to best utilize it to stay organized during this already chaotic semester.
Get Active at USC!
By: Kelsey Cheng ‘25
New year, new me! Do you want to get active this year? Here are some ways you can exercise at USC.
Time to Recharge: Here’s What I’m Doing Over Break
By: Sydney Fiorentino ‘24
The semester is almost over, and if you are like me, your social battery may need some recharging. I would say I’m an outgoing person and partially extroverted, but there are definitely times where I would love to stay home and watch Netflix by myself. I’ve noticed USC is a pretty social school, and I get to see my friends every single day and night. However, I do get tired of partying or going out every weekend, and sometimes I just want to sleep and be left alone. Now that winter break is coming up, this is the perfect time for me and anyone else to recharge their social battery. Here are some things I am going to do to help myself relax:
Imposter Syndrome and How to Not Let it Define You
By: Sydney Fiorentino’24
USC is filled with students who do everything: work part-time, hold an E-board position on multiple clubs, perform research, all while being a full-time student. Some students are even able to party hard on a weekday, and wake up early the next morning to take a test and get an A. The habits of other USC students may feel like you are not accomplishing or doing enough to match others’ level of success. However, should you let what others are doing impact how you feel about yourself or if you belong in a certain environment?