By: Ani Antonyan ‘24

The colder, shorter days exacerbate seasonal sadness, [but] while it might seem unavoidable as you feel the darkness of campus close in around you , there are ways to help yourself. If you’re feeling extra tired, unmotivated, and sad as the winter progresses, you’re not alone—here are some tips on how we can combat seasonal depression.

By: Tamanna Sood ‘24

Last semester, no matter how hard I tried to take care of myself and go to the gym, I found myself making excuses. I hated going to the gym and felt like I didn’t know what I was doing. Knowing my struggles, a friend suggested I try out PHED 104A. It turned out to be one of the best classes I’ve taken at USC! 

By: Ela Rybak ‘25

As USC students, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with work and find ourselves not going outside as much as we probably should. Hiking is a great way to get out and relieve stress, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed trying to find the perfect trail!

By: Juan Miguel Bugayong ‘25

Each breath marked the formation of my inner peace, working towards focusing on not what I needed to do, or what I have done, but what I have in the present moment. If anything, meditation has taught me how to be more present in the day, and with anxiety running through my mind almost 24/7, it gave me room to actually slow down and breathe.

By: Sydney Fiorentino ‘24

I can’t stress enough that self care can be anything—as long as you're working towards improving your mental or physical health in big or small ways, you can quantify it as self care.

By: Kristen Adams ‘25

While using wheels to navigate campus can be a fun and fast mode of transportation, it is important to keep safety precautions in mind to avoid injuries and embarrassment on busy intersections. Just last week, I had a friend wipe out on her skateboard outside the Village in front of her crush, an event she has yet to emotionally recover from.

By: Ngai Yeung ’23

Two things we probably have in common – I love free stuff and I love food. In college, if you know where to look, it’s possible to find a lot of both!

By: Lanie Brice ‘24

Summer is finally in sight past the last few days of finals season, and that means that we’ll finally have time to get back to our favorite hobbies that fell by the wayside during the semester.

By: Miguel Bugayong ‘25

STUDY. GET A GRADE BACK. ASSESS YOURSELF. CHANGE SOMETHING AND HOPE TO IMPROVE.

This is the cycle that I, as well as many other students, continue to go through, I call it the “Refresh Cycle.”

By: Aedan Henry ‘24 and Raeden Tapia-Stevens ‘24 (Guest Bloggers)

USC has two fully-equipped, state-of-the-art fitness centers that are completely free for all students. But they can be intimidating for students new to working out. Here’s everything you need to know to get started at USC’s gyms.

By: Cherise Clough ‘24

Even though the semester is winding down, the stress is not. Sometimes I dread the mornings because it means another long day where the cycle repeats. But I've been listening to these podcasts, and I find that they are a quick and easy way to improve your day. They make me feel like everything will be okay. So without further ado, here are my top five podcasts to listen to in the morning on Spotify.

By: Kristen Adams ‘25

For more than two years, COVID has been a part of our lives. I had never gotten COVID, but that quickly changed this month when I received a call that I had been in close contact with someone who had it. The very next day, I tested positive for COVID-19. This is my experience with scheduling, preparing for, and being in quarantine here at USC!