With midterms, work, and life in general, sometimes we just don’t have the time to come with an elaborate Heidi-Klum-as-a-worm costume. Nor do we even want to spend the money. So here’s a few last minute halloween costume inspirations from someone who was Snoopy with just her hair wash headband (conveniently with dog ears)!

L.A. is known for good weather and palm trees. Part of the city’s picturesque stereotype is the quintessential beach: rolling, deep blue waves, miles of fine-grained sand and a blazing-hot sun. While I am forever grateful for my close proximity to several beaches, I’ve learned the beaches I prefer and the ones I don’t. This past summer, I took it upon myself to frequent as many beaches as I could to curate my ideal beach day. This is my list of beaches in Southern California I’ve most recently visited. Some are a pass, but some are definitely worth a splash!

Going into my junior year, I knew I wanted to start making the most of my summers. With only two left, it was important for me to find an internship or some sort of career-advancing opportunity. As someone who’s heavily considering staying in Los Angeles after graduation, it was important for me to find said opportunity down here. The only problem was that I’m from Portland, not LA, so staying here over the summer would require more effort than it would if I tried to find a job back home.

If you haven’t figured out your housing for next semester, you might be feeling panic or anxiety. With groups of roommates signing leases before the fall semester is over for the following year to get the prime apartments, it’s easy to feel swept up in making rash, impulsive choices in the name of having housing for next year. But the housing situation around USC is pretty bleak. There are a few major companies that seem to own all the available apartments and houses. They all offer unfavorable terms, sky-high pricing, and a slew of bad reviews on Yelp.

The LA Times Festival of Books is impossible to miss if you visit USC’s campus in the second to last week of April. Every year, campus is overtaken by stages and white tents in the week leading up to the weekend-long book fest that spans genres, age groups, and the entire campus. After three years of watching the assembly of the event, and being a lifelong major book lover, I decided to check off another senior year bucket list item and visit.

As an English major, the only thing I love more than reading books is buying them. Is there anything better than spending a quiet morning browsing around a bookstore, with an iced latte in hand, looking for your next read? There isn’t. 

I’ve scoured far and wide—driving everywhere from Downtown to Hollywood to the beach—looking for the best bookstores in Los Angeles so you don’t have to. Below are just a few of my recommendations organized based on the experience you’re after. Visit each store one at a time or plan out your own bookstore crawl! Whether you’re a bookworm or not, each store is worth visiting to get a glimpse at a new area of LA. 

It’s that time of the semester where you can unwind after all those midterms and projects. If you’re in California for spring break and are tired of the Fryft zone, Santa Monica, Downtown LA, or just LA as a whole, consider making your way to LA’s sister-city, Miss Orange County!

I was born and raised in the OC moving from Westminster to Fullerton – so here are my best recommendations for traveling locally this break.

I don’t know about you but I’m not a big fan of three day weekends in LA. All my local friends go back home, and I find myself extremely bored by the third day. This President’s Day weekend, I plan to change the narrative and make the most of the extra day off from class. I’ve compiled a list of fun activities happening in LA over the three day weekend. for my fellow staycationers.

If this Valentine’s Day you’re excited to take someone out on a nice date but are at a loss of how to do it without dropping a paycheck, there are plenty of options to choose from for the perfect, inexpensive date. Being at USC means you have an array of offerings at the university and in the surrounding city to help you woo your date this Valentine’s Day. This is how to celebrate Valentine’s Day while balling on a budget.

Finals season is in full swing and winter break is almost here. As we wrap up our last weeks of the semester and prepare to go home for the holidays, it can be a stressful time. December is a time for giving, family fun, and making memories. When you find moments of downtime, use it to take a break and have some fun. Here’s a list of festivities to do with your friends, family, a partner, or by yourself.

Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Many USC students are preparing for a long drive or flight home for the break, but if you are planning to stay on campus or live in Southern California, here are some perfect day or overnight trips nearby to get out of the hustle and bustle of Downtown Los Angeles.