The coziness of fall is upon us, and with it an abundance of fall recipes to bake or cook. As someone who just got her own kitchen a little over a year ago, learning the balance between making dishes that are nutritious and ones that aren’t too difficult to make has been a journey. Also, I love to bake, and finding times to bake as a busy double major has also been a challenge. This year, I have found a few recipes that give off the coziness of fall without too many steps (or dishes)!

We have all probably had one too many near-miss scooter encounters. Speaking from personal experience, I have almost been hit by a scooter on or around campus when minding my own business numerous times. So I am here to highlight the importance of pedestrian safety. 

If you wake up scatterbrained and anxious about the day ahead, a daily “reset” ritual can really help you organize and center yourself. As a person who lives alone, sometimes holding myself accountable can be really hard. I try to keep my apartment clean and organized, but every now and then, I slip up and suddenly clothes are scattered everywhere, my sink is full of dishes, and I have an enormous pile of laundry waiting for me. Creating a daily reset routine has helped me feel less overwhelmed and keeps me organized both mentally and physically.

Sometimes cooking in college can feel overwhelming, especially if you share a kitchen, or maybe don’t have a kitchen in your dorm at all. However, there are many simple and healthy recipes that you can make, and some only require a microwave. Particularly, Trader Joe’s has some great microwavable meal options! Here are some meal ideas from my kitchen including favorite recipes from my mom.

As you snooze your seven alarms before your 9 a.m. class, throw on your clothes, grab your laptop charger, dash out the door into a lecture, and find yourself stuck in an endless cycle of eat, sleep, school repeat, let’s remember to take care of our health. It can be difficult when you’re on a time crunch to feed yourself (trust me, I went last semester only eating half a Barbell’s protein bar before my hour commute to work or my morning classes). So, here are some quick breakfast ideas that can be thrown together in under five minutes that will replenish your energy to start off your day happy and healthy.

When I started at USC, I anticipated stressing over homework, homesickness, and an adjustment period to my newfound independence. I didn’t anticipate, but soon learned, that new environments and major life changes are known to aggravate Tourette’s Syndrome.

The demanding combination of attaining a degree, maintaining a social life, and growing as a student can be extremely difficult. We, in turn, tend to sacrifice parts of our daily lives in order to meet the vast rigor of college, and a lot of the time, it is our daily meals and nutritional intake that get deprioritized.

Putting anything in a vending machine instantly makes it more interesting, so the new gold vending machine sitting outside of Trader Joe’s up against the elevator bank immediately caught my eye. Actually a revival of a project started in 2019, the USC Pharmacy and USC Student Health have installed a “wellness-to-go” vending machine in the USC Village to give students 24/7 access to over the counter medication.

While people often make lofty New Years resolutions that quickly fall by the wayside, there’s also more sustainable adjustments we can make to kickstart the new year. Here’s a guide to making quick, affordable, and healthy recipes to support your wellness year-round from the comfort of your dorm microwave or apartment kitchen.

Sometimes school can get overwhelming, especially with end of the year projects and finals coming around the corner. One method that I use to help me decompress is meditation.

As National Men’s Health Awareness month comes to a close, you may be asking: Miguel, if November is over, why are you writing about this now? Despite the helpfulness of having a month dedicated to men’s health topics, we should be talking about these challenges year-round - especially when it comes to mental health. In American culture and many other cultures worldwide, vulnerability about men’s mental health and open conversations about solutions are seen as taboo. The perception of manhood and masculinity in many cultures, even in the face of health issues, can end up boxing men into black and white categories like emotionally weak (negative) vs. unwaveringly strong (the goal) – which can come at a cost.

As the spooky season of Halloween and the rumble of football season come to a close, a much scarier and daunting season looms over us – finals season. Amid the stress and late-night cramming, the changing climate outdoors can further challenge our well being. Through the hustle and bustle of the end of the semester, it is really easy to lose sight of our health and put our bodies under an excessive amount of stress. To make sure you don’t get sick at this critical time, I’ve compiled a few simple tips to help you prevent getting sick and staying healthy this final season!

High school health class often serves as a crucible for adolescent hormones, as teens find themselves seated alongside one another, grappling with notions of sex, intimacy, and relationships. My own upbringing in a deeply Catholic environment meant that my teacher approached the subject with caution, emphasizing that sex was to be approached with solemnity and reserved for a context of maturity or marriage. It was framed as a sacred act, laden with moral implications.

Ahhh… that time of year strikes again. You’re balancing flu season, football tailgates, DoorDash fees, and, of course, all your classes that seem to have midterms that land in a two-day period. Although you can’t change your unfortunate testing schedule, here are some ways to live, laugh, and love through this nail-biting, anxiety-inducing, and heart rate spiking few weeks.

There’s turbulence in all aspects of the college years as your foundation of as ever changing person – from friends to classes to academic esteem – is always shifting. It’s confusing, upsetting, and wild, but it’s also a part of growing. 

After a long day of school and homework, it’s time to unwind and go to sleep. You’d think that after a day of looking at our laptops, we’d want to unwind and read a book or journal – but no. In fact, about 90% of 18-29 year olds sleep with their phones near them, while 95% of people use their phone just before going to bed. I used to be one of those people.

I’ve always wanted to live alone. Don’t get me wrong, housemates and the experience of living with friends is a crucial part of the college experience. From living in a small, shared room in a college dorm to a big party house, I’ve lived just about every way a college student can. I loved every bit of it too. However, I am a person who loves her own space and the freedom of living on her own schedule. Because of that, I decided to live alone in a studio apartment for my senior year.

Getting around campus can frequently feel overwhelming with people walking and riding bikes, scooters, and skateboards. Last Wednesday, September 13th, USC Safety and DPS held an event to promote pedestrian, bicycle, scooter, and skateboard safety in which bike bells were given out after completing a short quiz. Here are some easy tips from Wednesday’s USC Safety event if you weren’t able to make it for everyone to feel safer while getting around campus.

Heading into my senior year of college, I’ve finally learned the embrace that college is hard. Whether it’s a tough class or just homesickness and general overwhelm, there’s always a new challenge to work through. I guess that’s what growing up is all about. But, over time, I’ve learned one of the best ways to treat those low moments is finding small ways to make your life a little better every day.

Starting college offered the chance to start over in a way that absolutely thrilled me, but in 2020, as I was preparing to start that chapter, I also got diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Navigating my new diagnosis during a pivotal time of my life left me with a lot of whys and hows. Chronic illness was poised to take over my life and conspired to ruin my college experience.

While my freshman year took place entirely online, I know what it’s like to start a new school with no friends. It can be daunting to walk up to people and start a conversation without knowing how they’ll respond.

By: Kathryn Aurelio ‘25

As much as university life means curating consistent health and study habits while being independent of your family, it also welcomes in living with another person striving for the same goals. While the honeymoon phase of school begins when we’re eagerly attending welcome events, debriefing afterward, bonding over coffee, and much more, it’s inevitable to have some level of conflict throughout the school year. To nip possible tense situations in the bud, here are words of advice to navigate a co-living life:

By: Lauren Liang ‘23

In honor of Women’s History Month, Trojans360 wants to bring your attention to gender equity resources at USC, ranging from academics to mental health. For a more comprehensive list, please consult the USC’s Student Equity and Inclusion Programs (SEIP) website.

By: Kristen Adams ‘25

April is Earth Month! 🌎 To celebrate Earth Month, USC is providing programs, events, and activities to recognize the beauty of our Earth and the importance of maintaining a green and sustainable campus. Here are some easy ways you can take part in spreading the love for our planet Earth!

By: Hannah Skinner ‘23

I’m a big fan of overnight oats. They’re nutritious, cheap, convenient, and yummy which keeps them at the top of my favorite breakfasts list. As long as you have a few ingredients in your kitchen, the endless flavor combinations will never bore you. If you don’t know how to make them, I’m here to help. Now you’ll never have an excuse to skip breakfast!

By: Sydney Fiorentino ‘24

Most goals cannot be achieved overnight. While I may go to bed early one night, creating consistency and not falling back on my old habits is hard. I’m trying to implement this goal by setting a routine or schedule for myself, and being okay with not perfectly meeting my goals all the time.

By: Sydney Fioerentino ‘24

I used to be an insomniac. I couldn’t fall asleep no matter how hard I tried, and I would stay awake until 3-5 a.m. each night. My body felt tired, but my mind was lit up worrying about school. When I couldn’t take it anymore, I knew something had to give.

By: Kathryn Aurelio ’25

It’s that time of year again where we’re all jamming our notes app with new year's resolutions, collaging magazine clippings into a vibrant vision board, and saving TikToks of new food plans (and never clicking on them again). My Fall 2022 semester was jam-packed with extracurricular activities, an internship, and work-study jobs, and while I see a pattern of the workload repeating itself this semester, I hope to prioritize—or at least hold to the same level—my physical and mental health. This semester, I’m breaking the cycle…and I’m using this article to hold me to it.