UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
STUDENT BLOG
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Navigating Your First Year as a Spring Admit
by Lanie Brice
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Navigating Your First Year as a USC Trojan
by Lanie Brice
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Off Campus Housing Hunt and Avoiding Scams
by Lauren Liang
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How to Balance Your Social Life During Finals
by Donal Buckley
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College Application Tips for a Prospective USC Student
by Kathryn Aurelio
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Study Tips and Habits to Get Through Finals Season
by Lauren Liang
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A Guide to Holiday Activities in LA
by Kayla Bowens
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Easy Road Trips from LA
by Ela Rybak
Trojans360 Articles
The Best Bagel in LA
Did you know the average bagel has a history as rich as its flavor? Originating in 17th-century Poland, bagels have traveled the world to become a breakfast (and anytime) staple, especially here in LA, where creativity and quality shine. If you’re craving a bagel that’s perfectly chewy on the inside and crisp on the outside, look no further. This roundup features some of the best bagel spots I’ve discovered in Los Angeles, each offering something unique.
A (Mostly) Spoiler-Free Review of Wicked
November was a big month for movies, and the one that seemed to top them all was Wicked. The highly-anticipated adaptation of the Broadway musical has been in production since 2016 and finally hit the theaters on November 22. I don’t normally get this excited for movies, but between marketing campaigns and internet memes, Wicked was a must-see for me as soon as I could. And, for the most part, I’d say it lived up to the hype. This is my (mostly) spoiler-free review of Wicked.
Reviewing Popular Asian Beauty Products
Every waking second, it seems as if the line between social media and e-commerce blurs. Especially for college students who may be experiencing a newfound sense of freedom through new income streams, the desire to try new products heightens. Which seems a lot like the Europeans during the early modern period. Around the period of the Renaissance, Europeans gained increasingly curious about routes to Asia for spices, porcelain, and other commodities that they did not have back home.
Last Minute Halloween Costumes
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)!
The Correlation Between My Seat and Productivity
When selecting a place to sit, I consider two crucial factors: people and proximity. Ask what your college can do for you. There I said it. Students and professors who take a fleeting glance at me crouched on the floor motivate me to look productive and therefore be productive. Sitting next to the lecture hall makes the looming nearness of the next class a ticking time bomb to finish my readings at hand.
LGBTQ+ History Month at USC
LGBTQ+ History Month takes place throughout the month of October and has become an integral part of the USC community for more than fifty years. The origins of this celebration date back to 1970, when a group of students and faculty established the Gay Liberation Forum. This initiative aimed to advocate for the rights and recognition of LGBTQ+ individuals. After years of dedicated activism and perseverance, the movement achieved a significant milestone in 1975 when it was officially recognized by the USC Board of Trustees. This acknowledgment marked a pivotal moment in the university’s history, solidifying the importance of LGBTQ+ issues within the campus community.
Splash or Pass: A Guide to Southern California’s Beaches
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!
Book Recommendations Based on Your Major
Looking for a new read? Here’s a list of book recommendations perfectly tailored to your USC major.
Hit the Wall: An Actor’s Perspective
Every semester, the USC School of Dramatic Arts puts on a variety of performances. During the first two weeks of November, they ran a production of Hit the Wall, which I was lucky enough to attend. The play follows multiple perspectives during the night of the Stonewall Uprising in the summer of 1969. Anthony Guerrise, a sophomore who played Newbie during the second week of performances, sat down with me to talk about his experience.
A Review of USC Off-Campus Housing Options
Every year at the end of the fall semester, college students search for housing for the next year. The politics behind finding housing are difficult as students try to find the perfect group of roommates without hurting anyone’s feelings. This gets even more difficult when each roommate has different priorities for their housing; some want the cheapest place and others the closest to campus. Many people want to live in the Village but don’t get an apartment that fits their group. Off-campus housing is a great option if you don’t want to have to pay for a meal plan or if you’re looking to be closer to the south side of campus or the row. Or, of course, if you’re an upperclassman and don’t have the privilege of living in USC housing. To help ease the anxiety that comes with searching through all the housing possibilities, I’ve compiled a list of some of the most popular off-campus housing options.
Balancing Your Social Life During Finals
It’s that dreaded time of the semester again. As classes draw to a close and many of us book our tickets home for Thanksgiving, there’s one thing in the back of everyone’s minds — finals. During this period, it’s natural to feel stressed, overwhelmed, and agonized by the amount of work professors expect us to do in such a short amount of time. Hearing the same four study tips certainly doesn’t help.
College Application Tips from a USC Student
Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’re well into the college application process or waiting until Thanksgiving break to crank out your essays (which is perfectly fine, that’s what I did!). You might be frantically watching endless TikTok and YouTube videos for advice on choosing the right major, deciding which colleges to apply to, scholarship deadlines to keep in mind, and how to write a compelling personal statement or the UC’s Personal Insight Questions. It's safe to say I was very overwhelmed with the ocean of opinions that sometimes clashed with one another.