Like the freshman fifteen, there are a few things you can expect to happen during the start of your college career. At the beginning, I thought that secondhand stories and research about college life had prepared me for it all. I knew I would miss my home and my old friends. I could count having conflicts with my roommates and struggling with balancing work and fun. But during my second semester at USC, one thing I hadn’t planned to encounter snuck up on me— an OCD diagnosis.  

As a Cinema and Media Studies major, there aren’t a lot of students who are interested in law school within my major nor within SCA. As someone who untraditionally chose the Pre-Law path, one of the first things I considered was if I really needed to major or minor in a traditional pre-law subject for law school. To cut the chase: no, you don’t need to.

Are you a pre-med student struggling to memorize anatomy terms? Do you read your notes but find it difficult to remember them when it’s time for the test? One tool that I’ve used all through college is Remnote. Remote is a note-taking software that automatically creates flashcards as you type. Remnote makes it easier for you to retain and recall information when it matters most—on test day.

When I was a senior in high school, USC was my dream school. It had been a part of my life for as long as I could remember since so many of my family members were alumni. Unfortunately, I was rejected, and it was a tough blow. It took me some time to recover from that disappointment, but I soon realized that attending USC could still be within reach when I learned about the Trojan Transfer Plan (TTP). At the time, TTP was offered to a select group of students, giving us the opportunity to study at one of five USC-accredited universities in Europe.

I’m very particular about my matcha, which should be a concern if you’re a matcha addict like me, who is also trying to stay on a budget. Last year I spent a bunch of money going to cafes or Dulce runs just so I could have my weekly matcha, but now I can have it every day by making it at home! 

Here are all of the Friendsgiving recipes, from appetizers to desserts, that will make your gathering deliciously unforgettable. Most importantly, Friendsgiving isn't just about the perfect dish; it's about spending time with all of your close friends.

So, if you’re offered a job in another state or one that demands excessive overtime, take a moment to step back. Make a list of your negotiables and non-negotiables, and consider whether the job is truly right for you. I’ve made the mistake of pushing myself out of my comfort zone relentlessly for the sake of a job. While growth often comes from challenges, it’s important to recognize when the sacrifices just aren’t worth it. Your life should reflect all the things that matter to you, not just your career.

As someone who can be a bit of a weenie when it comes to watching horror, yet still loves the stories, it can be hard finding the perfect horror movie/show to watch that balances good storytelling yet is scary. Lots of people have seen/heard of the classics like Scream, and The Exorcist, but there’s numerous modern horror projects that are equally as scary/fun that you might’ve not heard of. 

Living on campus is a dream, mostly in the sense that you romanticize it in your own head. Before moving to college, living in a dorm seems really cool (not for me because I was terrified of communal bathrooms but still); you get to basically live in a building with all the people you know and campus is a step or two away. However, living there becomes painful eventually, as you realize that when you’re exhausted or looking your worst and just want to go out to get some food or head to the library, there’s a 95% chance that you’ll run into someone you know. Randomly seeing people is only fun in theory.

If you are anything like me, you are always looking for a place to get a late-night sweet treat. Los Angeles is known for its amazing food selection, and if you’ve got a sweet tooth, there’s no shortage of incredible dessert spots. Whether you're craving gelato, frozen yogurt, or something baked fresh, here’s a list of the best places to satisfy your dessert cravings when the sun goes down.

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.

You often hear that there’s millions of scholarships available for college students. But most of these scholarships can have extremely niche criteria that you don’t feel like applies to you, or feel like a shot in the dark. As someone who’s successfully landed thousands in scholarships, in my experience, the more narrow the criteria to apply to a scholarship, the more likely you are to get that scholarship. And surprise, surprise, there can be one piece of criteria that already benefits a large percentage of USC students.