So if you’re feeling that familiar post-grad panic, I get it — I really do. But I also want to say: this open-endedness isn’t a failure. It’s potential. And that’s pretty exciting when you let yourself see it that way.  

Now, as a graduating senior, I have made some of my closest friends, landed a job in a city I have fallen in love with thanks to USC connections, become a blogger for the very platform that influenced my journey, and it all started because I chose to take the harder path.

If you’re earlier in your college journey, consider this a completely honest list of what I actually would’ve done differently (and a few things I’m really glad I got right).

The thing is, the problems college students face often go overlooked, but USC has resources to help people who might slip through the cracks. I think the re-establishment of the Trojan Food Pantry, with its own large and dedicated space, is the start of a beautiful thing here at our school.

Somewhere between balancing school, work, relationships, and the pressure to "have it all figured out," I realized self-care isn’t just about face masks and bubble baths (though I definitely still do those). It's about the little things I do every day that make me feel like me again.