Everytime I tell someone that I used to be in SCA, they have a visceral reaction. Usually it falls somewhere in between shocked and straight up shaming me for leaving the program. Yes, there is no denying that getting into the School of Cinematic Arts is an amazing opportunity – I will always be thankful that they gave me the chance to be a student there. This does not, however, change the fact that it was not for me.

As a senior only weeks away from graduation, I am proud of myself for getting through four rigorous years at USC. At this point in my life, I should feel relaxed and happy because I’ve made it, but let me tell you, that could not be further from the truth. With graduation comes the extensive graduation prep, which no one warns you about! And if they do, trust me it’s way more expensive and time consuming than you think it is. I’m here to give you a rundown of all the things you should do and when to start in your spring semester as a senior so you don’t end up like me (pictureless and dressless three weeks away from grad!)

April is Earth Month – the one month of the year dedicated to education and awareness around environmental sustainability. With the numerous Earth ecosystems that rely on one another, we need to focus on conservation efforts and cultivating planet-positive habits.

New North! The residential hall that everyone talks about like it’s one of the nine circles of hell. That’s where I spent most of my Freshman year, rotting away as I attempted to feed myself while simultaneously going to school (harder than it seems). I was not intentionally in New North. When I filled out the housing application, I put Birnkrant as my first choice, which was mainly because they had an elevator. Also, everyone online said that New North was the party dorm, which I wasn’t exactly for or against. It seemed like it had the potential to be entertaining but also very annoying. That’s exactly what it was like.

I’ve been very guilty lately of pouring my end of semester-graduation-moving anxiety into endless doom-scrolling. When you’re anxious, it can be hard to focus or find a sense of relief from your whirling thoughts. You can’t work on school projects or studying for all of your waking hours (or at least you shouldn’t), so here’s some inspiration for where to channel any finals stress and anxiety that you’re feeling as the end creeps up.

No matter what year you’re in, deciding where to live for the upcoming school year is always a daunting task. Whether it’s deciding to live on or off campus, finding something within your budget, or looking for suitable roommates, there are so many factors to consider in choosing a living situation. But, as incoming freshmen, it can be especially challenging. Before setting foot on campus, first-years have so much to learn, and understanding housing options is one of the first major steps into acclimating to college life.

Post-vacation blues are such a real thing. When you’re on vacation, it feels as though nothing matters, and you have all the time in the world to just enjoy yourself. Time often stands still, and there’s no better feeling.

In early March, the School of Cinematic Arts brought Bollywood: Big Screens + Streaming, a series of Bollywood movie screenings and panels, to campus. Acclaimed Hindi-language films including Gully Boy, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, and Raees were shown in theaters across campus and were followed by panels featuring Indian film industry icons like producer Ritesh Sidhwani, director Zoya Akhtar, and music composer Ankur Tewari.

One of my biggest fears when starting at USC was the sheer size of the student body. I went to a tiny high school where everyone knew everyone. Moving to a university with over 20,000 students, I was scared I would drown. This was one of the main reasons I joined Thematic Option – because it offered small class sizes, along with academic rigor.

When I transferred to USC, I had no clue what to expect from the university or LA. I was honestly so shocked and excited that I got into such a well respected school and niche program that I didn’t think twice before accepting a place at the school. Having only been to college on Zoom for freshman year, there was a lot I had to learn about being a college student and USC all at once. Despite all my fellow sophomore peers starting on campus for the first time at the same time as I did, our experiences ended up being largely different because I transferred whereas they started at the school from the beginning. Since I can’t go back in time, let me give you the wisdom on transferring I wish I could tell my past self before she committed.

At USC, most freshmen live on campus in freshman specific housing structures like Birnkrant and New North. Sophomores then have the most ease and choice in their housing because of the sophomore housing guarantee. They can choose to live in a suite-style unit in the USC Village or one of USC’s apartment complexes on or off-campus. After your sophomore year, you lose priority in USC’s housing assignment system, so most upperclassmen that previously lived in USC housing move to independent housing near campus. 

During my time doing work-study jobs at USC, I have gradually learned many useful things about navigating work-study that I wish I had known from the beginning. From learning how to obtain work-study to balancing my work-study amount between two jobs, I’ve obtained so much knowledge of the process of pursuing work-study. So, if you’re just beginning to look into work-study allow me to save you some time and effort by answering some of the questions you may have about work-study.