By: Nathan Kim ‘24

As an incoming freshman, you might’ve received an email or letter, inviting you to join a couple of programs called Freshman Science Honors (FSH), only for natural science majors, or Thematic Option (TO). One year ago, I was in the same shoes, wondering if FSH and TO were worth it, and if you’re like me, a flurry of questions probably flooded your mind on what these programs exactly were and their various benefits and drawbacks. Although there are posts online talking about these programs, I wanted to give a complete, personal take on them as I am a part of both. Quick disclaimer: I took these classes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

By: Dara Udobong ‘23

So I’ve been around the block (if I I do say so myself), and after almost 3 years of higher education and only 2 more GE’s to go, I’d say I have an above average grasp on some of the best GE’s to take in select categories. Getting your class schedule together is one thing, but picking just the right GE that fits in with your core classes is a whole different ballgame. With the breadth of choice afforded to us with our general education classes, who wouldn’t want to pick the right one? And I know, I know—sometimes, it all comes down to the professor. That’s why in this article, I’ll be including some of my best GE’s to date with an aweso

By: Cherise Clough ‘24

USC was my dream school because I thought it was the perfect school for me. I got rejected when I had applied to start there for my freshman year of college and that rejection broke my heart. Two years later, I decided to apply to transfer—choosing to give myself one last chance at trying (even though I didn’t have much hope that time). Fast forward to 2021, and here I am living my dream, but has it been everything I expected? Here are just a few things I wish I knew before coming to USC as a transfer.

By: Dara Udobong ‘23

I started my USC journey back in Fall 2019. I had almost no idea what to expect: I’d only been to LA once before, barely knew if I was even ready to do this whole school thing again (after the most restful gap-year experience ever), and knew almost no one that was starting at USC in my grade. People from my high school rarely (if ever) came all the way out to the West Coast simply because it’s too far away from home, so I already felt like a fish out of water from the jump.

By: Sophia Pei ‘22 and Jordan Bucknor ‘22

Whether this is your first time on campus or your return after 18 months away, we have compiled a list of must-reads to help you get in the groove of being on campus. Keep reading for more information and to know exactly which posts you should add to your reading list!

By: Claire Wong ‘23

This year was definitely a very untraditional college year, and there were many unexpected challenges with virtual learning. Despite the different experiences, there were many lessons and takeaways to the year! Here is what I learned from my sophomore year.

By: Dara Udobong ‘23

Your personal computer is probably going to be your most used asset (and biggest investment) when you’re coming into college. While there is a myriad of options to choose from in a booming tech world, let’s focus on two broad categories: Chromebooks and Laptops.

By: Sydney Henry ‘24

Welcome to Part 2 of my recap of the first semester of freshman year. Part 2 of this recap is all about discussing how to deal with the mental and emotional toll this semester has taken on everyone. Between the pandemic, attending Zoom University: USC Edition, and dealing with everything else going wrong, it’s a lot. So how do you stay calm and sane with everything going on?

By: Sydney Henry ‘24

All the freshmen, including me, are rejoicing at the fact that this first semester is almost over and a long break is soon to come. But the journey isn’t yet over and we still have a long way to go. There are definitely many moments where I had full on breakdowns and wanted to give up so bad. Between the all-nighters, the lack of social interaction with others, and the frustration at myself for not being able to find the motivation to do anything, I was still able to reflect on this first semester. That reflection has prompted me to share what helped and hurt me academically, so your first or next semester could go much smoother than mine.

By: Sydney Henry ‘24

So you’ve finally paid your $300 dollar deposit to confirm your enrollment at USC and announced your decision by posting on Instagram on Decision Day, but what now? You check the different USC decision day hashtags and see several people post that they got into USC and decided to attend for the next 4 years. You want to reach out to them, but you don’t know exactly how. That’s where I step in and give you some different way to become friends with these people, whether you’re completely online or on campus.

By: Claire Wong ‘23

It’s housing season and there are so many options! There are so many to chose from and so many different styles. Here is a guide to all the reputations, amenities, and everything you need to know about each freshman dorm!

By: Claire Wong ‘23

My roommate and I are ACTUALLY best friends. Yes, it is pretty miraculous. We may be a rare case, but here are some things I did to find my roommate!