By: Joshen Mantai ‘24 (USC Student Life Guest Blogger)

When I first got to USC as a graduate student at Annenberg, I didn’t know what to expect for my experience, especially at a university in the middle of such a big city. Would it be like my undergraduate experience at UC Santa Barbara, or did I have to prepare myself for a whole new environment with a separate identity? So, for any incoming or current graduate students, I’m sharing what I’ve learned through my first semester experience so far.

By: Kathryn Aurelio ‘25

It’s the summer before you move to the city of stars and into the 12ft by 12ft dorm of your dreams! Save your time and money with these do’s and don’ts for what to bring to your freshman dorm!

By: Lauren Liang ‘23

Transferring is a scary (and exciting!) process. New school, new people, new city. I should know– I am a transfer. I’ve loved my time at USC, and while I haven’t had to learn too many lessons the hard way, there are definitely some tips I wish I knew before I started.

By: Ngai Yeung ‘23

In college, our time and attention is split between buckets such as chores, career, school, social life, health, finances, and many more. I’ve experimented with a whole variety of apps and methods throughout the years — here’s my ranking of the ones I’ve tried from worst to best.

By: Sanaa Alam ’25

I read many of these types of articles when I committed to USC, but sometimes the best way to learn is by living. For any incoming freshman, don’t be afraid to make your own mistakes and learn through your experiences—there’s no right way to do college.

By: Nancy Aguilar Sanchez ‘22

I find that when I’m caught up in my responsibilities, I often neglect my body by eating ramen or frozen foods. Here are some of my favorite stress free recipes perfect for the busy school year, from vodka sauce pasta and broccoli to butter chicken and rice.

By: Lanie Brice ‘24

As someone obsessed with planning and spreadsheets, I’ve worked out a formula over my last year at USC for tackling registration season, so here’s my best advice for navigating your advising meetings, choosing your courses, and being prepared for when you have to log into WebReg to secure your dream schedule. 

By: Sanaa Alam ’25

Despite loving numbers, when I stepped into my CHEM 115a class freshman year, I realized that college chemistry is not the same as it was in high school.

By: Ngai Yeung ‘23

Being a massive school, USC has plenty of opportunities for students hoping to publish their writing. Here’s 25 student publications to get you started.

By: Nathan Kim’24

Medical schools want you to gain clinical experience before committing to medical school. [While full-time] jobs may not be the most feasible during college, here are some likely options for college clinical experience!

By: Tamanna Sood ’24

As a freshman, the main organization you might be hearing about is APASA, [but] APASA bears the burden of representing a lot of communities and  groups a lot of experiences together. Here’s a list of clubs that might offer more of the nuanced and personal experiences you’re looking for: 

By: Hannah Skinner ’23

The Forensics and Criminality minor perfectly demonstrates what interdisciplinary studies at USC looks like…an array of various courses allows students to personalize the focus of study even more.