By: Lauren Brose ‘15

USC’s School of Cinematic Arts’ award winning architecture is undoubtedly one of the best parts about USC’s Campus. Established in 1929and with more part time academic staff than full time, USC’s SCA is a premier private film school located conveniently at the heart of the entertainment industry. A number of famous filmmakers are connected with the school including George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Judd Apathow, Jason Reitman and Will Ferrell. Unsurprisingly, USC’s campus has been known to be filming locations for over 20 films and television shows.

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

Rini Sampath and Jordan Fowler are the first all-female running ticket in USC and Pac-12 history. Despite a discouraging remark from a fellow peer–– who expressed her concerns of having two female student leaders––Rini and Jordan have received an overwhelming amount of support from both men and women, Greek and non-Greek students alike. They’re also the most endorsed ticket in USC history, currently standing tall with 48. I had a chance to meet with them after their debate and discuss platform points, USG background, and how these two accomplished women came to become partners in crime this USG election.

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

Valentine’s Day is this weekend and I will be spending it alone this year. I have no issue with it, as I don’t believe v-day is synonymous to S.A.D (single awareness day). Like every major holiday, it is not defined by the man or woman you wake up and go to bed thinking of, but instead being in the company of people you love.

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

Have you ever been stood up by your Campus Cruiser, waited a solid 10 minutes longer than expected, or was placed on hold for 20 minutes before making it through to the dispatcher? Like many, I frequently take advantage of USC’s free taxi service to save money on Uber drivers and to get from point A to point B safely when it’s late. Sometimes, however, the inconveniences of using Campus Cruiser far outweigh its conveniences. For example, if I need to be somewhere in 15 minutes, I consider walking or calling an Uber because I don’t feel as if Campus Cruiser will receive and process my call in a timely manner. I am not alone—many share these feelings toward Campus Cruiser.

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

January is coming to a close and I have one question: have you stuck with your new year’s resolutions or have you forgotten all about them already? Don’t fret if you already gave up because according to Forbes only 8% of people actually achieve their New Year’s resolutions this year.

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

We’re all guilty of these college sins and we know all too well that we are better off without them. Take a leap of faith and demolish these nasty habits one by one with me.

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

What exactly is the difference between an extrovert and an introvert? Most speculate that introversion is synonymous to shyness and being an extrovert means you have a very outgoing personality. I agreed with that statement until I did a bit of digging around. I became interested in this topic because I never identified myself as a full on extrovert although between the two I was definitely more so that than an introvert. I most precisely identified myself as a mix between the two. Friends would say “Lauren don’t be ridiculous you’re not a shy person at all” and although I wasn’t the shyest at the very least, I identified with a lot of the attributes I assumed an introverted person—that being, a lesser outgoing person—would possess.

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

As a full-time USC undergraduate student, we are provided with 18 units each semester in our flat tuition rate. The average student typically enrolls in four 4-unit classes that satisfy their graduation requirements and let the extra 2 units go to waste. Consider taking a fun elective instead. 2 units at USC costs approximately $2,300! These classes can be taken pass/fail and won’t affect your GPA whatsoever (students are allowed 24 units of pass/fail). I went through the course catalogue and chose the most intriguing 2-unit elective classes USC is offering this spring to over in all disciplines. Learn to play an instrument or try a new form of dance. Whatever it is, have fun! :)

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

Hikes are a great way of toning your body (a natural lift for your backside, ladies!), getting your suggested 30 minutes of cardio in, as well as simply venturing outside the concrete confines of USC and downtown. The best part: you get to chat to your friends throughout the entire trail and be close to nature. One of my biggest accomplishments was hiking the tallest mountain in South Lake Tahoe called Mt. Tallac. It took me nearly the entire day and I was gasping for oxygen as I literally crawled the last quarter mile. In my defense, oxygen was becoming sparse considering the increased elevation and change in altitude but I felt the greatest surge of endorphins imaginable when I finally reached the top. Never had a PB&J tasted so heavenly. Maybe you’re not about that 12.5 mile hike. Instead, I outlined a handful of hikes around Los Angeles that range from less than two miles to up to seven miles.

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

At the end of every semester, my lucky friends who are privileged with Trojan Plan tend to have over $1,000 dollars leftover in dining dollars. This is typically around finals week when I am practically living on campus and all sense of self-sufficiency has flown out the window. Fortunately, my friends are generous enough to order me meals on campus using their Dining Dollars (all hail free Lemonade!!). If you currently have dining dollars and aren’t clear on where to spend your funds, I’ve outlined where and what on campus you can indulge in during your breaks. Explore outside the confines of Campus Center. There’s a plethora of cafés and quick stop offs situated around campus and if you play it smart, you can find yourself sipping on boba and munching on a pitaya bowl during your gap between lectures. #fancy

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

Last week I posted Part 1 of this two-part piece. Today, the story continues.

By: Lauren Brose ‘15

So I am standing at Study Hall, the newly remodeled 2-9 off of Hoover that serves draft beer, sandwiches and shareable starters. It’s Saturday and USC is slaughtering Colorado at our home front. An older male wearing a Colorado shirt approaches me and my boyfriend and strikes a conversation. I learn he went to USC undergrad and is currently a grad student at Colorado. After getting the fundamental details of our backgrounds out of the way, he asks if I want to hear a joke. I love jokes and I am not easily offended—why not? He says: “What’s the best thing about duct tape?” By choice, I am not going to finish this joke because I do not advocate rape jokes of any type—but nonetheless he delivered a rape joke to me, a female. I was disgusted.