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: Judy Lee ‘17

Cue self-loathing and re-reading my rejection letters 5 times each. It’s hard to deal with the doubt that creeps into your head and combat the emptiness of not feeling like you belong. To be completely honest: I was broken up about it for the rest of day—it was a double whammy and I couldn’t deal.

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: Grace Carballo ‘17

Do it for the fresh air (do you even remember what that tastes/feels like?), do it to challenge yourself, do it to meet some rad new people, do it to get to know some of USC’s best and brightest professors outside the classroom, do it for the insta… I’m not going to get hung up on your intentions, so long as you take a hike with Peaks and Professors.

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: Kelly Kinas ‘17

Studying for finals can be difficult and while it is necessary, sometimes some small dogs can be ever more helpful. Every semester, USC and USG help sponsor an event where study snacks are a plenty and there are puppies to stroke. Outside the Leavey library on Thursday December 4th, Friday December 5th, and Monday December 8th, the University sponsored this exact activity, which definitely did brighten my day.

By: Matthew Freihofner ‘15

Trojans! For those of you who want to workout but want to get outside at the same time there’s great news. Cromwell field, across from the bookstore, just put in BRAND NEW outdoor fitness equipment. I personally love mixing it up and working out outside on the weekends. I’m especially excited to use the new equipment at Cromwell called a ‘Rogue Rig’. For those of you who haven’t heard of it, here’s what it looks like and what you can do with it.

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: Matthew Freihofner ‘15

I’ll start by saying that I don’t think anyone under 21 should be drinking. But I recognize that it still happens so, here are some tips to at least stay safe if you choose to drink.

By: Kelly Kinas ‘17

Everybody makes mistakes. Everybody has those days. Everyone knows what I’m talking about. Everybody gets that way.

By: Matthew Freihofner ‘15

Intramural sports are one of the best ways to meet new people and create lasting friendships. I’ve always found that sports are one of the easiest ways to meet new people. It instantly allows you to have a common interest with your teammates and forces you to get to know them.