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Gracefully Abroad: The Tango

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

Some of my tango partners might protest to the title of this blog citing their sore toes from me stepping on them as evidence to the contrary, but I was blessed with a name that can be turned very smoothly into a modifier (adjective OR adverb, how versatile!) and who can blame me for playing the cards I was dealt?

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Health & Wellness Trojans360 Health & Wellness Trojans360

How To Get Motivated After Spring Break

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

Spring Break is a well-deserved break after midterms for relaxation and recuperation, but like all good things, it must come to an end. And though finals are still far enough in the distance, the day-to-day tasks that were fine before Spring Break can often become unbearable after 10 days on a beach or in a tent or pretty much anywhere more scenic than Leavey.

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Study Abroad Trojans360 Study Abroad Trojans360

The DON’Ts of Study Abroad

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

There’s a lot of different reasons to study abroad but one of the most common, and important, is to learn about a culture different than your own. I’ve learned first hand how challenging this can be- to embrace the unfamiliar, to accept my own cluelessness, to depend on strangers, to laugh at my mistakes, and keep on putting myself out there be it conjugating verbs or trying to use slang words correctly.

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Working Towards My B.A. In BsA

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

Yesterday was my first day of school in Buenos Aires at la Universidad de San Andrés, where 6 other Trojans and I will be taking our classes until our finals end in mid-July. It was a beautiful start and I have high hopes for what is yet to come. The program that USC students take, PLAS (Program of Latin American Studies), includes a number of cultural activities so this past weekend we all had the opportunity to go on a guided tour of the city and at least have a frame of reference for all it has to offer (a lot!).

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Our Communities Trojans360 Our Communities Trojans360

International Women’s Day

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

This morning at the gym I joined in Buenos Aires, a trainer wished me “Feliz Día de la Mujer” which was the first time I’ve ever been greeted this way, although for me every day is women’s day. As someone who identifies as a woman and as someone who identifies as a feminist, I decided IWD is something I should probably be more knowledgeable about and I’ve compiled this handy guide for you, as well. So whether you’re abroad, like me, or on campus when you read this, if it’s March 8th, it is International Women’s Day and you should be mindful of this, because as far as women’s rights have come, we’re not there yet and by there I mean ~equal~. The quote below from earlier today sums this up very well.

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Career Trojans360 Career Trojans360

Work On It Wednesday: Why Writing the Cover Letter is the Hardest Part

By: Emily Young MA ‘16

I’ve written my fair share of cover letters and yet they can still be challenging. Why? Sure you stressed over making your resume look great to highlight your experiences, but when it comes to selling your self and creating a short narrative all you’ve got on your internal monologue is: “Ummmm, I really need this job—I’d actually be pretty great at it. I’ve already spent forever on this online application and I just really need to get this done.”

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First-Generation Students

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

Nearly one-third of students entering two- or four-year college in the U.S. are first-generation students. Who are first-generation students? Those whose parents do not have four-year college degrees are considered first-generation. If you fit this description, you may have felt, as many do, at a disadvantage compared to your continuing-generation peers while adjusting to college life.

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Work On It Wednesday: Learning New Tricks with Lynda

By: Emily Young MA ‘16

Employers are looking for employees that are self-driven and will continue to learn outside of the classroom. The best way to show that you’re a go-getter is to learn some new skills outside of the classroom. There are many websites and YouTube channels that offer free tutorials, but one of the best online tutorial websites, Lynda, is actually free for all USC students, faculty, and staff. Don’t let this free resource go untested try it out!

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LA Life Trojans360 LA Life Trojans360

Ojai, It’s Me...

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

…I’m in California dreaming about where we’ll go next week. Might I suggest a quick road trip out of the city and into the great outdoors?

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