By: Grace Carballo ‘17

My friends keep asking me if it’s weird to return to USC after two semesters and a summer program abroad and the answer is a resounding “Yes!” A lot of other folks who were abroad have had similar experiences of reverse culture shock. I saw a line down the bookstore steps and decided to order my textbooks online only to discover later that my peers were in fact waiting for $6 cupcakes to be dispensed from an ATM.

By: Samantha Romero ‘16

Didn’t get a chance to attend the USC Involvement Fair? No problem, here’s a helpful guide to give you a glimpse of the hundreds of clubs found on campus.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

Campuses across the country recognize that extracurricular involvement increases student retention; basically, students are much more likely to continue their higher education at institutions where they feel a sense of belonging and purpose. To find smaller communities within our huge student body, to pursue new and exciting interests, to get to know new and different people, or to find people with similar beliefs - there’s no end to the reasons to get involved at USC.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

With just three weeks remaining before classes start, you may find yourself with very little free time as you finish your summer internships or jobs and start thinking about and preparing for move-in day at USC. But if you find yourself with time to spare, now might be a good time to check out the summer reading list President Nikias proposed last spring as our beautiful campus once again hosted the Los Angeles Festival of Books.

By: Anna Lipscomb ‘19

Hello there! First of all, great question! Although I am not an international student, I will try my best to answer your question! Freshman move-in day. I still remember the emotional mixture of excitement and nervousness as I started a new stage in my life.

By: Kelly Kinas ‘16

I know the stereotype of USC is the University of Spoiled Children and we all know some people like that. But the majority of us are usually trying to save money and be able to do cool things at the same time. Trust me, I recognize my life is privileged but my savings account is so low, I’m working on trying to spend as little money as possible most of the time. How many of these have you done or are currently doing?

By: Kelly Kinas ‘16

Panhellenic Recruitment starts August 20th with the Rules Symposium. You can apply here until then but you may have some questions now. I am totally here for you! I rushed my freshman year, was on the sister side of recruitment my sophomore, & was the VP of New Member Education on the Panhellenic Council last year (Junior year)! So if you have any questions, just go to our ask box and ask away like s0phistique did! Her question was “What is it like for an african american student to rush a panhellenic sorority?”

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

If you still have space for 2 more units in your schedule, look no further. The department chairs of a number of programs make a list every semester of “Courses of Interest” for students who aren’t majoring in the field but might find them enjoyable and beneficial for one reason or another. I myself have already taken 3 off this list, all in the film school, and promptly realized I wanted to minor in Screenwriting as a result. So maybe this will help shape your major/minor decision making process or future career goals or maybe you’ll just have a really interesting 2 unit course this semester and that’s perfectly valid, too! Whatever the case may be, I’ve taken the liberty of choosing the FIVE COOLEST 2-UNIT COURSES this fall and have listed the rest below, as well, if you don’t trust me or your tastes differ.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

If you have extra room in your schedule, want to add a 1 or 2 unit course, and/or want to learn a new skill and stay fit in the process, look no further than the PHED department! There are 23 Physical Education courses being offered this Fall 2016, so you’re sure to find one that fits amidst your other courses, no matter how busy you may be.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

The first lesson is that almost every word that has an S or a C is “Trojanized” to have both and you shouldn’t fight it, but rather laugh and promptly accept it. Soon you’ll be doing it, too. I’m writing this post for my biological brother but since we’re all Trojan Family, the whole class of 2020 is more than welcome to my unsolicited sisterly wisdom. As a rising senior, I’m practically of a different generation than you young folks and my life experience is worth its weight in gold. I would give my right arm (dominant hand and objectively a critical component of my “good side”) to be able to have 4 more years of college like you young grasshoppers get to, especially if I could relive it knowing all I know now. In preparation for writing this letter I looked through my old photos from 2013-2014 (a simpler time) and can’t even believe how good we had it/have it at USC.

By: Anna Lipscomb ‘19

1. Keep a planner. I didn’t have one my first semester, and things got chaotic when my mental To-Do list grew too long. Moral of the story: a planner/calendar will be your best friend.

Best: Grace Carballo ‘17

Hey! Thanks so much for your questions; it’s definitely one I was asking myself just three short years ago. There’s a lot of options for fitness on campus and it really just depends on what you’re interested in!