By: Terry Nguyen ‘20

The diverse city of Los Angeles contains boundless opportunities to immerse yourself in unfamiliar cultures and their traditions. February, although mostly celebrated as the month of love, is also Black History Month and in this stormy political climate, a significant and relevant time to commemorate the Day of Remembrance for Japanese Americans. On Feb. 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, issuing the order to legally contain Japanese Americans in separate internment camps on American soil. The Day of Remembrance should be made aware of, and while we shame this period of American history for its discriminatory legislation, we should also strive to commemorate and understand the stories of those affected by this Executive Order. Below are a few events, exhibits and destinations you can visit if you want to further your understanding of American history and the effect of EO66 on the lives of many Japanese Americans.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

The finals schedule is fast approaching, the Thanksgiving leftovers are running low, and my stress levels have soared to new heights. Whether this is your first semester at USC or your last, the last few days of school are always filled with group projects, essays, exams, (oh my!).

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

Last Saturday, as part of the USC Comedy Festival, Vol 3: The Changing Face of Comedy, I attended a Women in Comedy panel featuring Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite), Nicole Byer (Loosely Exactly Nicole), Cameron Esposito (Take My Wife), and Suzanne Todd (Bad Moms). These comedy creators are writing their own material, starring in their own shows, and creating hilarious original content telling unique stories worth telling.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

Last Saturday, September 24, I had the privilege of attending the inaugural USC Own It women’s leadership summit. Luckily as soon as I heard about it a few weeks ago, I booked my spot immediately, because tickets eventually sold out. To give you an idea of the scale of all this, over 450 students and 65 speakers attended. Own It was started by two Georgetown students in 2013, with the first summit taking place in 2014 and being so successful that it expanded nationwide. The Own It network now encompasses 8 universities including USC, and we are certainly in good company.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

If you find yourself trying to evade this question, though it comes up quite often when you’re a senior, know you’re not alone. It’s not too late to take some steps down the path well-traveled, the career path. The Career Center is chockfull of wonderful resources that can help you wherever you may be in your journey. If I could go back in time I would’ve been a regular in their office starting my freshman year. But hindsight is 20/20, as they say, so all I can do now is soak up all their advice and knowledge and connections before I graduate in May and encourage my brother (class of 2020) to check it out much earlier.

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

Recently, a student asked your hardworking friends at Trojans 360 to create a guide to USC’s libraries and I have volunteered my services for the task. As it turns out, there a lot more libraries available to met than I ever realized. If you want more information about the hours of these libraries or the services available, the USC library website has a whole lot of info.

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: 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: 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.

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!

By: Grace Carballo ‘17

Moving in with someone is a big step in any relationship, so not matter how well you know your soon-to-be roommate, it’s perfectly natural to be a little nervous. Whether you met through mutual friends, knew each other in high school, found common ground in your generic posts in the USC Class of 2020 facebook group, or both opted for the “random roommate” in an admirable leap of faith, there’s no way you know what it will be like to live with them until you actually do.