By: Antonia Le ‘22

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, everything has gone virtual, even the good old internship. With nowhere else to go and nothing to do, I spent most of my Fall semester doing virtual work in conjunction on top of my academic studies. So, here are some quick tips for balancing a full-time course load with a part-time internship:

By: Antonia Le ‘22

For starters, if you’re looking for a simple “Yes” or “No” question, I’m suggesting that you ask literally anybody else. As with every question related to the workforce, answering this question is complicated, and I know that the answer is different for every field.

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

With a lot of us still stuck at home, fitness has been a popular topic this year — everyone trying to make the best out of their situation. I’ve made a post about fitness/working out before, but I recently became aware of another option for students: WORK. USC Rec Sports partnered with WORK to bring you even more workouts. WORK offers not only live (everyday but Sunday), but a collection of pre-recorded videos for constant access. Not limited by a schedule, students can have full control over when you’d like to work out, even past the semester. While there are a collection of free classes available, WORK and USC Rec Sports is offering a 70% discount for USC students to total in at $25 a month.

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

This probably isn’t the best year to go about celebrating Halloween like the years of past, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t get the holiday spirit! Whether you have younger siblings or are holed up with roommates somewhere, you can have just as much fun indoors as you can anywhere else!

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

Short answer? To watch some films, listen to music, and check out art. Long answer? It’s a celebration of amazing student work: visual and auditory, scientific and creative — and it deserves more attention! I was pretty shocked when I checked out Trojan Talent for the first time for the sheer fact that there was just so much stuff! To top it off, everything on the site is phenomenal! This platform is a great way to explore the creations of your fellow students and honestly just keep yourself entertained. There’s too much content to tackle it all in one, or even two or three sittings — but even if it’s just a single short film or song, you should definitely check it out! After exploring all that Trojan Talent has to offer, you may even want to submit something yourself!

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

Just because we’re online, doesn’t mean we can’t connect — especially in terms of clubs and other activities. The online semester did throw a wrench in things, but a lot of organizations still managed to make it work! Regardless of your major or minor, these are activities that anyone can participate in!

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve always wanted to try out USC’s gym/exercise facilities — but for one reason or another, I just never got around to it. I didn’t think it would happen under these unique circumstances, so props to USC for finding a way to make it happen. I was pretty excited to find out they had transferred a bunch of workout classes to an online format. Besides the fact that the classes are completely free and the sign-up takes like two seconds, what makes these classes particularly great is that everything being virtual takes away a lot of the anxieties that come with working out in public. With so many different classes to choose from and an even larger group of instructors, there has to be at least one class you end up liking. So either head over to https://myrecsports.usc.edu/ right now or read up on my own experience in each class to get an idea about which might be right for you!

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

Well, 2020 has been quite the year, or I guess I should say “is” since even now, we’re still going through it. Staying on top of schoolwork in a condensed semester would be a struggle regardless, but on top of our current climate, at least for me, “tough” doesn’t really cover it. Finding a balance between work and self-care is extremely difficult, but it’s also extremely important. Essential, really. Which brings me to this post: a checklist and a list of resources. Listed below are reminders and tools to so you can take care of yourself and help you get through this crazy time. If you feel you haven’t been taking care of yourself as well as you should have, this is your sign to turn it all around.

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

Whether or not you’re completely sold on the effectiveness of fabric masks, in many places they are now required whenever going out in public. Right now, masks aren’t the easiest thing to get a hold of, but there’s always another option: Make your own! There are all sorts of tutorials, ranging from ten minutes to sixty, and with all different sorts of styles. All things considered, I thought it would be a good idea to try out some of the most popular designs for myself. The easiest weren’t always the best and the hardest weren’t always the most efficient, but there certainly is one for everyone, regardless of skill.

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

As the semester brings itself to an end and some of us still find ourselves distanced from our friends and family, now more than ever, it’s important to get a little creative in the ways we keep in touch. Zoom can be used for a lot more than just classes, and although it may be tempting to just throw it away the first chance you get, it has a lot of other applications. Specifically, ones that could be used to keep in touch with friends! Curious as to what else you could be doing across your camera screen besides dozing off in lectures? Read below!

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

Okay, so, self-quarantine/social distancing can be difficult for a lot of reasons — boredom, fear, loneliness — but can especially difficult if you are cooped up with the wrong sort people. You know, the kind that play loud music in the middle of the night, don’t clean up after themselves, and try to get under your skin at every turn. Trust me, I get it. The first step should always be to talk about it, to see if there’s any sort of resolution that could be reached. Suggest solutions, use “I” statements, and be direct. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t — but if it’s the latter, that doesn’t mean it’s completely hopeless. Even if the person you’re rooming with is a stubborn as a brick, you can still retain some semblance of control over yourself and your sanity, despite who may be around you.

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

We’re living in some pretty weird times — not only as a school, but also as human beings in the midst of a global phenomenon. A lot of things are different and that’s kind of scary, but I think now more than ever, holding on to facts (or the closest things we know to be fact) is key to getting through this.