By: Sophia Pei ‘22

It’s a new year and you want new interests. I’ve got you covered. Not sure what to do in your final week of winter break? Keep reading for my book, show, and movie recommendations.

By: Sophia Pei ‘22

With the raging pandemic and social distancing, it can be increasingly difficult to have meaningful interactions with friends and family. Perhaps your best friend, whom you previously saw every day, is halfway across the country in a different time zone, and, now that you’ve moved back home, the parents you missed are breathing down your neck and nagging about grades and future plans. Whether it’s due to the increased distance or the lack of any distance, your relationship dynamics have changed. To improve relationship quality and promote mental well-being, you should make the time to find ways to check in with your loved ones and show them you care.

By: Sophia Williams ‘22

Let’s face it- social distancing, quarantining and trying to get through a global pandemic has left lots of time for self-reflection. While it can be lonely at times, this period also makes room for everyone’s own personal renaissance! I’ve spent a lot of time this quarantine building my confidence and personal style, so here’s a couple tips I’ve collected for how to kickstart your rebrand and escape from the real world for a bit during quarantine.

By: Dara Udobong ‘23

There’s nothing quite like spending money that didn’t need to be spent, is there? Or being so proud of a purchase, only to find out it retails at a cheaper price in another location. When you’re in a new city, town or off to college (omg) things like this are bound to happen. Navigating a new place is hard enough without being stressed about money management or how much you don’t have. Thankfully, USC has loads of resources just for college kids to help you spend less—because I mean, who doesn’t like free stuff?

By: Sophia Pei ‘22

Within the first week of classes, there was an incidence of 104 new cases of COVID-19 amongst students living on or near the USC campus. Awareness of proper hygienic practices like washing your hands for 20 seconds (or more) and social distancing has increased during this pandemic, but it wasn’t sufficient to prevent the parties and gatherings resulting in overall a hundred students now being quarantined at the USC Hotel. If you’re staying in or near USC and living with others, it is strongly recommended that you get tested for COVID every week. Here’s a quick guide on how to get tested.

By: Ellice Ellis ‘20

I don’t have to tell you that the 9-0 is closed. There are no parties on the row to attend, no basketball games to frolic to, and sadly, we can’t watch movies with friends or take a trip to the beach. In place of in-person fun, I’ve combed the internet for some cool virtual events to attend this weekend!

By: Sophia Pei ‘22

Gyms, hiking trails, and beaches might be closed but that’s not an excuse to not exercise. Chances are, the nation-wide shelter-in-place initiative has made your lifestyle more sedentary. Nevertheless, healthcare experts recommend getting approximately 20 minutes of moderate exercise daily to maintain health and immunity. It’s advised you do try to get outside for sunshine, be it a power walk to the convenience store or a bike ride around your neighborhood. But whether it is out of concern for your own health or your loved ones, you may not be able to go out for that breath of fresh air. Try some of my favorite equipment-free at-home exercise videos to help you stay healthy!

By: Sophia Pei ‘22

Science Outreach (SCout) is a USC club that brings fun science experiments to 2nd and 3rd-grade classes. The goal is to get the junior scientists excited about science before their science curriculum officially begins in 4th grade. Teaching the kids through experiments, SCout aims to share our passion for science and inspire life-long learners in junior scientists. Keep reading to find out more about Science Outreach!

By: Ngai Yeung ‘23

Maybe you heard about it at USC Explore or at orientation, or maybe you know people in it. But what exactly is this mysterious, niche alternative to taking GEs, and why should all newly admitted students sign up for it right away?

By: Sophia Pei ‘22 and Sumaya Hussaini ‘22

Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, USC recently announced that classes will be conducted online via Zoom. This transition will be challenging, and many students are concerned about the quality of online educational instruction. If you’re worried about falling behind with the transition to Zoom, keep reading for some tips on how to succeed in any online college course!

By: Sophia Pei ‘22

The recent string of nightly emails from the Provost’s office has caused an uproar not only on campus-wide, but nationwide. COVID-19 is having a larger societal impact than anyone had anticipated. Everyday, researchers are finding out more about this strain of the coronavirus and along with more knowledge comes more questions. Keep reading to find out more about the coronavirus, its impacts, and some tips to stay healthy.

By: Talia Walters ‘20

I don’t know about anyone else, but I never learned how to study in high school. I was always the kind of person who would cram the night before in a panicked, caffeine-fueled rage before getting to school the next morning, taking the test, and doing mostly fine. Despite the horror of each experience, I never learned my lesson, and then I got to college, and it was down hill from there. So, to save you the trouble I went through, I’ve curated some handy tips on how to study.