Advice from a Second Semester Senior
By: Hannah Skinner ‘23
It’s my last semester at USC and the ticking of my undergraduate clock is growing louder. Without the luxury of years ahead, I’ve been thinking about what I want to do (or wish I had done) before I leave. Here’s a senior’s perspective on how to take advantage of everything USC has to offer.
Adventures in LA!
Due to LA’s lack of public transportation and USC's location, it’s easy for students to feel landlocked. I wish that more often throughout my 4 years that I gave myself the permission to take a Saturday off and spend money on an Uber or Lyft. LA is such a big city, and there is so much I still want to explore. However, now that I have less time, I’m starting to think some items on my bucket list might stay unchecked. Start exploring early!
Take Advantage of Fun 1 or 2-Unit Courses
This is something I’m glad to say I fully took advantage of. Even though you might fear the added weight and time commitment of an extra class, I promise that, by the end, you’ll only remember having taken a really fun class! My 1st year, I took FSEM 100 (Writing to be Read), and in my 2nd year I added EALC 103a (Fundamental Chinese 1) and PHED 120a (Yoga). Sadly, in my 3rd year I didn’t get to do this since I had to take 20 units of required courses and then went abroad for a semester. This year I am taking CTPR 422 (Makeup for Motion Pictures) and CTWR 431 (Screenwriters and their Work: The Harry Potter Franchise) which are great classes to end on.
Join a Fun Club
Many students focus on joining clubs and organizations with career and academics in mind, but you should consider joining a club for fun too! If you have a hobby, this would be a great way to meet people with similar interests and perhaps make lifelong friends. This year the Spring Involvement Fair is from January 24-26th on Trousdale, which is a great place for club searching!
Attend Free USC Events
USC provides some amazing free opportunities to their students. I’m always seeing flyers and emails for guest talks, student performances, and shows. There are artists at USC who will go on to become world-class, and we have the opportunity to see their work now. In particular, Kaufman, SDA, and SCA put on spectacular events each semester that I’ve been trying to go to more often. Most memorably, this year I saw a screening of Wakanda Forever with a Q&A from producer Nate Moore. You never know what events will pop up, and the best way to stay informed is to follow USC and individual schools’ social media accounts and pay attention to your email!
Declare the Minor of Your Dreams
If there’s something you’re passionate about, now is the time to consider declaring a minor. I wish I declared a Cinematic Arts minor. I love watching films, and I certainly like the idea of learning more about how they are made, so this is something I regret not doing while I had the chance. Thankfully, I’ve had room in my schedule to attend cinema classes as electives, and I’ve taken one as a GE, but at the same time, if I had just taken a few more units each semester, it would have been an easy minor to complete. With enough notice and planning, expanding on your degree is more than possible.
Meet Up With Old Friends
We make so many new friends and meet so many amazing people at USC. Everyone starts out making friends with their roommates or first classmates, but as time passes and you move apartments or the class finishes, you simply don’t get to see each other anymore. It’s worth taking time each month to keep nurturing these friendships through coffee and lunches.
Want more from Trojans 360?
Visit Trojans 360 on Facebook & Twitter to stay up to date with more student content! You can also Ask A Trojan an anonymous question, and we’ll try to answer it in a future post. And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!
Trojans 360 is USC’s official student-run blog. Content created by students, for students.
