Taking 20 units is a lot of work, but it’s doable — and valuable. If I wasn’t taking 20 units, I wouldn’t be able to study everything I’m interested in. It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make, especially if it means not having to graduate late (and pay for extra semesters). USC is such a prestigious institution, and we pay a lot of money to be here. I figured I might as well make the most of my tuition, and there’s support in place to be able to do it.

A common refrain that you might expect to hear from Political Science majors is, “Majoring in Political Science made me realize I hate politics.” As a bright-eyed underclassman, I didn’t think this would be what I would become. I had dreams of becoming a political journalist with wide expertise. I would “speak truth to power.” I would “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” These are sentiments I hold a great respect for still, but the avenue that I see myself fulfilling these pursuits has changed dramatically.

I love back to school season! This time of year always feels magical because the possibilities are endless. Ast the school year goes on, it's easy to fall into bad habits, but in August, I always like to pretend that's not going to happen. I’ve always considered myself a pro at making back to school resolutions, but I struggled with keeping them. Last year, however, I was able to make my healthy habits stick. So, without further ado, here are my back to school tips to help you start off the school year on the right path… and stick to it!

USC offers many different meal plans to students, and if you live on campus, you are required to have one of these plans. Students can purchase dining dollars to use at dining halls and other campus dining options, or you can opt for meal swipes. Regardless of your plan, here’s the rundown on which dining halls to visit for the best meals at your new home for the semester.

I’m a current senior studying biomedical engineering (BME) with an emphasis in electrical engineering. However, my time at USC in terms of extracurricular activities was not BME-focused; rather, it was consulting-focused. I joined AIM (Association of Innovative Marketing Consulting) in the first semester of my sophomore year and was immediately placed as a Project Manager of a team. Following my experience there, I joined the E-Board and have taken on different roles within the club, ranging from social media management to client recruitment.

ACCT 387- Risk Management in Entertainment, Sports, and the Arts is the first course I took to satisfy my Marshall upper division elective requirements, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed taking this class. My professor for this course was Kristen Jaconi, and I was in the 2 p.m.-3:50 p.m. section on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Last semester, I started at my first work-study job, and it was exactly what everyone thinks of when they think of work-study; I sat at a front desk and did homework for four hours while occasionally being interrupted to make a photocopy or direct a lost student. This type of job is a great option if you worry about balancing work with school – I certainly was my most productive at work and often felt like I was doubling up on my productivity by basically getting paid to do homework. If you’re looking for a more fun and engaging way to earn your work-study award, however, I highly suggest applying next year to be a cat care assistant at the cat shelter Kitty Bungalow, my much more interesting current work-study position.

LA is known as a city with many culinary wonders. At USC there are tons of great restaurants near and on campus. From cafes, to breakfast spots, to Mexican restaurants you can find anything in South Central. Here are the most popular restaurants that USC students frequent.

After being at USC for two years, I’ve realized that getting ready to go back to school in college is very different than in high school. Especially if you’re from out of state or simply do not live at home, getting prepared for the new school year is more than just buying school supplies.

When asked, “What was your favorite part of college?” many  tend to say study abroad. In general, travel is a learning experience, but when mixed with studying, it offers even more enrichment opportunities. While not everyone is able to study abroad in college, I highly recommend looking into Maymester options that allow you to travel to another country for one to two weeks with your USC peers while focusing on a specific aspect of your educational journey. Studying abroad and Maymester options range across most continenst and often are linked to USC’s partner universities. Here are some of USC’s best and most popular study abroad programs.

As someone who grew up in Los Angeles, I was hesitant to go to college in my hometown. When I was accepted to USC, I was excited but had one major concern: I didn’t expect the experience to change me very much. What would I experience in the next four years that I hadn’t already? However, from the beginning, my college experience has been extremely unconventional.

As a graduating senior, I have a real swirl of mixed feelings going into my last week of college. I’m excited about my future, despite its uncertainties. I’m ready to leave LA and spend more time back home with my family, who I’ve missed quite a bit over the last three years. I’m not particularly upset about leaving USC, but I have been grappling with a strange sadness over the last few weeks, less for what I’m leaving behind and more for what never happened.