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.

Latine Heritage Month is a great time for Latines to celebrate their culture, build connections with those of similar backgrounds, and learn about their family history. USC offers many resources to aid Latine USC students in this pursuit of celebration and solidarity–including a Latine student lounge in the Student Union, numerous clubs that highlight the intersection of Latinidad with various interests and fields of study, and a range of events being held between September 15 and October 15. For me, I will be spending this month specifically celebrating the half Puerto Rican side of my heritage. To do so, I will be taking the following steps to celebrate half of Latine heritage month.

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.

As the school year comes to an end, many Trojans are anticipating returning to their homes across the country and around the world. Others will be traveling to countries entirely new to them, and some will be staying put this summer, swiping through their peers' Instagrams sharing their travel adventures. If you won’t be venturing beyond the four walls of your bedroom this summer, one way you can get the same wealth of cultural knowledge as your traveling peers is by reading books set in various places around the world.

At USC, most freshmen live on campus in freshman specific housing structures like Birnkrant and New North. Sophomores then have the most ease and choice in their housing because of the sophomore housing guarantee. They can choose to live in a suite-style unit in the USC Village or one of USC’s apartment complexes on or off-campus. After your sophomore year, you lose priority in USC’s housing assignment system, so most upperclassmen that previously lived in USC housing move to independent housing near campus. 

During my time doing work-study jobs at USC, I have gradually learned many useful things about navigating work-study that I wish I had known from the beginning. From learning how to obtain work-study to balancing my work-study amount between two jobs, I’ve obtained so much knowledge of the process of pursuing work-study. So, if you’re just beginning to look into work-study allow me to save you some time and effort by answering some of the questions you may have about work-study.

In high school, my teacher once told me that I was too sensitive for the real world. To this, I told myself that I was a queer person growing up in one of the most conservative areas of California and intended to move to Los Angeles after graduation. Surely I was more than prepared for the world outside my Trump flag ridden, Evangelical upbringing. I thought the ostracization I felt in my hometown would be a thing of the past once I moved to this liberal city and I would experience culture shock in the best way as someone eager for a more diverse and accepting community.

When I started at USC, I anticipated stressing over homework, homesickness, and an adjustment period to my newfound independence. I didn’t anticipate, but soon learned, that new environments and major life changes are known to aggravate Tourette’s Syndrome.

If this Valentine’s Day you’re excited to take someone out on a nice date but are at a loss of how to do it without dropping a paycheck, there are plenty of options to choose from for the perfect, inexpensive date. Being at USC means you have an array of offerings at the university and in the surrounding city to help you woo your date this Valentine’s Day. This is how to celebrate Valentine’s Day while balling on a budget.

In the new semester, you may be at a loss of how to reconnect with the USC community. You might have a general awareness that USC hosts events and activities for its students but not know where to find them. If you’re in this position and looking for events you can attend this January, I have compiled a list of notable cultural, political, and fun events you can attend for free on campus.

Looking for a new read? Here’s a list of book recommendations perfectly tailored to your USC major.

In my time at USC, my experiences with roommates have ranged from neutral to super positive to extremely unhealthy. Having gone through what many people fear coming into college, my story can serve as both a warning to incoming freshmen as well as reassurance that, ultimately, I found great people to help me through. And I haven’t lost faith in finding good roommates.