By: Kathryn Aurelio ‘25

It’s the summer before you move to the city of stars and into the 12ft by 12ft dorm of your dreams! Save your time and money with these do’s and don’ts for what to bring to your freshman dorm!

By: Ashley McKean ‘24 (Guest Blogger)

In all honesty, there was a period early on when I wanted to leave USC. It was short-lived but it was definitely real and I really wanted to give in and just take the easier, more comfortable path and go home. That’s what I did my freshman year at Syracuse. I pretty much decided almost immediately that I wouldn’t be staying for long. Had there been no COVID-19 imprisoning me in my 103-degree dorm room with no air conditioning, (no I’m no kidding it was actually that temperature in the room one day,) and impeding me from going out and meeting people, and the fact that 80% of the time my classes were virtual, I honestly feel like I may have come to love Syracuse and I would have stayed until graduation. Regardless of using COVID as an excuse, I didn’t give Syracuse the chance it deserved.

By: Ellice Ellis '20

It’s almost spring break, Trojans! Many of us have taken one or two midterms, outlined key term papers, or are gearing up to take a relaxing week off from our studies. For myself, I stress more than ever before winter break, summer break, or spring break because I try to balance relaxing and being productive before the vacation period even starts. If you’ve found yourself in this boat or are just generally stressed about school, work or life — this post is for you.

By: Talia Walters ‘20

I always tell myself that I can study in my bed, which I know isn’t true, and then I end up falling asleep ten minutes later having got nothing done. If this sounds like you, you might want to look into a new study spot on campus, just so you’re not constantly sacrificing your productivity. Below is a curated list of 8 unique places on campus that I feel like most people don’t remember. So go and stop by between classes – you might just find your new favorite study spot!

By: Talia Walters ‘20

I had the recent, somewhat horrific discovery that Valentine’s day is currently less than 3 days away, and I have planned almost nothing for this weekend. In that panic, I realized I needed to figure something out and fast. So if you also happen to be in that boat (I super don’t blame you, this year is already flying by), then take the research I’ve already done so you can get all of your planning out of the way super fast. Here are a few cool things happening around LA this weekend. At the time of posting, all events still had tickets available, but act quick as I’m sure they’re bound to sell out soon.

By: Talia Walters ‘20

Studying is not the easiest thing to get done, and we’re all looking for shortcuts and tools to help make our lives easier. I may not be able to help you find a way to avoid studying or decrease the amount of studying you need to do, but I do have some resources that should help make the process a little easier. If you’re interested in more study tips, check out this article on the best ways of studying or this article on the best places to study!

By: Talia Walters ‘20

When I was in high school, the theater group put on a performance of Eurydice, and in the production, I played a stone. If you’ve never seen Sarah Ruhl’s telling of the Orpheus myth, then I’m sure that sounds just as exciting as playing a tree in your elementary school play, but I promise that the stones are characters with lines. It was probably my favorite show that I was in, so when I saw Sarah Ruhl was coming to a Visions and Voices event to talk about the world premiere of the new version of her show, I couldn’t say no. It wasn’t until after I reserved my tickets that my friend pointed out that it was in fact the “LA Opera,” and so the new version was an entirely different, operatic version of the show that I wouldn’t recognize. I have no knowledge of the opera or how to talk about operatic music, but I was still determined to go. So, here’s a review of “The Life and Afterlife of Eurydice (and Orpheus) in Opera” from someone who has never been to an opera before in her life.

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.

By: Talia Walters ‘20

We are in the midst of the most exciting time of class registration during the semester: the three-week add/drop period. Over the next week and a half (decisions must be made by FRIDAY, JANUARY 31st), everyone is able to try out classes, switch out of and into new classes, and drop classes they don’t actually want to take. But sometimes, it’s hard to figure out if you should continue taking a class because you just don’t know what the best decision is. Now, I’ve been around the scheduling block a few times, and I’ve made my fair share of scheduling decisions down to the wire of the add/drop period. So, I’ve come to help and share my wonderful knowledge. Here are 8 questions you should ask yourself when deciding if a class is right for you:

By: Talia Walters ‘20

As another finals season comes around, I’ve spent quite a bit of time procrastinating in the form of zodiac signs again. So, for all my work to not be for naught, it’s time to get your horoscopes read by Trojans360! While you’re at it, find the best place to grab a bite on campus depending on your star sign so you know exactly where to stop between finals (because I love astrology and I’m going to keep matching zodiac signs to USC things until someone stops me!).

By: Ellice Ellis ‘20

Here’s a secret about me— I’m a senior. And yes, I’m stressed about paying back student loans, finding a job after college and senioritis has consumed my entire being. Despite the beautiful mess that is the end of my college career, there is a multitude of experiences and lessons to be grateful for. So for my freshman, sophomores, and even juniors, here are some lessons you can pull from my college experience, and hopefully, you’ll come out on top.

By: Talia Walters ‘20

USC has hundreds of minors in almost every single school, and so sometimes it’s hard to find the right minor for you. There’s so many that it’s overwhelming to try to sift through all of the programs, and often, minors that are really interesting, cool, and unique get thrown to the wayside only because students don’t know about them. To try and combat this, I’ve curated a list of 16 unique and interesting minors (by my standards) below that I’ve never heard someone declare. As always, if you have any questions about if you have room for a minor or how you declare a minor, it’s best to stop by your major adviser’s office so they can…well…advise you in the right direction.