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Should You Join Thematic Option

One of my biggest fears when starting at USC was the sheer size of the student body. I went to a tiny high school where everyone knew everyone. Moving to a university with over 20,000 students, I was scared I would drown. This was one of the main reasons I joined Thematic Option – because it offered small class sizes, along with academic rigor.

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A Q&A on Navigating Work-Study at USC

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.

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You Don’t Have To Be Best Friends With Your Roommate (But You Can Be!)

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.

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Health & Wellness Trojans360 Health & Wellness Trojans360

How to Stay Healthy and Prevent Illness During Finals Season

As the spooky season of Halloween and the rumble of football season come to a close, a much scarier and daunting season looms over us – finals season. Amid the stress and late-night cramming, the changing climate outdoors can further challenge our well being. Through the hustle and bustle of the end of the semester, it is really easy to lose sight of our health and put our bodies under an excessive amount of stress. To make sure you don’t get sick at this critical time, I’ve compiled a few simple tips to help you prevent getting sick and staying healthy this final season!

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My USC Transfer Experience Through The Marshall Pathways Program

My college application process started in November of 2020 and ended around mid-January of 2021. Even with a clear goal, I applied to anywhere and everywhere – in-state, out of state, Ivy League, state schools, and so many places in-between. I was anxious to get my college decisions, but as rejections from the more prestigious schools, like USC, started rolling in, I grew apathetic to the new rejection letters that I received.

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Careers Trojans360 Careers Trojans360

The Art of the Coffee Chat 

“You should be doing coffee chats!” –– everyone, as soon as you enter college.

Everyone is a big advocate for doing coffee chats, but in my experience, nobody ever tells you how to go about doing coffee chats or even what a coffee chat is supposed to be. If you’ve run into this same predicament, this guide is for you.

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College, Campus Life Trojans360 College, Campus Life Trojans360

Underrated USC Campus Study Spots

Now that we’re well into the semester, you’ve likely run into the problem of going to one of the more popular study spots like Leavey or New Annenberg and finding that it’s completely full. Whether you’re stuck on campus between classes or can’t focus in your room, searching for an open seat in these places eats into your study time and leaves you with the worst spots. Next time you’re in this position, consider moving to one of these underrated study spots instead.

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Embracing The GE Requirements

We have all complained about the GE system at USC. Whether it’s having to read tons of books as a STEM student or remembering how to do math as a musician, GEs often put us in uncomfortable spots, take up a lot of time, and feel entirely unrelated to both our current work and our future careers. There’s no denying that there are many flaws in USC’s general education system from just how many of these credits you have to take and the money you pour into them, the lack of options with pages worth of WebReg dedicated to classes only open to certain majors, and the amount of work and expertise that can be expected in a field you have no background with. Trust me, I’ve done my fair share of complaining. But as a senior this year, I’m learning to embrace the GEs and make the best of the situation.

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