Last semester, I wrote an article titled “Why I Decided to Minor in Digital Studies.” Meet her older, slighter wiser sister article, “Why I Decided to Drop my Minor in Digital Studies.” I recommend reading the prior article before this one for extra context, but if you enjoy a good TLDR: I am a cognitive science major interested in working in product design. I declared a minor in Digital Studies because I thought it would include courses that would help develop skills for a career in product design, while also allowing me the benefits of being a SCA student.

Here’s a roundup of my favorite courses I’ve taken at USC, as a (December) graduating cognitive science major.

“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.

Electives are arguably the best part of the college academic experience, but choosing which ones to take can be incredibly stressful. For the longest time, I felt like every single elective I took had to directly relate to my career or building technical skills, even if I wasn’t at all interested in the elective. After all, USC’s tuition is sky-high –– why “waste” a credit on “useless” classes like The Art of Jaywalking (disclaimer: to the best of my knowledge, this is not a course at USC, and there is an art to jaywalking and not getting run over).

One of my favorite music-discovery easter eggs is finding out an artist whose work I love is a USC alum. Here are some of my favorites, straight from my playlist.

A new semester means new ways to get involved with one (or many) of USC’s numerous student organizations. A walk down Trousdale during the semesterly Involvement Fair highlights how there is no shortage of opportunities. While there are many social clubs––clubs that don’t require an application to be accepted––there are an equal number of pre-professional and application based clubs.

By: Lauren Liang ‘23

Have you ever wondered what a day in the life of a junior Cognitive Science major looks like? Well, welcome to a Wednesday in my life this Spring:

By: Lauren Liang ‘23

If you’re anything like me, you’ve combed through USC’s course catalog more times than you can count, scouring the website for the perfect minor. After hours of deliberation, cross-checking my academic progress, and exploring required courses for a plethora of minors, I decided to declare my first minor in Digital Studies, within the School of Cinematic Arts (SCA).

By: Lauren Liang ‘23

I can’t recall the exact emotions I felt when Save the Squirrels first entered my consciousness. I saw a mutual repost one of the account’s posts, and casually scrolled through the page between classes. While I thought the situation was intriguing, I wasn’t too concerned about the squirrels because a) the demand seemed much too unreasonable, and b) the date of the initial post was too close to April Fool’s to not be suspicious. Still, I couldn’t help myself.

By: Lauren Liang ‘23

In honor of Women’s History Month, Trojans360 wants to bring your attention to gender equity resources at USC, ranging from academics to mental health. For a more comprehensive list, please consult the USC’s Student Equity and Inclusion Programs (SEIP) website.

By: Lauren Liang ‘23

Before I was hired for my first internship, I was willing to accept any offer that came my way. During interviews, I curated my experiences to whatever I thought the recruiter wanted to hear. While this is permissible as long as you’re still truthful, doing so is a surefire way to end up at a company that might not be a great fit for you.

By: Lauren Liang ‘23

Los Angeles is home to an incredible community of creatives, and USC’s student population is no exception. With 22 schools across the university, there is no shortage of talent. Enter Ally Wei: USC senior, photographer, creative director, multi-hyphenate extraordinaire, and founder of Fellows Collective. The Collective’s latest project is a short film titled ALL OF MY FEELINGS, and it needs your help to be produced!