By: Dara Udobong ‘23

Media depictions of college tell us that we’ll be having sleepovers every other day, party-hopping on Thursday nights, and having the best time of our twenties surrounded by our new built-in best friends. For some of you, this might already be your life. For others, none of this might feel familiar at all. If this is you, you’re not alone: a lot of USC students have shared their stories (of their successes and failures) at making meaningful friendships during this very peculiar semester. Unfortunately, its easy to lose sight of the fact that college is a whole new experience of self-discovery and exploration in a new city, state, or even country. Even if you’re an LA native, the college experience isn’t quite like any challenge you’ve ever faced before. It has its high highs, low lows, and one heck of a journey in between. We’re all just trying to give it our best shot, and you know what? It gets easier with time. But don’t take it from me, here’s some advice from a USC professor who’s been there, done that, and has a degree to show for it:

By: Sophia Pei ‘22 and Jordan Bucknor ‘22

Whether this is your first time on campus or your return after 18 months away, we have compiled a list of must-reads to help you get in the groove of being on campus. Keep reading for more information and to know exactly which posts you should add to your reading list!

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

I’ve had a couple of interviews these past two weeks or so, and I’ve definitely noticed a pattern: the questions. While every interview was a bit different, the majority of the questions were just variations of ones I had answered previously. So below, I’ve not only compiled a list of those questions and ones similar, but I’ve given you some tips on how to answer them. Keep reading if you want to figure out how to ace your next interview!

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

Internships are commonly viewed as precursors to real-world jobs and great thing to have on your resume exiting college. It lets recruiters know that you have the know-how to apply the knowledge you’ve gained from your classes. Since they’re outside of the usual school curriculum, it can be intimidating and confusing on how exactly to get one, but don’t worry! It’s never too late to land one and you can do it in all sorts of ways! USC has a couple of resources available for students looking to take a step into the professional world and it doesn’t end there either. Keep reading to find out!

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

The USC Career Fair, taking place February 11, 2021 from 9 AM – 2 PM, is an opportunity for students to get a head start on that thing everyone worries about after graduation: jobs. From full-time, to part-time, to paid internships — there’s a little bit for everyone there. Even if you’re not looking for a job, the Career Fair could also be a great opportunity to get some networking or interview practice in!

The fair happens two times a year, once a semester, and usually in person, but obviously that can’t exactly happen this year. So, how does the event being online change things? How does the platform work and how should you prepare? There are a lot of questions to answer, but thankfully, I’ve got the answers!

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

Okay, time to buckle up for another online semester. Maybe you’re excited to start back up again or maybe you’re a bit hesitant. Either way, it’s completely fine! You’ve gotten through it once, so there’s no reason you can’t get through it again! Whether it usually takes you a few days to get acclimated or you’re looking to hop back into it full swing right away, perhaps some of these tips will be helpful for you!

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

With a lot of us still stuck at home, fitness has been a popular topic this year — everyone trying to make the best out of their situation. I’ve made a post about fitness/working out before, but I recently became aware of another option for students: WORK. USC Rec Sports partnered with WORK to bring you even more workouts. WORK offers not only live (everyday but Sunday), but a collection of pre-recorded videos for constant access. Not limited by a schedule, students can have full control over when you’d like to work out, even past the semester. While there are a collection of free classes available, WORK and USC Rec Sports is offering a 70% discount for USC students to total in at $25 a month.

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

This probably isn’t the best year to go about celebrating Halloween like the years of past, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t get the holiday spirit! Whether you have younger siblings or are holed up with roommates somewhere, you can have just as much fun indoors as you can anywhere else!

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

Short answer? To watch some films, listen to music, and check out art. Long answer? It’s a celebration of amazing student work: visual and auditory, scientific and creative — and it deserves more attention! I was pretty shocked when I checked out Trojan Talent for the first time for the sheer fact that there was just so much stuff! To top it off, everything on the site is phenomenal! This platform is a great way to explore the creations of your fellow students and honestly just keep yourself entertained. There’s too much content to tackle it all in one, or even two or three sittings — but even if it’s just a single short film or song, you should definitely check it out! After exploring all that Trojan Talent has to offer, you may even want to submit something yourself!

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

Just because we’re online, doesn’t mean we can’t connect — especially in terms of clubs and other activities. The online semester did throw a wrench in things, but a lot of organizations still managed to make it work! Regardless of your major or minor, these are activities that anyone can participate in!

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve always wanted to try out USC’s gym/exercise facilities — but for one reason or another, I just never got around to it. I didn’t think it would happen under these unique circumstances, so props to USC for finding a way to make it happen. I was pretty excited to find out they had transferred a bunch of workout classes to an online format. Besides the fact that the classes are completely free and the sign-up takes like two seconds, what makes these classes particularly great is that everything being virtual takes away a lot of the anxieties that come with working out in public. With so many different classes to choose from and an even larger group of instructors, there has to be at least one class you end up liking. So either head over to https://myrecsports.usc.edu/ right now or read up on my own experience in each class to get an idea about which might be right for you!

By: Jordan Bucknor ‘22

Well, 2020 has been quite the year, or I guess I should say “is” since even now, we’re still going through it. Staying on top of schoolwork in a condensed semester would be a struggle regardless, but on top of our current climate, at least for me, “tough” doesn’t really cover it. Finding a balance between work and self-care is extremely difficult, but it’s also extremely important. Essential, really. Which brings me to this post: a checklist and a list of resources. Listed below are reminders and tools to so you can take care of yourself and help you get through this crazy time. If you feel you haven’t been taking care of yourself as well as you should have, this is your sign to turn it all around.