This summer was an absolute whirlwind. Like many others can attest to, the process of obtaining an internship and then moving to a new city to work for three months can be extremely exciting but also nervewracking. Transitioning from applying for my L’Oréal internship to studying abroad in Milan last spring to moving straight to New York City for my internship was a hectic experience, especially as an LA native, but it was definitely manageable and enjoyable!

After being out of school for almost a month, settling back into classes is no easy feat. But, it was a much needed break, and for me, a very exciting one. My family took a two-week trip to Ireland to visit our extended family for Christmas. All of my grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles live in Dublin — the capital city of Ireland — and it’s always special when we get to go back.

While a traditional study abroad program might not fit into your course plan, especially if you’re a transfer student or decided on a major late, there are still a number of paths USC offers to learning outside of LA in the US or abroad. These course options that only account for one class from your fall or spring semester have less of an impact on your regular semester schedules, or if it’s an internship pathway, it might have no impact at all on your course plan. If you have the travel itch, don’t let university bureaucracy get in the way.

By: Ngai Yeung ‘23

Going to class hours after getting off a 12 hour flight is no fun. Not only was I exhausted from the trip, but I was also jet lagged after being in a drastically different time zone. Since adjusting to a new semester is hard enough when you’re running in the correct time zone, here’s some tips to get through the day.

By: Hannah Skinner ‘23

It’s the little details about daily life in Seoul that I liked the most. I miss the street food vendors and their warm snacks during the winter. I miss the long escalators down into the clean subway stations. I miss the charming streets lined with cafes, skincare stores, and cozy restaurants. To me, every street was charming. But I think when you are living in a world so far away from what you’ve grown up with, you’re more likely to see the beauty in simple things.

By: Kristen Adams ‘25

Hopped off the plane at LAX with a dream and my cardigan! After living on the East Coast for 19 years of my life, here’s what I’ve learned from attending college in Los Angeles, almost 3,000 miles away from home.

By: Hannah Skinner ‘23

Studying abroad will already be one of the most enriching experiences you have as a student, but there are ways to add even more value. Looking back at my experience at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, I felt like I adequately prepared myself to go abroad, but there was still plenty I learned along the way. Here’s some tips I implemented that helped me make the most of my time in South Korea.

By: Hannah Skinner ‘23

Thursday, September 8 was the Study Abroad Fair, and Trojans360 is bringing you a summary of events if you missed it!

By: Hannah Skinner ‘23

It was always a dream of mine to study abroad, and today, I am finishing up the last parts of my application and am on track to leave in the spring semester! The application process is long and can be a bit daunting, so here is a breakdown of my personal experience.

By: Karla Leung ‘22

USC is in the heart of Los Angeles, making it extremely convenient to get around and explore the LA area. However, getting around can get pretty pricey. Knowing all your options, whether you want to road trip to San Francisco or just go shopping at The Grove, can help you save time and money.

By: Talia Walters ‘20

I want to make it clear that the “standard” study abroad options aren’t bad. The key is that your comfort zone is something that only you are able to measure, and decisions based off of that are yours alone. I just don’t think the image of a great, vast world filled with billions of people who aren’t the cookie-cutter USC student is well-presented to students traveling abroad. USC’s programs are created to file large numbers of students through a standardized and safe system of “experiencing” other cultures without any care of the overwhelming self-exploration that travel can provide. Entire parts of the world are ignored despite my own experience, and many other’s experiences, traveling there, being entirely safe, and realizing so much about myself and the world around me. Choosing a place outside your comfort zone to study abroad can open up a whole new world of discovery during your semester away, and I think that’s the point of even studying abroad in the first place. So go somewhere you never even dreamed of before, and learn something about yourself you never expected. In order to help with measuring your own “sliding scale” comfort zone, I’ve put together a list of unique and different study abroad programs that aren’t as advertised by USC. For a lot of people, the gate that keeps them from going somewhere out of their comfort zone is the language requirements. I think they make sense, and they’re there for a reason, but that doesn’t make them any less frustrating. First, if you have the time, I would recommend just taking the two semesters of any language that are usually required to go somewhere like Russia, Japan, or Morocco. Otherwise, if you don’t have time to study a new language, this list is English-language study abroad programs organized by the most “comfortable” to the least “comfortable.”

By: Awo Jama ‘22

Earlier in the semester, I had the chance to explore both Little Tokyo and Downtown LA’s Arts District with the USC Photo Club on one of their off-campus excursions. After taking the Metro to Little Tokyo as a group, we were each given a map listing several notable sights in the area, and had free reign to explore what peaked our interest the most. Instead of taking stills of the vibrant murals and bustling shops I passed, I opted to film a short vlog which would document my trip: