By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

As college students, we were not alive during the original HIV/AIDS epidemic, so we might have a hard time taking it seriously. I know we are all well-educated, bright young college students who do our homework, so we know the logistics: in the late 80s, a good portion of society—a good amount in the gay community—were wiped out because of the horrible, incurable virus called “human immunodeficiency virus” that caused “acquired immunodeficiency syndrome” that interferes with one’s ability to fight infection. We may have listened to or seen RENT, and we may have read or seen Angels In America (and if you haven’t experienced these two works of art, I highly encourage you to check them out) that deal with the grave emotional stakes behind HIV/AIDS. We may think we understand.

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

I think it’s been hitting us all recently: the end of the semester is basically here. I know, I know, it felt like we were battling the summer heat yesterday, but now it’s time to be buying Christmas presents, eating Thanksgiving turkey, and….studying for finals.

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

It’s that time of year again: the holidays! You know Halloween, and Thanksgiving and Christmas, but did you know the greatest holiday of them all? Course registration!

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

Ah, yes, the beginning of November. Fall is in the air, Halloween has just passed, Thanksgiving break is on the horizon, finals are a little farther back on the horizon, registration for spring semester’s classes are right around the corner, you are starting to sniff out those spring internships, and you are house hunting for next August.

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

So. You live in Southern California and want to celebrate fall. Well, in the words of the great Mindy Kaling: first of all, how dare you? That’s right, I said it. Who do you think you are, to want seasons? To want to recapture that childlike wonder of cold noses, hot apple cider, pumpkins, falling leaves, and copious amounts of candy? That sounds like a bummer time to me. No way, Jose. That magical autumnal experience is not for me.

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

So. Your parents are in town (and maybe your siblings too!) That’s great! You’re so excited! They’re stoked! You’re stoked! Then, they ask you what the three-day plan will be, and your heart stops. What will your three-day plan be? Normally on weekends, you just bum around with your friends, get some Blaze, and sleep until 2 pm! Oh no, what have you done?! You now have to prove to your parents that you live an exciting, responsible life full of nourishing food, educational activities, and good friends!

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

Museums: they’re either something you love or you hate. Or, you don’t like them but pretend you do to maintain your #artsy hipster and persona. Me? I love them. I especially love modern art; for a hot second last year, my dream job was to be the curator of the MoMA in New York. I used to be an art history major, so when I go to museums I don’t see random doodles on a white wall. When I see a black canvas, I don’t think to myself “Psh, I could have done that,” but instead of the rich layers of meaning associated with it, both historical and symbolical.

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

If you have a hankering for a milkshake at USC, you know where to go: Ground Zero. But Ground Zero is more than just a place for milkshakes—it’s an experience. There’s nothing quite like the ambiance: the hip dim lighting, the mood music, the constant whirring of blenders, and the oh-so comfortable couches. And, most importantly, there’s the stage. Night and day, there’s usually some sort of performance happening that’s cool, mindblowing, and all done by students.

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

Did you know you can be a producer? Yes, of course you did. You might be one of the plenty of business and film students are currently working away in pre-professional classes at USC, dreaming of the day you can work behind the scenes of shows like SNL, Jimmy Fallon, or The Daily Show.

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

We all knew it when we applied, we all knew it when we chose to come here, and we all know it every time we leave the house: celebrities live in LA. We live amongst the stars; this is Hollywood, land of glamour and paparazzi and home to every one of our favorite entertainment industry professionals (except the odd ones out who live in New York – whatever).

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

Saturday. 2 am. If you’re Taylor Swift, at 2 am, you’re in your car, with windows down (you pass my street, the memories start). If you go to USC, at 2 am, you’re probably in Spudnuts Donuts. Should you never have had the pleasure of attending this incredibly fine establishment in the ever-classy strip mall (at the corner of 28th and Fig), boy, are you missing out.

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

We all know that USC is famous for its Greek scene and athletic teams. And that’s great, it’s our mark. Fight On! Go Greek! Those organizations rock and give homes to countless Trojans.