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.

One of my favorite parts of living in California is the ready access to incredibly fresh fruits and vegetables. One of the easiest ways to access them is by shopping at farmers markets. LA has an incredible number sprinkled all around the city (my favorite is in Brentwood), but if you don’t have a car, don’t worry! USC brings the farmers market right to McCarthy Quad most Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m throughout the fall and spring semesters.

Spooky season is finally upon us! Known for monsters, pumpkins, and colder weather, another great aspect of this season is the opportunity to snuggle up with your boo (get it hehe)! With midterms in full swing and Halloween just around the corner, let me take over the search for wallet friendly and fun dates off your plate. Here are five affordable, cute, and spooky dates in the Los Angeles and USC area that are great to welcome in the season.

In my first year at USC, like many freshmen, I scrolled through the endless list of student orgs and clubs on campus and attended the involvement fair, but I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of clubs to choose from and the lack of substantial information about what each club entails. I ultimately found nothing I was interested in joining. It turns out that the best way to gain insight on clubs is to talk to people who’ve attended the meetings and paid the dues.

After a long day of school and homework, it’s time to unwind and go to sleep. You’d think that after a day of looking at our laptops, we’d want to unwind and read a book or journal – but no. In fact, about 90% of 18-29 year olds sleep with their phones near them, while 95% of people use their phone just before going to bed. I used to be one of those people.

Heading into my senior year of college, I’ve finally learned the embrace that college is hard. Whether it’s a tough class or just homesickness and general overwhelm, there’s always a new challenge to work through. I guess that’s what growing up is all about. But, over time, I’ve learned one of the best ways to treat those low moments is finding small ways to make your life a little better every day.

By: Sydney Fiorentino ’24

As summer is approaching, people might be asking you, “What are your plans for this summer?” A lot of people might say they have an internship lined up, however, if you don’t have one, don’t stress!

By: Lanie Brice ‘24

USC Career Launchpad is your answer to your internship or post-grad job anxieties. For the last couple months, we’ve all been stressing over landing an internship for the summer or landing the perfect post-grad job offer. Figuring out the future is always daunting, and it can be a challenge to curate the perfect resume, make the right connections with people in your field, and have the skillset to stand out.

By: Lanie Brice ‘24

In March of this year, I moved across the street from a grocery store, and I realized that I no longer had an excuse to not try new food and make fun, healthy dishes for myself. I’d wanted to explore cooking for a while, but I’d been stuck in a rut of making the same roasted cauliflower and rice on rotation. I have worn the picky eater badge my whole life, and I decided that now would be the perfect time to work on it.

By: Aedan Henry ‘24 (Guest Blogger)

As a college student, it is important to stay organized — and perhaps the most popular tool to help with that is a humble notes app. But with so many popular options, which should you use?

By: Tamanna Sood ‘24

Spring is officially here! The grass is green! The air is clean (well I guess as clean as LA air can be)! The flowers are in full bloom! Spring is my favorite season of the year. There is something about spring that just makes me feel so productive and powerful! This got me thinking about the ways I could celebrate the season and bring Spring in! So here are 5 ways to bring in Spring at your dorm!

By: Badruddin Mahamed ‘25

As a practicing Muslim, I faced many unique challenges during my first semester. With some preparation however, you're transition to life at USC as a Muslim student can be much less tumultuous than mine.