As the weather begins to get warmer and my uncertain looming adult life gets closer and closer, my will to get any work done dwindles down further and further. I’ve had a serious case of senioritis since the beginning of March and have been falling behind in all of my classes. While it’s easy for me to say, “I made it! I have my degree,” the truth is, I still need to finish my finals and pass my classes. If you are anything like me, you also decided to save some of your hardest classes for your last semester of school. In order to get myself back in shape and finish my year off right, I’ve become stricter with myself! Here are some of the ways I’ve (tried to) keep myself on track.

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: Ngai Yeung ‘23

Did you opt out of your health insurance yet? Are you caught up on the latest visa updates? Save yourself a thousand bucks and other tips to streamline your semester.

By: Antonia Le ‘22

It feels like from the very moment that COVID-19 forced all of us off-campus and back to our hometowns, there have been articles popping up left and right about how to stay productive during social distancing and what exactly to do when you can’t go outside. In fact, even Trojans 360 has published its fair share of such articles, and that’s great! Having something to do can give you a sense of structure when the world is changing in unprecedented ways. However, because the times are so uncertain, it’s impossible for everyone to be at the top of their game. If you’re feeling bad about not pulling a Shakespeare and writing the next King Lear in quarantine, read onward for a list of reasons why taking a step back is perfectly fine!

By: Ngai Yeung ‘23

I never expected “15 hour time difference” to be an issue when I first started college; but here I am, just six months into my first year facing a most bizarre academic challenge. After trying out different methods of adjusting for a month, I’ve compiled the following list of tips for succeeding in different time zones – I hope these will help you as much as they have helped me.

By: Ellice Ellis ‘20

The start of a new year and coincidentally a new semester is a great time to get organized. Having all your obligations, homework assignments, significant events, and even free time sorted out will make the remaining 15 weeks of the semester a lot easier. For myself, I use the calendar app on my phone as well as a physical planner to help guide my weeks. I schedule in my workouts, time with friends, work obligations, and classes, as well as using reminders, so I am on top of everything in my worldview. Here’s to a new year, and here are 5 organizing products and methods that will help you get off on the right foot.

By: Ellice Ellis ‘20

Study days are coming to an end, and finals have arrived. Don’t fret, Trojans360 has four amazing playlists to get you through the next few days. From productivity to group projects, we’ve got you covered.

By: Antonia Le ‘22

This year, USC’s winter break lasts from December 19 to January 12, which gives students just under a month to rest, relax, and recharge before getting back on the grind. However, I know that I’d hate myself if January 12 came and I spent my entire break being unproductive. If you’re looking for something to do over winter break that will help you start the Spring 2020 semester on a good note, read onward for some tips that might help you!

By: Antonia Le ‘22

Last weekend, I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. I had a rough draft of my WP-4 for my Writing 150 class due on Monday, but I was also coughing my brains out every five minutes, and the last thing I wanted to do was write. Everyone knows that the worst time to be sick is when you’ve got a big deadline or test coming up, and sometimes getting an extension just isn’t possible. Sometimes, when the forces of the universe conspire against you, you’ve just gotta pull yourself up by the bootstraps and get to work. I managed to do it this past weekend, and you can too. Here are some of my tips for staying productive on sick days!

By: Ellice Ellis ‘18

If you’re struggling to find the motivation to get things done, you’re not alone. These days I dread starting my homework, doing a reading or even waking up for class because it forces me to face the fact that there is work to be done. Here are a few motivational tips and quotes to get you out of bed and hopefully in Leavey (or your preferred study room).

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

It’s your favorite week of the year: finals!!! I know, I know, what could possibly be better? Not much, let me tell you. Not much at all. But if you have some sort of weird self destructive streak and don’t want to partake in the most joyous activity of all (grueling, nonstop studying), you might want to procrastinate. Now, I don’t know why on earth you would ever want to do this, but I do know there’s a right way and a wrong way to procrastinate.

By: Kelly Kinas ‘17

Midterms are right around the corner. I know that’s not super exciting and is kinda concerning. For me, it feels like the school year just started; that we can’t be done with a month of school already. Unfortunately that doesn’t make the tests come any slower.