By: Alexis M Peters ‘20

You may think that this process is no different than making friends as a freshman, but you would be wrong. Any transfer student knows that making new friends at your new university is not always an easy feat. Maybe as an incoming freshman at your previous college, there was a welcoming committee ready and willing to help you move into your dorm in a flash. There was a long welcome week full of events and activities specialized for you to mingle, make friends and assimilate into college life. There are mixers and events to get you integrated into your dorm community. And sure, they’ve got welcome week at USC, but as a transfer student, it’s just not the same. You’re older than a freshman, and should therefore be able to figure out USC life yourself, right? But coming from another college can be challenging in many ways, and one of those is making friends. As a transfer student myself, I understand how difficult it is to start over from scratch at a whole new university. It might be tough, but it’s not impossible. Fear not! Here, I offer tips to making friends as a transfer student easy as pie.

By: Joy Ofodu ‘18

I remember dressing up in wacky costumes every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night as a freshman (yup, throwing it back to Fall 2014, folks) jumping from house to house, looking for adventure and hiding from trouble. 28th Street and I were new to each other then: I graciously tied hair, passed out water bottles and ushered giggling floormates away from the ragers, the comforting blue glow of DPS Emergency light-posts guiding us home. Over the next three semesters, visits to The Row came fewer and farther between. I found community, meaningful (audible) conversation and good vibes in so many other places on and off campus that I didn’t need to lean on The Row anymore. As a Sober Trojan and non-Greek, we simply grew apart. If you or someone you know is looking to get away from 28th Street, I have a few ideas.