Now that we’re well into the semester, you’ve likely run into the problem of going to one of the more popular study spots like Leavey or New Annenberg and finding that it’s completely full. Whether you’re stuck on campus between classes or can’t focus in your room, searching for an open seat in these places eats into your study time and leaves you with the worst spots. Next time you’re in this position, consider moving to one of these underrated study spots instead.

By: Talia Walters ‘20

I always tell myself that I can study in my bed, which I know isn’t true, and then I end up falling asleep ten minutes later having got nothing done. If this sounds like you, you might want to look into a new study spot on campus, just so you’re not constantly sacrificing your productivity. Below is a curated list of 8 unique places on campus that I feel like most people don’t remember. So go and stop by between classes – you might just find your new favorite study spot!

By: Talia Walters ‘20

Studying is not the easiest thing to get done, and we’re all looking for shortcuts and tools to help make our lives easier. I may not be able to help you find a way to avoid studying or decrease the amount of studying you need to do, but I do have some resources that should help make the process a little easier. If you’re interested in more study tips, check out this article on the best ways of studying or this article on the best places to study!

By: Antonia Le ‘22

As college students, it’s inevitable for us to experience burnout. Whether you’ve committed to too many clubs to this semester or your professors have decided that it makes sense for there to be multiple “midterms” for one class (or both), you’re going to hit your breaking point eventually. Though the grind never stops, there are some ways that you can find a way to slow down and take care of yourself.

By: Antonia Le ‘22

Ever since returning to USC for another fun semester of schoolwork and stress-eating, I have come face-to-face with an extremely uncomfortable truth: sometime between my last final in May and my first day of school in August, I had lost the ability to write. Once able to write pages upon pages of semi-passable work for WRIT 150 in one night, I now struggle to write more than a paragraph of coherent thought. It’s difficult to get back into any sort of formal writing when you haven’t done it in a while. However, over my lifetime, I’ve picked up a few tips and hacks for writing when you really don’t want to (or know how to). They’ve helped me get back into the groove of writing, and I hope they’ll help you too.

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: Alexis M Peters ‘20

Here we are, already getting into the swing of things on campus! We’ve moved in, had reunions with our friends, knocked out the cobwebs from the summer and… now it’s time to actually get some work done. What? I know, I sort of miss summer too, but it’s time to buckle down. How can you start this semester off right so you don’t end up sobbing into your textbooks in the back of Leavey Library come midterms? (Unfortunately, I think we’ve all been there.) Here are some great tips that worked last semester to keep me sane.

By: Alexis Peters ‘20

Well, ladies and gents, that time of the year is upon us. The time filled with tears, and anger, and coffee, and late nights, and studying. Lots and lots of studying. Yep! It’s finals time, which means the semester is coming to an end. (Cheering and applause) And while we’re all excited for those relaxing summer days, finals is usually the most stressful time of the entire semester. But what would you say if I told you it didn’t have to be that way? I’m not promising miracles, but if you follow these simple tips I can guarantee significantly fewer tears. Sound good? Awesome. PRESENTING Finals Week as told by Slothilda:

By: Natalia Wurst ‘21

It’s that point in the semester where everything feels extra not okay. Maybe you’d normally be able to handle simultaneously juggling two research papers, ten extracurriculars, and a couple of annoying suitemates, but you’ve been juggling that since mid-September. It’s old news now. I feel pretentious calling the following list “hacks,” like you’ve never thought of them before, but humor me for a little and pretend you haven’t. These are implementable techniques to make such times less hellish.

By: Jamie Wu ‘18

Finals are right around the corner. In fact, it is 3 days away. Little-known fun fact huh? Although there is a lot of work to be done, studying doesn’t always have to suck. And as a senior, hopefully I can offer some studying advice. Here are my 7 best tips on how to be on your A game this finals season!

By: Ellice Ellis ‘20

To make my intro short; college is hard. Balancing massive amounts of free time, over 200 pages of reading, work-study, projects and personal issues is a lot for young adults to deal with. Consequently, there are going to be times where you miss class, slack on assignments and are just not up to this “getting a degree thing.” Out of all of this mess and confusion, your first bad grade might pop up.

By: Ellice Ellis ‘20

IT’S HOMECOMING WEEKEND! Midterms are over and it’s time to be on your finals grind. So much is going on! On top of finals, you may be searching for Spring and Summer internships or planning on starting your next venture. With all these tasks on your plate, you might be searching for some inspiration to get you going. Personally, I love hearing the stories of people like me, whether female or black or USC alums, to inspire my work ethic.So, in the spirit of Homecoming and to inspire you to apply to that job, get that degree or start that homework; here are 10 USC alumni to look up to.