By: Sydney Fiorentino ’24

Candles are just a block of wax in a container and costs over $10. And when the wick is short, you throw the whole candle away. Such a simple creation can do so much for your mental and physical health. Here are a list of things that candles do for you!

By: Talia Walters ‘20

Hello, all, it’s me again— just your lowly Astrology girl who’s bored in quarantine and is willing to do almost anything to avoid studying for her finals! I’m back with the third (and final from me!) installment of USC-related astrology content. Check out which USC Housing Option matches your zodiac sign (maybe for some housing inspiration in the future?) and also your finals horoscope for a good pick me up in these terribly trying times. You can spare a few minutes of finals studying for a good Zodiac-based studying tip! Good luck this semester!

By: Ellice Ellis ‘20

It’s senior year y’all! And whether you transferred to this beautiful school at some time during your colligate journey or have been here since year one… the lessons we’ve learned and our growth deserve to not only be celebrated but to be reflected upon.

By: Lindsey Hamilton ‘22

Concerts and LA seem to be pretty much synonymous. And, until recently, going to concerts and being broke seemed synonymous as well. But there’s a lot more happening in LA than the big names that’ll leave you with a small wallet. So I made this list: all of the concerts happening in November that I could find that are both easily accessible by metro and—the best part—all under $30. To my surprise, I found names both big and small: Alessia Cara, Julia Michaels…not bad for $30. Whether you feel adventurous and want a fairly low-risk way to check out some new music or spot a name you’ve been following, go out there and get yourself a piece of that LA music pie.

By: Karla Leung ‘22

Fashion Industry Association, most often abbreviated as FIA, is a Marshall School of Business based club and is the only fashion focused club on USC’s campus. Hosting a fashion show for the past fifteen years, this year’s theme was Made in LA, meaning every brand and designer featured is based and made in Los Angeles. Not only is it supporting local brands (including USC student designers), but also ensuring that the clothing is ethically sourced. Los Angeles is known for being one of the fashion capitals of the world for its innovation and fashion startups, and the USC fashion show highlighted some of the great talent coming out of LA.

By: Sophia Pei ‘22

You’ve all heard of and been to the over-crowded Santa Monica Pier, 3rd Street Promenade, and Main Street strip. While these places are fun to explore, you won’t find them on this list (but if you do want to the stereotypical Santa Monica things, I guarantee there are hundreds of sites that can recommend you activities). The following are some less touristy places in Santa Monica that y’all should visit. Here’s a quick guide of some really amazing attractions and food places sorted by Metro stop!

By: Sophia Pei ‘22

From great food, to diverse cultural events, and great accommodations, Parkside IRC is definitely one of the best places to stay. Let’s pretend I’m unbiased and don’t currently reside in it…here’s why:

By: Maddie Walsh ‘20

If you have been to the University Village recently, you’ve probably walked past Nail Garden, that fancy-looking nail salon by Honeybird. My initial reaction to having a nail salon in The Village was negative. It seemed extra and unnecessary. With Baked Bear, Cava, and Wahlburgers in place, the additional temptation to spend money felt cruel. Then came this past weekend. I had a free Saturday for once and my nails desperately needed attention. Curiosity and laziness propelled me towards Nail Garden and before I my wallet could protest, I was sitting in one of the high-back chairs with polish colors in hand. Was it worth it? In my case, YES! Keep reading to see the list of reasons why I would recommend the Nail Garden experience.

By: Maddie Walsh ‘20

When building government (BG) elections came around last year, I completely rejected the idea of running for a position as something I would NEVER do. However, when the application to campaign opened this year,I thought why not? I was looking for more leadership opportunities and wanted to be more involved on campus, so I decided to run for president of the Cale and Irani Residential Colleges. At the time, I really had no idea what I was signing up for, but being a part of residential student government (RSG) turned out to be an extremely formative experience.

By: Jamie Wu ‘18

What do college students even eat on a regular basis?? Follow me on my food adventures throughout the day!

By: Maddie Walsh ‘20

If you know anything about Catholic families, you know that we don’t mess around when it comes to Easter, and my family is no different. Not only do we attend mass throughout Holy Week and invite my entire extended family over for The Big Day, but we go hard for the forty days leading up to Easter, also known as the holy period “Lent.” For as long as I can remember, my father and I have given up all processed sugar during Lent as part of a symbolic fast intended to strengthen our relationship with God. For someone who eats as much ice cream as I do, that is NOT an easy sacrifice (I guess that’s the point) but it makes me appreciate Easter that much more. Fortunately, there’s always plenty of sugar available to make up for lost time. After Easter mass in the morning, my family makes a ceremonious trip to Dairy Queen for extra large blizzards, soon followed by a buffet of desserts courtesy of my talented aunts and cousins. I look forward to this day all year long. This year, however, I dreaded it.

By: Maddie Walsh ‘20

The end of the year can be a stressful and emotional time for everyone, but the second you realize your beloved senior friends are graduating it turns into a full blown emotional rollercoaster. Like me, you’ve probably been living in denial since August, pushing thoughts of them in graduation caps out of your mind in an attempt to make the most of the time you have left together. However, with just a few weeks left until graduation, it is time to face the facts. Here’s everything you can expect to feel in the weeks leading up to their Big Day: