By: Star McCown ‘21

As a graduating senior, I wanted to offer advice to the future generations of incoming USC students. Most of this advice is based on my past experiences, and while I’m not certain what campus events will be like when school reopens for Fall 2021, I hope that this blog post can offer some drops of wisdom that you find helpful.

By: Sophia Pei ‘22

With the raging pandemic and social distancing, it can be increasingly difficult to have meaningful interactions with friends and family. Perhaps your best friend, whom you previously saw every day, is halfway across the country in a different time zone, and, now that you’ve moved back home, the parents you missed are breathing down your neck and nagging about grades and future plans. Whether it’s due to the increased distance or the lack of any distance, your relationship dynamics have changed. To improve relationship quality and promote mental well-being, you should make the time to find ways to check in with your loved ones and show them you care.

By: Sophia Pei ‘22

Gyms, hiking trails, and beaches might be closed but that’s not an excuse to not exercise. Chances are, the nation-wide shelter-in-place initiative has made your lifestyle more sedentary. Nevertheless, healthcare experts recommend getting approximately 20 minutes of moderate exercise daily to maintain health and immunity. It’s advised you do try to get outside for sunshine, be it a power walk to the convenience store or a bike ride around your neighborhood. But whether it is out of concern for your own health or your loved ones, you may not be able to go out for that breath of fresh air. Try some of my favorite equipment-free at-home exercise videos to help you stay healthy!

By: Sophia Pei ‘22 and Sumaya Hussaini ‘22

Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, USC recently announced that classes will be conducted online via Zoom. This transition will be challenging, and many students are concerned about the quality of online educational instruction. If you’re worried about falling behind with the transition to Zoom, keep reading for some tips on how to succeed in any online college course!

By: Ellice Ellis ‘20

There is no surprise that college is stressful. Between balancing work, friendships, internships and your financial life, these formative years teach us a lot about ourselves and the way we handle stress. In the event that something tragic happens, it can be hard to cope and balance it with the already strenuous college experience. In April as I was preparing for finals, my father passed suddenly. My world was flipped upside down. I talked to my dad twice everyday about anything from my lectures in my law class to Colin Kaepernick to drama with my friends. Suddenly not having him there to talk to for advice threw off daily life. No day felt complete. I was depressed - unable to focus and constantly feeling empty. Loss and subsequent grief can come in many forms. Whether it is being rejected from your dream internship (it’s happened to me), experiencing a heart-wrenching breakup, or losing a loved one, there are healthy and effective ways deal with the pain.

By: Judy Lee ‘17

In recent news, USC jumped up from 73 to 36 on Trojan Condoms’ Most Sexually Healthy Campuses in the nation. Go us! That said, not only is it important to foster a sex-positive campus, it is important to be educated on what USC can provide to better your own personal health!

By: Judy Lee ‘17

1. Charity Miles: Open app, run, donate to charity free of charge to you—simple as that. The way it works is that big companies sponsor everyone using the app and donates on your behalf given that you run/walk/cycle for it. Although you’re not going to get much per run (more or less $0.31/mi), it will really add up over time and will benefit a long list of charities of your choice! A great way to better yourself and better the world at the same time…

By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17

I think it’s been hitting us all recently: the end of the semester is basically here. I know, I know, it felt like we were battling the summer heat yesterday, but now it’s time to be buying Christmas presents, eating Thanksgiving turkey, and….studying for finals.

By: Judy Lee ‘17

As you may or may not have heard, the Pac-12 Fitness Challenge is currently underway on college campuses once again! While simultaneously competing with our football teams, we will also be competing in amount of exercises completed by school! In light of this week, here are 10 things you can do today to increase your health (and also show the other schools who’s boss):