As December and Spotify Wraps start rolling out, people start talking about their New Year’s resolutions. Commonly, these resolutions focus on diets or exercise. Although these are both great resolutions, I have formulated a list of more college-related resolutions for the 2024 New Year if you’re looking to establish some better habits for the spring semester!

Here’s a roundup of my favorite courses I’ve taken at USC, as a (December) graduating cognitive science major.

Have you ever wondered what it's like to direct a film – especially a documentary? I’m here to tell you all about my experience taking CTPR 474: Documentary Production and the process of creating a 15-minute short documentary over the course of a semester.

Every semester, the USC School of Dramatic Arts puts on a variety of performances. During the first two weeks of November, they ran a production of Hit the Wall, which I was lucky enough to attend. The play follows multiple perspectives during the night of the Stonewall Uprising in the summer of 1969. Anthony Guerrise, a sophomore who played Newbie during the second week of performances, sat down with me to talk about his experience.

Sometimes school can get overwhelming, especially with end of the year projects and finals coming around the corner. One method that I use to help me decompress is meditation.

As National Men’s Health Awareness month comes to a close, you may be asking: Miguel, if November is over, why are you writing about this now? Despite the helpfulness of having a month dedicated to men’s health topics, we should be talking about these challenges year-round - especially when it comes to mental health. In American culture and many other cultures worldwide, vulnerability about men’s mental health and open conversations about solutions are seen as taboo. The perception of manhood and masculinity in many cultures, even in the face of health issues, can end up boxing men into black and white categories like emotionally weak (negative) vs. unwaveringly strong (the goal) – which can come at a cost.

Every year at the end of the fall semester, college students search for housing for the next year. The politics behind finding housing are difficult as students try to find the perfect group of roommates without hurting anyone’s feelings. This gets even more difficult when each roommate has different priorities for their housing; some want the cheapest place and others the closest to campus. Many people want to live in the Village but don’t get an apartment that fits their group. Off-campus housing is a great option if you don’t want to have to pay for a meal plan or if you’re looking to be closer to the south side of campus or the row. Or, of course, if you’re an upperclassman and don’t have the privilege of living in USC housing. To help ease the anxiety that comes with searching through all the housing possibilities, I’ve compiled a list of some of the most popular off-campus housing options.

It’s that dreaded time of the semester again. As classes draw to a close and many of us book our tickets home for Thanksgiving, there’s one thing in the back of everyone’s minds — finals. During this period, it’s natural to feel stressed, overwhelmed, and agonized by the amount of work professors expect us to do in such a short amount of time. Hearing the same four study tips certainly doesn’t help.

Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’re well into the college application process or waiting until Thanksgiving break to crank out your essays (which is perfectly fine, that’s what I did!). You might be frantically watching endless TikTok and YouTube videos for advice on choosing the right major, deciding which colleges to apply to, scholarship deadlines to keep in mind, and how to write a compelling personal statement or the UC’s Personal Insight Questions. It's safe to say I was very overwhelmed with the ocean of opinions that sometimes clashed with one another.

Finals season is in full swing and winter break is almost here. As we wrap up our last weeks of the semester and prepare to go home for the holidays, it can be a stressful time. December is a time for giving, family fun, and making memories. When you find moments of downtime, use it to take a break and have some fun. Here’s a list of festivities to do with your friends, family, a partner, or by yourself.

As students, it's easy to walk past the historic buildings that have been on campus for over a century without noticing them. USC, founded way back in 1880, has a deep history hidden within its grounds. We often forget to be curious about the people, events, and changes that have shaped our campus; yet, there is so much left to uncover. 

I recently visited the First Generation Plus Success Center (FG+SC) to begin this mission. If you’re like me and you are unfamiliar with FG+SC, here’s what I learned during my time there.