Tag Archives: group

Studying Abroad in Paris

By Autumn Palen

Edited by Natalie Grace Sipula

[3 minute read]

Prior to 2020, during one of my spring semesters at USC as an undergraduate student, I studied abroad in Paris and it was a fully immersive experience. All of my classes were in French, the family I lived with was French, and wouldn’t you know it, quite a lot of people I passed on the streets were keen on speaking French. Those handful of months were wonderful. My teachers were all angels, the city was gorgeous, and although I had a relationship dynamic with my host family akin to Harry Potter’s relationship with the Dursleys, I’d say that overall I enjoyed my experience.

First of all, the city is gorgeous. Ridiculously so. I remember my first night there—awake since 5 am, taking a post-dinner trip to the Louvre, walking from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower, and stopping mid-journey for wine and cheese. The mix of sleep deprivation, jet-lag, numbness from the cold, and walking nearly all day culminated into the sensation that I was drifting through a dream. I couldn’t have actually been there; it was all too much. I thought there was no way this tiny, ovular, romantic city was going to be my home for the next fifteen weeks.

Wine and cheese from a local cafe in Paris, taken from @autumn.palen on Instagram

But it was my home. Every weekday, I took the metro to class. Although admitting my adoration for the Paris Metro garnered weird looks from actual Parisians (mainly because of the general odor permeating the trains/platforms, as well as the occasional muzak cover of Ne Me Quitte Pas), I held strong that I loved the public transportation system. It was so efficient, arriving every 3 minutes, maybe 6 in the worst-case scenario (I understand that Los Angeles is a much larger, more car-based city, but I couldn’t help but notice how much more efficient the Paris Metro was than the LA one).

Photo of the Paris Metro taken by @autumn.palen on Instagram
Continue reading Studying Abroad in Paris

Virtual Games to Stay Connected

By Gina Samec

Edited by Natalie Grace Sipula

minute read]

Whether you have moved back to LA or have remained at home for the fall semester, we are all adjusting to the disconnection we feel from our friends who may be thousands of miles away. While Facetime or a Zoom call is a great way to catch up with friends, we are severely limited in the activities we can do together. There’s always Netflix Party for when you want to wind down at the end of the night and watch a movie with friends. However, if you are trying to find more engaging activities to do with friends, virtual games are the perfect solution. Below are some virtual games I have enjoyed playing with friends who I do not get the privilege of seeing in person anymore. 

Photo by Dylan Ferreira on Unsplash

Kodenames:

This game is perfect for friends who are good at guessing what the other person is thinking. This spy game involves two teams which are each led by a spymaster. The spymaster gives one word clues to their teammate to help them figure out the secret identities of agents. However, the spymaster has to be careful that their clue isn’t misinterpreted because one card is the assassin and if guessed by a teammate, it will immediately end the game. Find the link here: kodenames.io

Spyfall:

This game is also spy themed, and any of your friends who are good at lying will master it. In this game, everyone is at a location but one person, the spy, does not know where they are. Each person gets to take a turn asking each other questions to figure out if they know the location without revealing where they are to the spy. At the end of the round, if the spy is not voted out, they win. The game is hosted online at spyfall.app.

Photo by Eliott Reyna on Unsplash

Among Us: 

Similar to Spyfall, Among Us also involves an impostor and is reminiscent of the game Mafia. Taking place in outer space, everyone is a crewmate except for two people who are impostors. While everyone else on the ship is completing tasks, the impostors will be trying to discreetly attack them. Every time a crewmate is attacked, there is an opportunity for people to discuss who they think did it and for people to defend themselves. If at least one impostor survives, they win. You can find the game on the App Store and play on your mobile device.

Continue reading Virtual Games to Stay Connected