Tag Archives: sports

How to Choose Elective Classes at USC

By Chelsea Pelchat

As a college student, there are few things more treasured than finding a class that brings you pure joy. For me this semester, that class is my one unit beach volleyball course at USC. This class takes place on Santa Monica beach every Friday morning for two hours of competitive fun (or non-competitive if you prefer), and even counts for credit towards graduation! These are just some of the reasons why it has been such a highlight of my college experience.

As I approached my eighth and final semester, I couldn’t help but feel a bit emotional. Four years have flown by, and suddenly, I’m a second semester senior with only ten units left to take – two of which were free Dornsife elective units. Throughout my time at USC, people had always advised me to add an extra one unit course to my schedule, but I never took this advice seriously until now. I wish I had taken a class like this sooner, especially during more stressful times when the class could have a pleasant alternative in my schedule. After all, there’s nothing better than taking a few hours each week to unwind and learn a new sport while also meeting new people outside of your major. 

Photo by Sam Balye on Unsplash

On the first day of class, we were given the opportunity to arrange carpool groups for our morning trips to Santa Monica beach. Since then, we’ve been meeting there to play beach volleyball every Friday. As a senior, it is refreshing and fun to be a part of a course where everyone is trying out a new sport for the first time, especially while balancing intensive upper-division major courses. The first hour of each class consists of warm-up exercises and drills, which helps us develop our skills for the matches to come. Then, we usually play king’s court, where teams of two compete against each other, and the losing team is replaced by the next team in line. It’s a fun way to practice and improve our skills, as well as take on a new hobby! 

After class, it’s common for us to stay on the beach and soak up some sun or even grab an acai bowl on the boardwalk with friends. This class adds a lifestyle component to my last semester’s course curriculum, and makes me appreciate the opportunity to build a well-rounded class schedule at USC.

Photo by David Schultz on Unsplash

So far I’ve met a good amount of international students in this class – both undergraduate and graduate students. I highly encourage anyone who is considering a one unit physical education course to add it to their schedule without hesitation. Choose a sport that you’ve always wanted to learn or get better at and I promise you won’t regret it! 

Reflecting on my experience at USC, there are a few additional courses I would recommend taking. If you are pursuing a non-technical major but are interested in acquiring technical skills, ITP 115 Introduction to Python and ITP 249 Intro to Data Analytics are excellent choices. As someone majoring in international relations and global business with an interest in technology, these courses provided me with a solid foundation in the world of software and analytics. These skills are applicable in any field, and in today’s increasingly digitized workspace, having a grasp of basic programming and data analysis is a valuable asset for completing day-to-day tasks. Alongside technical courses, it’s also worth exploring courses outside of your major that can help you develop life skills. In my case, Introduction to Mindfulness was incredibly helpful in learning to manage stress and everyday challenges through mindfulness practices. This one-unit physical education course can be easily added to your regular 16-unit schedule.

Photo by Danial Igdery on Unsplash

I strongly encourage you to take a diverse range of courses during your time at USC, both within and outside of your major. You never know which courses might have a profound impact on your personal and professional growth, and what new skills you may learn!

Featured Image by Jannes Glas on Unsplash

Chelsea is a senior at USC studying International Relations and Global Business. She recently returned from a semester abroad in the Netherlands. Chelsea was raised in a bilingual household in the Bay Area, having spent her first three years in Dalian, China. On campus, she’s held leadership positions such as being president of the USC Exchange Student Supporters, a research assistant in consumer behavior, and a TA for a core business class. In her free time, Chelsea loves going on hikes, attending live music events, and trying out new recipes.

Living in the Midwest: How Does it Differ from the West Coast?

By Tara Khan

Edited by Natalie Grace Sipula

[3.5 minute read]

Whenever I tell people that I’m from North Dakota, I usually get a ton of questions. “Woah! What do people do for fun there?” or “Where even is that?” are the most typical ones. I was born and raised in Fargo, a town in North Dakota less than 4 hours away from the Canadian border. A few years ago, my family moved to the West Coast. After living here for a while, I’ve noticed there are many differences between the two regions, and so I’ve come to understand why people who aren’t from the Midwest might have so many questions about it. I’ve broken these differences down into 5 categories here in order to highlight what life is like living in the Midwest!

Weather: The most obvious difference between the Midwest and the West Coast is the weather. Most places in the Midwest have four seasons, with winters that are harsh and cold, and summers that are milder and warmer. However, no matter where you live in the Midwest you are pretty much guaranteed to get snow. In Fargo, there’s always snow on the ground throughout the winter months. One year, I remember it snowing as late as May and as early as October. Temperatures also regularly reach sub-zero, and even into the -20s in Fahrenheit sometimes in January. In the summers, temperatures would generally stay in the 80s and low 90s, never really reaching over 100F.

Photo by Ethan Hu on Unsplash

Food: In terms of food, places in the Midwest don’t have quite as much variety as the West Coast, as the population sizes tend to not be quite as large. When I lived in Fargo, there were only 2-3 options for things like sushi or Chinese food. People there tend to eat home cooked meals; casseroles and hot dishes are a Midwestern staple. At potlucks or holiday parties, there are sometimes traditional foods served. Due to North Dakota’s large Norwegian population, lefse, a type of flatbread, is a food I saw at most celebrations. I even helped my friend’s family prepare it one year for their Thanksgiving dinner.

Activities: Many midwestern families have “lake homes” which they visit on the weekends. People enjoy going fishing, having cookouts, or having bonfires. During the winter months, winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding are quite popular. Ice hockey is also a sport that some children play growing up. For some families, Sundays and Wednesdays are considered “church day” and “church night.” Many businesses, particularly local ones, close on Sundays. When I was in school growing up, we would usually not have after school activities on Wednesdays.

Photo by Pro Church Media on Unsplash

People: “Midwest nice” is a common term used to describe midwestern people. People are generally very friendly and neighborly. During the winter, it’s not uncommon to see neighbors shoveling each other’s driveways or helping each out out with various things, and at public places such as the grocery store, people will frequently stop to chat with each other. Since living on the West Coast, I have noticed that people still have a friendly demeanor but aren’t quite as talkative as the people in the Midwest.


Transportation/lifestyle: Cars are the main method of transportation throughout the Midwest, as there are not a lot of established large public transportation systems. Walking and biking aren’t popular options due to the harsh winters. The age to obtain a license varies by State, but it is generally lower than in other regions of the country. In North Dakota, you can obtain a learner’s permit at age 14, and a license at age 15. The age for getting a job is also 14, though there are child labor laws in place to protect those under 16.

Photo by Marie-Michèle Bouchard on Unsplash

Whether or not you ever live in the Midwest, I think it definitely worth visiting at least once, especially during the winter. The weather is pretty much like how it is in the movies: freezing cold, but magical. Just make sure to dress warm and you will get to enjoy experiencing some home cooked Midwestern food and friendly people!

Featured Image by Nathan Fertig on Unsplash

Tara is a freshman majoring in Biomedical Engineering on the pre-med track. She grew up in Fargo, North Dakota and Las Vegas, Nevada. She speaks English, Thai, and elementary level Spanish. Tara is involved in Taekwondo Club at USC. In her free time, she likes to solve Rubik’s cubes, play guitar and ukulele, and play with her dog, Tofu. Tara also loves traveling and learning about different cultures, especially through food! One of her favorite things about living in LA is the large amount of food options available; she is always willing to give great restaurant recommendations.

The Importance of Listening to our Bodies

By Eileen Kim

I am a dancer. One of the greatest gifts that dance has given me that I apply to my everyday life is awareness of my physical body.  Dance has given me the time and space to be fully aware of all of the possibilities my body holds. It has given me an understanding of what I can only corporeally know, creating space for me to listen to my body. For me, there is no separation between life and dance because we are constantly in motion even when we are still. There is choreography in our everyday life, whether we are continuing patterns or creating new ones. Therefore I find that listening to our bodies and being aware of our physical bodies should become a daily practice, especially in the difficult circumstances of the present time. 

Photo of Eileen dancing

Our bodies are hyper-intelligent vessels that have the ability to hold and absorb an incredible amount of information. The body often understands things that are happening to us before we are consciously able to understand them. For example, as infants we enter into stages of crawling and walking through the intelligence of our bodies. Most of us can’t remember when we first started crawling or walking, but our bodies remember even when our memories forget. Before we learn how to speak or read, we first understand the world through our physical bodies. The intelligence of our bodies is limitless and when we allow our bodies to take over and find time to listen to our bodies, I believe we will be surprised by how much our bodies have to say. 

Eileen expressing movement through dance

So how do we go about listening to our bodies? Connecting to our bodies can happen in multiple ways. For me, I find time to connect through my daily practice in dance. However, I believe that listening to the body can happen whenever we consciously choose to do so. Physical activity might be a gateway to understanding how to listen to our bodies because we are constantly sending signals between our brain and body when we are moving. However, this connection can be lost if we are not conscious of how we move. Being distracted while moving is a significant problem of our generation. Treadmills and ellipticals in gyms have TV’s, we text and walk, or check our emails while commuting.  These distractions, while engaging in any type of movement, make us skim through the process of listening to the body.  Therefore, it’s important to understand that even in stillness, we have the ability to tune in to our bodies. A quick body scan at the beginning or end of the day can make a huge difference in our wellbeing. Try asking yourself the following questions:

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