Tag Archives: usc

college, Hobby, student life, USC

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.

Food, L.A. Life, USC

The Best Burrito in LA

By Matthew Kim

As an LA native, I’ve been blessed with an array of diverse, delicious food my whole life. I consider this to be one of the best things about Los Angeles–you can always count on countless fast food or mom-and-pop restaurants to be nearby. Quick-bite food options are rapidly growing to accommodate everyone’s busy schedules. Today, I want to share my favorite burrito spot in all of Los Angeles: Tacos El Venado. To be specific, the Al Pastor Burrito is my favorite burrito in Los Angeles. This Mexican food stand is on the corner of Vermont Ave and 6th Street, only about three miles away from USC!

It’s important to mention that the location and hours for this food stand on Google Maps is incorrect. The stand is usually only open at night and is in front of the Walgreens on Vermont Ave and 6th Street. They also have an instagram: @tacoselvenado. One possible way to reach the burrito stand from campus is to walk to Vermont Ave and take the 204 Metro bus northward. There should be a stop on 6th street, across the burrito stand. The same bus can be taken to come back to USC. 

The Al Pastor burrito ready to be eaten!

The other weekend I went to Tacos El Venado with some of my friends. All of us get the same thing every time: an Al Pastor Burrito for eight dollars (one more for cheese). As of October 2022, Tacos El Venado only accepts cash, so make sure you have some with you before going. The Al Pastor burrito is special in my opinion because they give a very generous portion of Al Pastor, straight off the shawarma machine. It’s always hot and delicious so be cautious and don’t burn yourself. Also, the burrito comes with your choice of rice and beans (which I always get). Then, you get your personal choice of onions, cilantro, lime, and sauces before the grillers wrap your burrito. I put so much of everything in my burrito that it ended up exploding upon my first couple bites! It was so good that I grabbed a fork and finished all of it. The Al Pastor Burrito is the only menu option that I’ve tried besides their nachos (which in my opinion weren’t anything special). 

Another thing to note: since this is a street food stand, there aren’t any tables to sit at. My friends and I ate the food on the hood of my car but a majority of people take the food to-go. If you have leftovers you can always ask them to rewrap it for you and take it home. Unfortunately, they don’t have any vegan options, but otherwise they offer a variety of options. The Al Pastor Burrito at Tacos El Venado is the perfect late night, mid-study session snack that’ll satisfy your cravings and is very affordable.

Featured Image by Frank Zhang on Unsplash

Matthew is a current freshman studying Business Administration at the Marshall School of Business. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, California so he is very familiar with the area. In his free time, he works as a Community Facilitator, goes swimming, and watches Netflix or sports. Matthew has teaching experience tutoring middle school students privately and as a teacher assistant in a summer enrichment program for elementary students. He loves to eat good food and try new activities throughout the city.  

college, Food, New Experience, USC

The Best Food Spots Only a Walk Away from USC

By Luke Reshwan

Edited by Natalie Grace Sipula

Being located in Los Angeles, USC has many local food spots to choose from. In this article, I want to focus on just a few (my favorite few), that are all within walking distance from campus. All of these locations are also within the Free Lyft zone, so if you do not want to walk, you can get to them using the Lyft app and the USC pass that allows free Lyfts near campus. The three locations I will be talking about today are Spud Nuts, Cava, and Tacos Listo (better known as Taco Zone) . Each of these eateries is quite different: Spud Nuts is a smaller breakfast place that is open all hours of the day, Cava is a large chain restaurant serving Mediterranean food that consistently draws a long line in the village, and Tacos Listo is a food truck that doesn’t open until 5 PM (perfect for dinner and the infamous midnight snack).

I’ll begin with Spud Nuts, the best comfort food around USC hands down. Nothing makes a person feel more at home than breakfast sandwiches, doughnuts, smoothies, and some of the best iced coffee I have ever tried. My go-to order is the bacon, egg, and cheese on toast with a cronut and a mint chip milkshake. If you are wondering what the cronut is, it is a croissant glazed like a donut. It is a Spud Nuts delicacy that tastes phenomenal. Nothing starts the day off better than a breakfast sandwich that tastes just like it was cooked in my mother’s kitchen, a sugary croissant, and a nice milkshake to truly create that feeling of being stuffed to the brim with good food. If those things do not suit you, I highly recommend trying the HUGE cinnamon rolls (yes, huge had to be capitalized, they are massive) or one of the croissant sandwiches. Regardless of what you order, Spud Nuts is sure to remind you of a nice home-cooked breakfast that starts the morning off correctly.

Photo by DESIGNECOLOGIST on Unsplash

When it comes time for lunch and you are hungry again, I highly recommend Cava in the USC Village as your next stop. Cava is like a Mediterranean Chipotle–you go along the line and choose a base like rice or pita or lettuce, then you choose dips and spreads you would like to add, followed by a protein, toppings, and dressings. I normally go with rice for my base, red pepper hummus, tzatziki, and harissa for my dips, lamb as my protein with assorted toppings depending on what I am feeling for the day, and then hot vinaigrette as the dressing. However, if this does not sound appealing, there are options for everyone to try. I have not met a single individual who does not like Cava, and I think they do a great job of making Mediterranean food more popular in the United States. I myself am Mediterranean, and very rarely do I find flavors of my grandma’s cooking in restaurants, let alone chain restaurants. Also, the portion sizes are quite large which allows for one to feel full after eating their lunch as opposed to many other restaurants that I have tried in which I am still looking for more after I finish eating.

Photo by Kao Rodriguez on Unsplash

Lastly, for dinner or a midnight snack, Tacos Listo is the place to go. It is known by many as Taco Zone because it used to be a taco truck in the AutoZone parking lot. However, they have now relocated onto Vermont Street. Everything on their menu is phenomenal, whether it is a burrito, taco, or quesadilla. I highly recommend getting al pastor as the choice of protein; however, I know many people who get many different proteins and they all seem to be more than satisfied. Of all the different taco trucks or taco places around the USC area, Tacos Listo is my top choice. It has numerous different sauces and salsas to choose from that only add to the experience. It is also open until 2 AM, allowing for that midnight snack that we all crave from time to time.

Photo by Frank Zhang on Unsplash

These locations are my top picks for a day of eating around USC. I highly recommend giving these places a try if you have not yet as they are some of the most consistent restaurants that I have tried in my two years down living in the area. Each of them is special and phenomenal in a different way and I truly think my experience at USC would be worse without them here.

Featured Image by Jason Leung on Unsplash

Luke is a junior studying Computer Science/Business Administration in Dornsife. He was born in the San Francisco Bay Area and has lived there his whole life before coming to USC. Having a father who immigrated from Lebanon, Luke knows a little Arabic, and he is proficient in Spanish after taking Spanish classes in school for seven years. He loves learning about all kinds of cultures and has met close friends from many cultures during his time at USC. He also enjoys sharing his Lebanese culture, whether it be food recipes, his grandparents’ and father’s teachings, or even just the social and conversational norms in Lebanese culture. He likes following fashion trends, especially in relation to shoes (of which he has over 20 pairs). He likes to keep up with basketball, soccer, football, and even F1. Outside of sports, however, he is constantly learning more about the tech world and the different things an individual can do with technology.