When I committed to USC, I was so intimidated by the prospect of finding housing alone. Luckily, I have found that USC makes it really easy to find nice living options and good people to share those places with!
To give you a general overview, at USC almost all freshman live on campus in one of the dorms. There are so many dorms to choose from and each has its own unique character and quirks. Residence halls are classic dorm living situations where each student lives with a roommate and the whole hall shares a set of bathrooms and showers. Suites vary in size and layout, but essentially you can live with 1-7 other USC students and have your own bathroom(s) in your suite to share with your suitemates! Some people live in sets of 4 doubles with 2 bathrooms while others live in a triple with a bathroom; there are a lot of options here, and I am sure you can find something that suits your preferences. Finally, apartments are just like suites, but you have a full kitchen with oven, stove, and fridge also.
For my freshman year, I lived in McCarthy Honor’s College which is a suite-style dorm. I lived with three other USC students in two doubles with two bathrooms. I loved McCarthy and my second year apartment, Cowling’s and Ilium, because they were situated right in the USC Village. The USC Village is a beautiful set of buildings with groceries, restaurants, and even an amazon locker. While suite/apartment life definitely has its perks, many other USC students opt for dorm style living for the classic college experience. In the dorms, you have the opportunity to really get to know your whole hall which is a really unique part of the freshman experience. On the other hand, in suites or apartments, you tend to bond most strongly with your suitemates. Regardless of which style suits you best, I am sure you will have a great time wherever you are!
After freshman year, people begin looking off campus for houses or apartments. Right now, I live in an off campus house with a bunch of friends I made through SC Outfitters. SC Outfitters is USC’s oldest student-run guiding organization, and all of our members and guides love to get outside to hike, climb, ski, and anything else you can think of. It has been amazing this past year being surrounded by friends that are always willing to camp with me. We also have a climbing wall in our backyard which has been so great to train and mess around on with all my housemates! I love how at USC, many of the clubs and extracurriculars have a tradition of living in the same houses. Each house has a wacky name (like Hut Hut for my house), and anyone who is a part of that club has the opportunity to live there. I have loved it so much that I plan on continuing to live in my house next year for my last year at USC!
Some of my fellow hutters and I dressed up for a fun decades night with our house!
Regardless of where you find yourself at USC, I am sure you will have a great time and find amazing people to live with. College gives you such a unique opportunity to meet people from all backgrounds and interests. Forming bonds with others here at USC has made my experience (and so many others’) very special. I wish you the best of luck wherever you find yourself.
