I remember when I decided that I was going to go to USC, one of my first questions was where I was going to live! Looking at USC’s website and different videos online gave me so many options, and I was quickly very overwhelmed. However, I quickly realized that I wanted more of a traditional dorm experience. The different suite and more apartment-style options for freshmen seemed a bit nicer and cleaner than some dorms, but I decided that living in a regular dorm building with a roommate would be best for me. While this may not be for everyone, I was super glad I chose this option. My freshman year I lived in New/North Residential college, and while the communal bathrooms may not have been not ideal, living in a social environment where I could meet people by simply walking down the hallway and saying hello to a stranger was truly a one of a kind experience. I even met someone, who I am still best friends with in my second semester of junior year, in the bathroom of my dorm building! I loved how my friends and I would just walk into each others’ room any time of the day or night and just hang out and talk, or having late nights in the study lounges cramming for exams all while trying to keep each other sane. These are definitely some of my favorite memories I’ve had during my time here.
As much as I loved my freshman dorm experience, after an entire year I was ready to move on from the communal bathrooms and dirty hallways. Since USC guarantees housing for sophomores, two of my friends and I were able to get an apartment in the village! This location simply cannot be beat. Being a thirty second walk away from Trader Joes is something I wish I didn’t take for granted. It was so nice being right across the street from campus; if I ever forgot something back home I could easily turn around and go back for it. There are also so many great study spots in the village and in the building I lived in (we had a super cute patio that I loved going to on sunny days), and being so close to them was so convenient and ideal. My roommates and I had considered living in an off campus apartment, but I’m so glad we ended up choosing the village instead.
My junior year housing plans were a bit more difficult. I had originally planned on living in my sorority house, but over the summer they ended up closing the house because of COVID. While I completely understood this decision, I still wanted to move back to LA to be able to take my classes near campus, and still possibly visit campus safely. Thankfully, there are plenty of apartment buildings near and around campus, so we were able to sign a lease in July and move into the apartment in August! While my building is a little bit farther from campus than my previous apartment, the walk is always nice, and everything is still not too far! Being off campus also gives me more of a feeling of independence, as I feel like I’m a little more on my own.
Each year I’ve had a very different housing experience, but they’ve all been super fun, and I can’t wait to see where my senior year housing journey takes me!
