As a freshman at USC, I had three housing options: suite-style, traditional dorms, or apartment-style. After hours of back-and-forth with my future roommate (who I met on Instagram), we finally decided on the apartment-style at Parkside Apartments. Why? As engineering students, we wanted to be by Viterbi while simultaneously having our own in-unit bathroom—a true luxury in freshman housing! However, as I mentioned, it was a very tough decision to make. Therefore, by writing this blog post, I want to share my experience at Parkside/apartment-style housing to (hopefully!) help future students make their housing decisions.
What I Loved: Amazing Location!
My absolute favorite thing about Parkside was the unbeatable location. Tucked into the southwest corner of campus, I was just a quick scooter ride away from most of Viterbi’s buildings, while still being a reasonable distance to the heart of campus. Since I was doing research at the Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) within the ECE department, the one-minute walk was a total game-changer. Plus, we had our own dining hall, Parkside Restaurant and Grill, just two minutes away. Due to the nature of the freshman dining plan, the unlimited swipes made grabbing food easy for me all day!
Kitchen Adventures: Recipe Wins & Fails
Another perk that I loved: Our apartment came with a full kitchen! I spent plenty of the year experimenting with recipes. I tried out some accordion potatoes, which ended up failing (should’ve been fried, not baked). But, in contrast, I nailed egg drop soup and gradually got better at making curry! Of course, I also had many, MANY ramen nights, thanks to my 40 pack supply of ramen.
What I Missed: Dorm Life Vibes
While I loved my apartment, I did miss out on the social atmosphere that dorm and suite-style living offers. Friends in dorms made connections through shared bathrooms and dining hall runs, while I could easily spend an entire weekend in my apartment with snacks and a private bathroom. While I did meet many amazing people through my floor’s GroupMe and events, it wasn’t the same constant interaction that dorm life brings.
Final Thoughts:
All in all, I loved living at Parkside! I got a taste of apartment life early while still enjoying the convenience of being on campus. Though I sometimes yearned for the built-in social scene of dorm living, I still had plenty of chances to meet people through my RA and USC events. No regrets—I’m so glad I chose Parkside!
