I’ve been in Los Angeles for nearly a year and a half now, and I’ve been lucky enough to have experienced many different places and events around here. Here is a list of my favorite things to do in LA (so far)! Fun Events: Los Angeles is the international capital of entertainment, and this is reflected in the sheer number …
Saving the Best for Last!
Hey hey! IT’S MY LAST! SEMESTER! AT! USC! It still feels so strange saying that out loud, time has honestly flown by. I’m trying to balance my time between finishing up my coursework, transitioning organization leadership positions, hanging out with friends, and some necessary self-care/self improvement. I wanted to write a quick post about the things I’m looking forward to …
San Diego: Beaches and Biotech
A three-day weekend at the beginning of the semester is an ideal time to relax and have fun with friends before everyone gets busy. For Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I traveled with a couple friends down to San Diego. One of them lives in San Diego, which meant that we had a place to stay and a car! By …
New Semester, New Opportunities
This semester definitely got off to a fast start! As I write this, I’m in the midst of preparations for two midterms and am writing my first Thematic Option paper of the semester. My classes this semester are all extremely interesting, I’m taking my first two Mechanical Engineering classes (statics and thermodynamics), along with differential equations, a course on French …
Winter Break Rocks
Right after finals last semester, I jet-setted off to Utah where I got to visit two national parks! I had never been to Utah before, and I’ve wanted to visit for as long as I can remember . I even let my boyfriend/personal photographer tag along! (He also studies mechanical engineering at USC…both beauty and brains, folks!) Our first day …
Reflecting on Senior Year Fall!
Hey guys! Thanksgiving break has been soo good to me. I truly needed a refresher from the routine of school, it was honestly wearing me down a lot. While this semester has been incredibly fun and memorable, senior year has come with its fair share of existential crises, really tough classes, constant caffeination, and many late nights. That being said, …
Freshman Me vs. Sophomore Me
I am a sophomore who is teaching assistant, otherwise called Freshman Academy Coach, for the engineering course that all freshmen are required to take during their first semester at USC. The purpose of the class is to guide freshmen through their transition to Viterbi and college as a whole. From this experience, I am reminded of all the little details …
My Senior Year To-Do List
I still catch myself stumbling over my words when I tell someone “oh yeah, I’m a senior!” Senior year is officially here and we are back on the grind. These first few weeks have already flown by so quickly, with classes, involvement fairs, and catching up with friends. This semester, I’m taking two grad classes, since I’m pursuing my Masters …
Taking a break from LA!
Hey hey! It’s been a minute since I posted on here, summer was ridiculously busy but so much fun. I spent my summer interning at Edwards Lifesciences, a biotech company based in Irvine, CA– I worked as a manufacturing engineer in their Transcatheter Heart Valve Delivery Systems business unit, specifically on Pilot Operations. A lot of big words, I know, …
The ABC’s of Sophomore Year (Açai Bowls, Being Adventurous, and Career Preparations)
Sophomore year is in full swing and I couldn’t be happier to be back on campus! Though the first few weeks have been fast-paced and challenging, they’ve also been rewarding and fun. I’m really excited to share some of the things I’ve been up to with you all, keep reading to discover my culinary endeavors, gameday experiences, and how I’ve …
Things I Conquered this Summer: Mountains, Oceans, and Lyophilizers
Shuntaro is a junior studying Chemical Engineering. Lover of nature and Game of Thrones. Click above to find out more.
“A Little Bit of Everything” Kind of Summer
The summer after my freshman year was a perfect blend of work, travel, and time spent relaxing at home. For the first seven weeks, I resided at USC to work in Professor Zavaleta’s research lab. As mentioned in my last blog post, Professor Z’s lab investigates the use of nanoparticles in detecting tumors with great precision. Every week day, I …
Adventure is Out There: Exploring LA as a Midwesterner
Until I visited USC last March, I had never been to Los Angeles. When I arrived in LA for my campus visit, I knew very little about the city beyond its idyllic depiction in La La Land, a movie which left me excited to have those quintessentially LA experiences seen in the film. After my visit, I realized why all …
LA rocks!
Hi friends! I’m back at school, but I wish it was still spring break! I went to Lake Tahoe with some of my friends and it was absolutely beautiful. We were really lucky with the weather and were able to go on a nice hike in the snow and stop by the lake for some pretty views. It was so …
Winter Break Highlights- snow, fam, & rocks
I know I already wrote about Thanksgiving break, but there was no way I could just leave out everything I’ve done the past month. From snow trips to watching sports with friends to taking a road trip, Winter Break was nothing but sweetness. Here are my highlights: 1. Snowboarding! Take a trip to mammoth, big bear, or whatever’s closest to …
Learning Through Hiking with Peaks and Professors!
Last weekend I decided to take a break from my day-to-day campus activities and head off into the wilderness…of Pasadena, CA. I went on a hiking trip with one of my favorite clubs on campus, Peaks and Professors! The goal of this club is to take people out into nature and go hiking, while also encouraging dialogue between professors and …
Weekend Roadtrip: Feeling Alive in Death Valley
While I love being on campus and our little USC bubble, one of my absolute favorite things to do is go on roadtrips. My parents always took me to beautiful natural spaces as a kid, and my love for nature and the ~great outdoors~ has grown exponentially in the last few years. If I have a chill weekend ahead, I’ll …
Camping in the Sierra – The Basics
Camping in the Sierras is California’s way of showing you that it’s one of the most beautiful states in the lower 48. Living, breathing, and studying in LA for months on end can be a fantastic fast-paced blur of excitement, but slowing down a bit and admiring the outdoors is a wholesome environment to reflect and enjoy on the events …
Everybody’s Working for the Weekend
This past weekend, I did something cool. After class on Friday, I, along with many other Trojan football fans, travelled up to San Francisco for the Cal football game. Although this was the original intent of the trip, however, I didn’t actually end up tailgating or going to the game. Instead, I swapped my football jersey for my camera and …
Malibu…. But not the Miley Cyrus song
Hello amigos! Last weekend I went on a little escapade in Malibu. I went on a day long hiking and beach trip. First part of the day was the hike. I went to Escondido Falls. Now, I would love to say that I found this spot all on my own, but that would be a lie. To be honest, I …