Student Blog
Avery

My Favorite Hidden Study Spots at University Park Campus ⟩
November 5, 2025, by Avery

Community Life Hacks Living in LA School/Life Balance

Happy Midterms season, Trojans! As I am now in my third year living and studying on USC’s University Park Campus (UPC), I thought I’d share some of my favorite, and often overlooked, spots to study. Whether you’re gearing up for midterms, catching up on readings, or squeezing in those final essay pages, finding the perfect study spot can completely change your productivity (and your mood). Here are some of my favorite hidden spots at UPC to hunker down and knock it out.

Category One: Coffee shops
My favorite way to study is with a fresh iced latte and a good friend across the table. My two favorite spots near UPC for just that are Ministry of Coffee (MOC) and Eruta Nature.

Ministry of Coffee is tucked right next to the Trojan Catholic Center. It offers both indoor and outdoor seating, plus plenty of coffee, matcha, and pastry or lunch options to power you through the afternoon.

BONUS: Right above Ministry of Coffee is the Trojan Catholic Center library. It’s the perfect spot if you need a quieter, more peaceful place to focus. I like to take the stairs up to the library when I need to switch things up.

Eruta Nature, located inside Rock & Reilly’s in the USC Village, is another gem. By night, the space transforms into an Irish-themed pub and sports bar, but in the mornings, Eruta Nature serves up freshly baked bagels and excellent lattes. You can almost always find a table to sit at, and their coffee-and-bagel combo deals are hard to beat.

Category Two: Library Hidden Gems

Everyone already knows about the big two (Leavey and Doheny Library). These two huge libraries hold hundreds of students studying every day. However, there are some lesser-known hidden library gems on campus too.

The USC Hoose Library of Philosophy sits on the north end of campus, just above Mudd Hall. It’s hard to describe this library as anything but magical. Whenever family or friends visit campus, I always make sure it’s on the must-see list. It’s that beautiful. If you want to romanticize your study session and feel like you’ve stepped into a Disney movie, the Philosophy Library is the perfect place.
Be warned, though: it’s small, has limited hours (9 a.m.–4:45 p.m. on weekdays), and is closed on weekends. Plus, no food or drinks are allowed — so plan accordingly!

The Doheny Memorial Library Bookstacks are one of USC’s best-kept secrets. While Doheny is known for its grand, ballroom-like study rooms featured in movies and TV shows, few students venture into the quieter, hidden side of the building (where the books actually live). Just past the front desk, you’ll find the entrance to nine floors of low-ceilinged, maze-like stacks. Tucked among the shelves are secluded desks and tables that make perfect hideaways when you need zero distractions. Just don’t get lost on your way back out!

Category Three: Miscellaneous

Many students don’t realize that when classes aren’t in session, you can use empty classrooms to get some work done. I especially like studying in the classrooms in Taper Hall and DMC. It’s a bit of a gamble, as you will get asked to leave if a class starts up, but it often works well in the afternoons or evenings when the buildings are quieter. There’s something nice about having a whole classroom to yourself to focus, spread out and bring a study group, or even practice a presentation.

The Tutor Campus Center (TCC) sits right in the heart of campus, next to the bookstore and the Tommy Trojan statue. The first floor is home to several popular lunch spots that accept dining dollars, as well as the Admissions Center. But the real hidden gem is upstairs — take the grand staircase (or the elevator) to the second floor, where you’ll find several student lounges. These spaces are sometimes reserved for events, but when they’re open, they make for a perfect mid-day study spot or a comfortable place to relax between classes.

Happy studying, Trojans! I wish you the best of luck!

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What in the world is a Maymester? My time abroad in Spain and Italy ⟩
July 11, 2025, by Avery

Classes Externships

I have always wanted to study abroad in college. I love to travel, experience new cultures, and see the world from different perspectives. However, when I started the accelerated BS-OTD program at USC Chan, I quickly realized that spending an entire semester abroad would be challenging.

In our program, we complete most of our undergraduate credits in just three years, which doesn’t leave much room for a traditional semester abroad. While it is possible, it requires a careful plan from the start of freshman year to squeeze in all required credits. I wasn’t ready to commit to it my freshman year, so for a while, I thought I had missed my chance to study abroad.

That’s when I discovered one of USC’s best-kept secrets: the Maymester.

So, what in the world is a Maymester?

A USC Maymester is a short, intensive study abroad program offered right after the spring semester, usually from mid-May to mid-June (allowing you to return in time for that June 15th internship start date!). These programs count as part of your spring course load and typically last three to four weeks, allowing students to earn academic credit while being fully immersed in a new cultural and academic environment.

Maymesters are faculty-led: a USC professor designs the course content and location and travels abroad with the group. Most Maymester courses are worth four units (the same as a regular semester class) but condensed into four immersive, action-packed weeks. There are Maymesters in a huge range of subjects, from math to storytelling, food and culture, law, and beyond.

Whether a student’s program makes it tough to go abroad for a full semester, or they just don’t want to miss that much time on campus, Maymesters are a great way to gain international experience without the full semester commitment.

I was lucky enough to go on a Maymester of my own this spring. On May 17th, I packed my bags and headed to the airport, ready to learn in a new country alongside peers I had never met before.

I took a class titled WRIT 380: Writing Sustainable Futures. For three weeks in Spain and one week in Sicily, we explored how climate change is reshaping migration across the Mediterranean. We studied how Spain and Sicily approach sustainability, climate policy, and immigration (topics that are becoming more urgent every day) and compared them to what we see in the U.S. We visited Madrid, Seville, Barcelona, and Syracuse, learning directly from local communities, and organizations. For our final project, we created a plan to bring one of these ideas home to Los Angeles.

It turns out that cities like LA have a lot to learn from places like Spain and Sicily. The climate crisis is about more than rising temperatures — it affects people’s daily lives, displaces communities, and changes how we experience the world.

Even though this wasn’t an OT-specific class, as a future occupational therapist, I was especially interested in how sustainable living conditions affect people’s well-being. I had the privilege of visiting countless local NGOs, non-profits, and government groups, learning the work they are doing to protect immigrants, communities, and this planet. I learned that cities designed with nature, walkable neighborhoods, and strong community support help people live healthier lives — values we don’t always prioritize back home.

I left the class feeling inspired to use what I learned to help people and our climate back home. Whether that is through my future practice, advocacy work, or everyday conversations, I can’t wait to put these lessons into action and help build healthier, more sustainable communities.

Outside of class, my peers and I made the most of every moment in Spain and Sicily. We became fast friends, and whenever we weren’t in lectures or writing essays, we were exploring. Beaches, museums, soccer games, ancient ruins, parks, new cities, cathedrals, shopping streets, boats, new foods, paddle boarding — you name it, we did it.

After the program wrapped up in Sicily, I took advantage of being abroad to keep traveling and check a few more destinations off my bucket list, including Rome, Venice, and Florence.

I truly could not be more grateful to have had the opportunity to study abroad in this fashion. The USC Maymester is just one of the countless fabulous opportunities available at this university.

Even if you can’t study abroad or go on a Maymester, let this be your reminder to take advantage of the resources this school has to offer. If you’re thinking about a Maymester, or any opportunity that pushes you outside your comfort zone, go for it. You’ll come back with new friends, new memories, and a perspective that’s worth every minute. If you’re curious about Maymesters, check out the USC Dornsife FLP website or talk to your academic advisor — you might be surprised at how many options there are. And if you have any questions about my experience or what it’s like to study abroad as an OT student, feel free to reach out, I’d love to share more and help you plan your own adventure!

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The People Make the Place ⟩
May 11, 2025, by Avery

Beginnings and Endings Community

Moving away for college is scary. In August of 2023, I packed up all my things in 4 suitcases and left to go to school in a brand new state, without knowing a single person there. I was terrified, to say the least.

Before classes started my freshman year, the Chan Division hosted a welcome dinner for my BS-OTD cohort at the USC Health Sciences Campus (HSC). I was anxious about figuring out how to navigate the free USC shuttle from the University Park Campus (UPC) over to HSC on my own. That was until, on my walk to the bus stop, I met a girl as equally confused as I was, coincidentally trying to get to the same dinner. She introduced herself as Pauline, and we quickly discovered we were in the same BS-OTD cohort. Little did I know in that moment that she would become one of my best friends.

Fast forward a week to my first day of class as a freshman at USC, I stepped into OT 250 (greeted by a smiling Dr. Diego Lopez). I awkwardly sat next to Pauline and some other girls whom I met at the welcome dinner. It didn’t take long for us to become fast friends.

Mia and I bonded over our love of weightlifting and running, and today you can often spot us at the gym together. Jordan and I discovered we were taking several of the same GE classes, and actually ended up having 3 out of our 4 classes that first semester together. Ellie and I coincidentally joined the same sorority, and now the two of us are inseparable.

I don’t think I would have made it through my classes thus far without these girls. We’ve spent countless hours camped out in the Leavey Library study rooms, covering the whiteboards with diagrams and study notes. Mia’s insanely detailed Quizlet sets have probably saved my grade more times than I can count. They have seen me at 1 am crying over the amount of terms I have to memorize for an upcoming test, and they are my go-to people for lunch dates, spontaneous beach runs, bus buddies on the shuttle to UPC, and honestly, just the first people I go to vent about anything.

Before coming to USC, I had no idea the impact that the OT community would make on me here.

The value of having deep friendships with people going through essentially the exact same schooling as you is indescribable. Especially in such a unique sequence, such as USC’s BS-OTD program. We each understand what the other is going through, whether it is a tough exam, a breakup, friend drama, missing home, or big life and career decisions.

Growing up in a small town, I had the same friends since I was 5 years old. Coming to college, I was scared that I wouldn’t find people who understood me in the same way. But sure enough, somehow my friends here already feel like family. And the fact that we are only 2 years through a 6-year program together makes me that much more excited for the years to come.

So, if I have any advice, it’s to find your people. Maybe they will be in your academic cohort, a club you join, or someone random you run into at the dining hall. But keep your eyes open, because community is so important, especially in college.

The Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy community here at USC has given so much to me. From my best friends, to professors that make me excited to learn, and peers and coworkers that I adore spending time with. Being an Occupational Therapist requires a special kind of passion for helping others, and being surrounded by people who share that same heart has created a college experience more meaningful than I ever could’ve imagined.

As I wrap up my last finals of my Sophomore year of college, I reflect on the impact this community has had on me over the past two years, and I am eternally grateful.

So if you are moving away from home for the first time, or maybe to a new area for grad school, my wish for you is to find your people. And if you are coming to USC, know that the Chan OSOT community will always have your back!

 

 

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Occupational Therapy, Entrepreneurship, and a Conversation with Dr. Esther Bae ⟩
April 10, 2025, by Avery

Community Diversity What are OS/OT?

Occupational therapy (OT) is a field dedicated to helping people live fuller, more independent lives. OT’s are often found in clinics, schools, or hospitals. But how can the field of Occupational Therapy blend with entrepreneurship? I recently had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Dr. Esther Bae, an Occupational Therapist, entrepreneur, and business owner, about just that.

As someone passionate about both OT and business, I’m exploring how these two worlds intersect. At USC, I’m considering an Entrepreneurship minor alongside my OT major, and I am currently taking the course BAEP 450: The Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship, to learn how to turn my ideas into real-world impact.

Dr. Bae earned her OTD degree right here from USC. She is an entrepreneur who has merged her passions for accessibility, beauty, and social impact into a thriving career. Esther is the co-founder of Dwelle Collaborative (now Qualified), the first nonprofit to provide occupational therapy services to survivors of sex trafficking, empowering them through meaningful employment. Additionally, she founded a consulting business, which she now focuses on, called Modified Independent, which focuses on accessibility and inclusive beauty, helping brands develop more adaptive and user-friendly products and services. Dr. Bae has always had a passion for makeup and beauty, and she was able to combine her two passions through consulting and entrepreneurship.

One of Dr. Bae’s most notable collaborations through her company Modified Independent has been with Selena Gomez’s company Rare Beauty, where she played a key role in developing accessible packaging for people with disabilities and user-friendly designs for their products, specifically on their Find Comfort line. By working closely with the brand, she ensured that beauty products could be more inclusive, demonstrating how OT principles can be applied in industries beyond healthcare.

Additionally, she has been highlighted nationally by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)  for her accomplishments as an entrepreneur in the field.

Dr. Bae shared some advice with me as I embark on my OT journey. One of the most impactful things she told me was:

“There is no one right way to go about things in your career. What’s important is that you always keep going. I have experienced so many setbacks, but sitting here talking to you, I can see how my journey has come together. You have such a vast future ahead; don’t get caught up in the things that go wrong. Pivot and keep going”.

Her words really stuck with me—not just as encouragement, but as a reminder that the path forward doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. As someone who is inspired by both occupational therapy and entrepreneurship, her message reinforced that forging your own path means embracing uncertainty and setbacks as part of the process. Whether in healthcare or in business, growth often happens in the pivots. As I move forward in this journey, I’ll carry her wisdom with me: to trust the process, stay open to change, and keep showing up; even when things don’t go as planned.

Dr. Bae’s story is a testament to the limitless possibilities within occupational therapy. Whether through consulting, nonprofit work, or product development, OTs have the potential to innovate and create meaningful change. Her journey inspires me as I explore my own aspirations in OT and entrepreneurship, reminding me that success is about persistence, relationships, and the willingness to adapt.

For anyone considering an entrepreneurial path in OT, Dr. Bae’s story proves that it’s possible to build a career that aligns with your passions while making a meaningful impact. The key is to start with what you have, embrace setbacks as opportunities to pivot, and never stop moving forward.

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Looking to get involved? Check out one of my favorite clubs at USC ⟩
February 9, 2025, by Avery

Community Getting Involved

When arriving at USC (as an undergraduate or graduate student), getting involved in student organizations can feel daunting and overwhelming. There are 100s to choose from — and attending meetings can feel intimidating or stressful to balance with the demands of a large school workload.

So . . . let me make it easy for you! If you are passionate about working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (as many OTs are), one of my favorite student organizations that I am a part of is the USC chapter of Best Buddies Club.

Best Buddies is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for friendship, leadership development, and inclusion for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). It operates through programs in schools, workplaces, and communities, fostering one-to-one friendships, job placements, and leadership training to promote social inclusion. It is very common in high schools across the country, but USC is lucky enough to have our own chapter!

Essentially, there are meetings every other week in which USC students socialize with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities from Los Angeles for an hour. In the past we have done fun activities such as gingerbread house making, gone to basketball games, crafts, baked, and played board games.

Last year we went to the Los Angeles Best Buddies friendship walk, where Best Buddies chapters come together from across the state to broaden friendships and to raise money for the Best Buddies organization. This event happens every April and was a highlight of my year.

Some pictures from last year’s friendship walk (click to enlarge)!

I absolutely love this club and recommend it for so many reasons.

Best Buddies is filled with occupational therapy students — both graduate and undergraduate — creating a vibrant, supportive community of future OTs, professionals in related fields, and genuinely kind, uplifting people. For anyone interested in careers in healthcare, education, occupational therapy, or social work, this club offers invaluable, hands-on experience working directly with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Beyond that, it’s an amazing opportunity to connect with passionate advocates and like-minded students who share the same dedication to inclusion and making a difference.

Best Buddies truly creates lasting friendships, and I find that everyone in the room is smiling for the full hour. I often text back and forth with my buddy in the time between meetings. By promoting inclusion and acceptance, this club directly contributes to creating a more inclusive community. You can truly see the difference you’re making in someone’s life — and they make a difference in yours!

Additionally, being a buddy is a relatively low commitment. One hour every two weeks is super easy to fit into my schedule as a busy student. Plus, joining is super easy — you just show up! When you arrive you get put on the members list, and you can then choose to have a one-on-one buddy pairing.

Check USC Best Buddies out on Instagram to learn more info and stay up to date on upcoming events.

If you have any questions at all, do not hesitate to reach out to me! We are always accepting new members, and would love to see your face at the next meeting!

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