Student Blog
Community

Oh Sandy ⟩
October 31, 2012, by Kendra

Community Life Hacks

I lived in New York City for four years before moving out west. Each time a blizzard or nor’easter (as the locals call it) would shut down a bus line or impede the usual hustle and bustle of the city that never sleeps, my mom would call up frantically wondering if my disaster kit was assembled and if my windows were sealed. And each time I would calmly tell her that the news media is making it out to be way worse than it actually is. Usually I’d be waiting for my sushi delivery as I told her this.

But this time it’s different. Due to a perfect confluence of variables, the storm has taken the city from fast-paced to off the grid.

And it’s during times like these that I love New Yorkers most.

Instead of hearing stories from friends of looting and violence, you hear about neighbors helping neighbors. You hear of businesses making pizza in the dark for 15 hours just because they have gas and want to provide hot food to their neighborhood.

You read posts on Facebook, people offering their hot water and dry homes to those that need it. Despite their reputation for being rude, fast-talking people during times of trouble New Yorkers come together demonstrating one of the greatest human capacities: support and caring. It is a truly beautiful thing.

In learning about the physiological aspects of the stress response we learn of a number of factors that can help ameliorate its effects. One of those is social support. Talking to a friend about a bad day helps someone unwind. Going to church weekly helps a person find peace and understanding in a busy life. And having a community of 9 million people come together after a shared trauma to help rebuild helps each person cope with the tragedy in a healthy, productive way.

So hats off to you New York City. My heart goes out to you, but I know New York will continue to stand tall.

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Fight On! ⟩
October 23, 2012, by Amber

Community

One of the most enjoyable things about being a Trojan is attending the USC football games. It is at these events that our incredible pride and school spirit is on the greatest display. Never before in my life have I witnessed so many people that were so excited about the same thing. It really is incredible to walk onto campus on the day of a game. Fans dressed in red and gold cover the entire campus, the marching band and cheer squad parade throughout, and everyone engages in the great tradition of tailgating. The Occupational Therapy students teamed up with the Pharmacy students for the festivities, and new friends were made. I was excited to have my father with me, who had never attended a college football game. On the way into the game, we caught a glimpse of the retired space shuttle Endeavor on display at the California Science Center. I spent the game teaching my dad the fight songs and game day traditions. He had a wonderful time and said it was more fun than any NFL football game. I felt proud to be a Trojan!

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“That which you call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” ⟩
October 5, 2012, by Alisa

Community Getting Involved

The week started out pretty interesting as I made my first club presentation! Troy Camp, the oldest and most diverse student organization, puts on many programs for kids in the neighborhoods, including a week-long camp. Before I made my presentation, every member there had to do a roll call. It was interesting to hear everyone’s nick names such as “Maverick,” “Timber,” “Cracker Jack,” and “Chumbawamba.” I was involved in a few organizations when I was an undergrad, but I was never given a nickname. It’s clever that Troy Camp gives every member a nickname. It offers personalization and a sense of belonging in the organization. A few weeks ago when my friends and I celebrated a friend’s birthday at a Thai restaurant, Hae Ha Heng, we decided to give each other pseudonyms. My friends thought I look like a “Rose,” which I didn’t object to. A lot of my clothes have flowers in them, my flip flops have floral embellishments, and I wear flowers in my hair sometimes. It’s quite fitting, isn’t it? I actually have a nickname that was given to me by my mom. In the Thai culture, everyone that I know of has a nickname that is given by the parents. Nicknames can range from names of foods, colors, body parts, etc. My mom gave me the nickname “Joy,” but since no one really called me that, my younger cousin adopted that name, so my identity was stolen. Not really. Thai people just call me “Sa,” shortened from my full name “Alisa,” which can also be a Thai name! My mom is so witty when she named me. While she was shopping for her wedding dress, she came across this amazing dress that was worn by Alisa, a famous Thai actress-model, who had just worn the dress on the runway, featuring wedding gowns. So, readers, how about your names? Have you ever asked how your name came to be? Let’s hear it.

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Getting To Know Our Fellow Students ⟩
October 2, 2012, by Amber

Community Getting Involved

The Occupational Therapy and Science Council (OTSC) is a student organization that focuses on social interaction and helping USC OT students to achieve the work-life balance that we know is so important. The purpose of OTSC is threefold: 1) to represent student interests within our division and the university as a whole, 2) to provide opportunities to network and socialize, and 3) to create volunteer and fundraising opportunities. At the beginning of the semester we elected a new council. Our first event of the semester was a tailgate in conjunction with the Physical Therapy department. This weekend, we had a bonfire at the beach for the purpose of introducing the new students to the rest of the class. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire, played games, and got to know each other. Leave me a comment if you have any great bonfire or campfire experiences!

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April is OT Month! ⟩
April 3, 2012, by Alix

Community Getting Involved

According to the American Occupational Therapy Association: “Each year in April, occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and students in practice, education, research, and science host a month long celebration showcasing the importance of Occupational Therapy. It’s the time of year when everyone in the profession goes out of their way to tell the world about what we do.” At USC, we’re doing our part to promote the field for OT Month. Yesterday, we hosted an “OT Month Kickoff” event with entertainment from the dashing and talented ambassadors Chelsea Robinson and Chris Thompson. We also got free lunch (!) and custom-made OT buttons (also designed by the shockingly talented ambassadors). D’Andre (Dee) Holland emceed the event, which was incredible. Thanks, Dee! We hope that everybody remembers to represent occupational therapy this month by taking a few minutes to tell a friend (or a stranger) what you love most about the profession.

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