Student Blog
Living in LA

New to LA? No Worries! ⟩
September 19, 2017, by Erika

Living in LA

Every LA native has their list of go-tos to take people when they visit but they also have their smaller, more intimate list of what a friend of mine calls, “secret squirrel spots.” These are places that are just a little more special. For me, they are places that have grown my eyes a little bigger, made my heart a little softer, or tickled my tastebuds like never before. I hope that by sharing these with you all, you will find them as beautiful, meaningful, and as memorable as I have. Whether you’re new to LA or not, go, explore, and be merry!

SuihoEn Japanese Garden, Van Nuys
An oasis in the middle of the city! It’s one of my favorite hidden places in LA and it’s only $5 to enter. As you venture through the garden, you’ll find a tea house. I’d recommend bringing some hot tea in a thermos and a friend and have yourself a little tea party overlooking the koi pond.

El Matador State Beach, Malibu
Being in LA, you have an entire coast of beaches to choose from! After venturing from the valley to the OC, I still reserve a special place in my heart for El Matador State Beach up by Malibu. There are rock formations there that transfer you to another planet. Climb them, crawl through them and find little crabs, or find a little cave to take a nap in!

LASA, Chinatown
What’s LA without good eats and what’s an LA experience without supporting local chefs? I knew these two brothers, Chad and Chase, from high school and seeing them blow up on the LA food scene featuring food I grew up with brings tears to my eyes. Born and bred in aroma-filled Filipino homes, they’ll provide you with an innovative yet authentic taste of Filipino cuisine.

The Great Wall of LA Mural, North Hollywood

After hearing about it for years, I only visited this gem about a year ago and regret not visiting sooner. This was a community project done by more than 400 community youth, their families, artists, oral historians, ethnologists, and scholars depicting the history of Los Angeles from 20,000 B.C. all the way up to the 1960s. It’s a half-mile long and a great way to spend the afternoon learning about the city you’ve found yourself in! Be sure to pop this into your phone (sparcinla.org/the-great-wall-part-2) to guide you through your historical and visually stimulating experience.

If you end up visiting any of these spots, leave a comment and let me know how you liked them!

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From Undergrad to Grad life ⟩
September 18, 2017, by Ali

Getting Involved Life Hacks Living in LA

Although I am a second year in the graduate program, I technically completed my undergraduate degree in May 2017. Therefore these first few weeks of classes have been full of transition and adjustment from living on the University Park Campus to living on the west side of Los Angeles and commuting to the Health Science Campus. Here are some things I have learned:

1. Moving to a new neighborhood in a familiar city
   This is my fifth year living in Los Angeles, but this is my first time living off campus in an apartment. I live in Culver City, which is a thirty minute drive from the Health Science Campus. This change of neighborhood has provided me the opportunity to find all new running routes, coffee shops for studying, and even a favorite laundromat. This move has opened up a whole new side of Los Angeles to my life.
2. The value of a planned social life
   Moving off campus means that I now live on average fifteen to twenty minutes away from my friends. I can no longer just drop by my friend’s apartment unannounced or walk to the library together late on a Sunday night. I have quickly learned the necessity that is planning in advance to go out to dinner or try a new ice cream shop with a friend. These things cannot be as spontaneous as they used to be, but that just means I get to have something fun on my calendar to look forward to.
3. The abundance of USC hosted graduate student events
   In just the first few weeks back to school, I have already seen the benefits and fun of being a graduate student. I went to the occupational therapy and physical therapy tailgate for our first football game. It was an easy way to be social with classmates as well as the physical therapy students, who we share a lunch patio with. I love that all the graduate school students have just as much Trojan pride as my undergraduate friends. I also attended a Los Angeles Dodgers game for five dollars organized by Graduate Student Government. There are always fun events for graduate students to opt into!
4. Everything we learn is valuable and relevant
   One aspect of graduate school that has only been solidified over the past few weeks upon returning from level II fieldwork, is just how relevant all of our coursework is to our future practice. Regardless of what area we specialize in or get advanced practice in, the Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy has created a curriculum that molds us into generalists of the field of occupational therapy. Each course has its own value. Readings and assignments are all important because they are informing and building our occupational therapist lenses. It is motivating to know everything we are doing in and out of the classroom is valuable.
5. Classmates in graduate school have a lot in common
   Finally, as some of my undergraduate friends have moved away and out of Los Angeles, I have become closer with graduate school occupational therapy classmates. It is wonderful to be a part of a program that has students with diverse interests and backgrounds. We are all so different while simultaneously have a common interest entering a profession centered around helping people live their healthiest and happiest lives. Lunchtime is always a good time with the occupational therapy students.

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2010 NBA Champions ⟩
September 1, 2017, by Bryan

Fieldwork Living in LA

The first question Joe (pseudonym) asked me was whether or not I thought the Los Angeles Lakers would win the NBA championship this year.

“Not a chance” I replied before noticing his purple and gold 2010 NBA CHAMPIONSHIPS LOS ANGELES LAKERS shirt.
“That’s whack man,” Joe said.

He did not talk to me the rest of my first day at my very first Level 1 Fieldwork.

My first Level 1 Fieldwork placement was at Mychal’s Learning Place in Hawthorne CA. Mychal’s is a clubhouse setting that offers day programs for adults with developmental disabilities, equipping them with self-care and job skills in order to foster independence. Mychal’s has an onsite washer and dryer, fully functional industrial kitchen, as well as other opportunities to teach and practice ADLs. There was, however, no OT onsite, so my colleagues who were also placed at Mychal’s and I had to be proactive to see how OT fit into this setting and population.

After a whirlwind first day of orientations and getting to know the facilities, I volunteered to assist with an awesome opportunity at Mychal’s, their Howl at the Moon café, which functions as a mobile coffee and pastry retailer. Howl has partnerships with MATTEL headquarters nearby and sets up shop twice a week to sell and serve coffee to the employees. The coolest part of Howl was that Mychal’s participants did almost everything from taking orders, making drinks (fancy lattes, cappuccinos, everything!) and even cooking the pastries. It was incredible to see how much Mychal’s believed in its participants. While I loved my experience there, throughout the semester I was still unsure of an OT’s role in this setting.

Joe and I were both assigned to Howl a couple weeks into fieldwork. We did not get the opportunity to converse since our first meeting and I was a little nervous to break the ice again.

“So . . . do you like basketball?” I asked before noticing the same purple and gold 2010 NBA CHAMPIONSHIP LOS ANGELES LAKERS shirt (PSA: Use your clinical observation skills people).
Joe nodded while preparing a pumpkin spice latte.
“Who do you think is going to win this year?” I asked.
Joe paused midway, while pouring the steamed milk and let out a sigh. “Probably the Warriors,” he responded.

I was confused at his overtly disappointed response and had to ask what was wrong.

It is amazing how a simple question diving deeper can help us understand our clients, and each other, better. In school they teach us two valuable concepts that are foundational to our OT practice: mindfulness and therapeutic use of self. While conceding my lack of mindfulness in noticing Joe’s apparent interests from his attire, I saw these two abstract concepts produce concrete fruit as Joe shared about his background and how the Lakers were an uplifting part of his life growing up. He looked up to Kobe (the GOAT) and Pau as heroes, sad to see them disband and the team rebuild. It was so interesting that Joe and I could connect on something as so seemingly simple as shared sports interests.

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USC Village is Finally Open! ⟩
August 7, 2017, by Jessica P.

Living in LA

As Trojans, the USC Village is something we have all been waiting not so patiently for. Located on University Park Campus (UPC), the project has been a long wait for students. With a few stores already open and the grand opening on August 17, 2017, it is an exciting time to head back to school. The village boasts 5 new residential colleges and numerous restaurants and stores.

Here is a list of some of the new eateries and amenities:

Shopping
Trader Joe’s
Target

Restaurants
The Baked Bear

Barilla
BBCM

Cava
District H by Hannah An
Dulce
Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop
Honeybird
Rance’s Chicago Pizza
Rock & Reilly’s
Starbucks
Sunlife Organics

Trejo’s Tacos
Walhburgers

Fitness/Lifestyle/Amenities
Amazon
Bank of America
CorePower Yoga
Solé Bicycles
Nail Garden
URB-E Mobility Hub
Village Cobbler

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Freshman Fall Bucket List ⟩
August 1, 2017, by Jessica P.

Getting Involved Living in LA School/Life Balance

In just a few short weeks, our incoming class of Bachelor to Master’s students will officially be Trojans as they begin their freshman year. While freshman year can be overwhelming, it is also one of the best times of your life. From navigating a new campus to dorms and dining halls, there is so much to be immersed in at USC from the start. Here are my recommendations for what you must do your freshman fall.

Attend Football Games
USC and football go hand in hand. Whether you are a football fan or not, game days are some of the best and most memorable days you will have at USC. Make sure to purchase your student football tickets!

Go to the Involvement Fair
Towards the beginning of the semester, USC will host an involvement fair where you can visit and learn about all of the student organizations on campus. Whether it’s joining the Pre-OT club, an intramural sports team, or a volunteer organization, there are limitless options to get involved on campus.

Take a Random Class
Some of the best classes I have taken are ones that I would have never originally considered. One of my personal recommendations is taking a 1-unit physical education yoga class. I loved being able to take yoga as a part of my curriculum since it kept me active and stress-free!

Go to the Weekender
One of my favorite memories every year is attending the weekender. Each year, USC students head up to the Bay Area when our football team plays either Stanford or UC Berkeley. Taking a fun break to travel for the weekend is a great way to bond with your new friends and cheer on our Trojans.

Find Your Study Spot
In order to play hard, it is even more important to work hard. Finding your best study environment may take awhile, but luckily USC has 23 libraries to choose from. My personal favorite is the philosophy library, located in Mudd Hall. If a library isn’t your vibe, try studying outdoors!

Relax!
It is so easy to get overwhelmed your first semester of college, but that is totally normal! Adjusting to being apart of a new community will take time. Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed with all of the things you feel like you need to be doing. Find an activity that is relaxing for you — whether that’s exercising, binge-watching Netflix, or taking excessive naps.

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