Student Blog
Living in LA
Lunar New Year Celebrations ⟩
February 27, 2015, by Bindi
Community Diversity International Living in LA
The Global Initiatives team organized a Chinese new lunar year dinner at the Plum Tree Inn in Chinatown. Adley Chan and Daniel Park put together a diverse group of international students together with the faculty.
The organizers laid out a large spread of Chinese cuisine including a jellyfish appetizer. They took into special consideration the vegetarian students and had several vegetarian dishes for the several Indian and vegetarian therapists and students.
Chinese New Year: It is the year of the goat, and obviously there was a lengthy discussion on Chinese zodiac animals and everyone wanted to find out which sign they were and the significance. Mine is the Dragon ☺.
Adley Chan informed us on the correct way of eating noodles and they say NEVER cut a noodle before it is entirely in your mouth. In China, people have the custom to eat noodles on the birthdays. The long and continuous noodle strips are the symbolic meaning of longevity. So people who choose to eat noodles on the birthdays show their wishes to live longer and maintain a better life. The noodle represents longevity and cutting it before it reaches the mouth indicates bad luck, cutting the longevity and good health.
All in all it was a fun, laughter filled dinner and getting to know the faculty and other students better. Happy Chinese New Year!!!
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Just a small town girl in a big city! ⟩
February 10, 2015, by Kristy
Living in LA
As I have mentioned before I am from a tiny town in Northern Minnesota, no really it is SMALL! I graduated high school in a class of 75 students. Needless to say, Los Angeles is NOT small, so it was a big change for me! With that said I take every opportunity to explore this amazing city and all it has to offer. Now, it may surprise you that I have had the time to do and see so many things while I’ve been out here as I am a student in graduate school, but let me tell you — it is all about balance! We need to engage in activities that are meaningful to us, ahem, our occupations. 😊 I’ve received a lot of questions lately about what kinds of things I like to do around LA and if there is even time for them as a student. It seemed rather fitting to compile some of the fun things to do! Now granted, I am by no means a local, but I do my best to explore!
Obviously there are the basics to do and see like sporting events, museums, and the beach, but there are tons of places to go hiking, always new restaurants (or hole in the walls) to eat at, and tv tapings to attend! Here’s a compilation of some of my favorites!
What are your favorites? Tell me if there is somewhere I need to go! Or let me know if you have questions of somewhere I have been!
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End of First Semester! ⟩
December 14, 2014, by Bindi
Living in LA School/Life Balance
The last few weeks of the end of the semester was a busy busy time! Hence I apologize for the late blogging. It was assignments, presentations, exams, and paper submissions in a random and recurrent order until the last day! What a relief that day was.
Of course the completion of my first semester called for a celebration and as a foreigner in America I had to do the Cheesecake Factory at a fancy mall ☺. I thoroughly enjoyed the food and a scrumptious pecan pumpkin cheesecake.
The day after finals most people sleep in, but then again I am not most people! I woke up early to study again for my Californian driving test, which didn’t happen due to several reasons that I shall not dwell upon. Followed by running around town completing errands such as returning borrowed books.
Friday evening was well spent at the San Antonio Winery (another first) for our Recruitment/Admissions Team holiday dinner. It was a wonderful laughter filled dinner with all the student ambassadors and Sarah Kelly, Helen Mirsaeidi, Liz Carley and Kim Kelton! We exchanged gifts, and our most memorable and funny moments of this semester.
It has been a special semester for me and USC and LA has exceeded my expectations! It’s the holidays and I am in Summerville / Charleston, South Carolina with the only and very special family I have in America, with the promise of putting on weight and recharging to fight on harder in the next and sighhh . . . my last semester.
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Soaking up the Sun! ⟩
November 15, 2014, by Kristy
Admissions Living in LA
One of the fantastic things about being in Southern California is getting to enjoy the sun all year long! I love being able to walk outside, go for hikes, and just enjoy the sunshine. 😊
Why you might ask? Well . . . I am from a very tiny town in Northern Minnesota. So while I’m out here soaking up the sun, my family and friends back home are fighting with 1 foot of snow and 20 degree weather! Yup — you read that right! It’s that cold, did someone say Polar Vortex??? Needless to say, I am thankful to be in Los Angeles! So how did I get here? Let me tell you about my journey from a small town to the big city!
A few years ago, I decided I was ready for a change from my job working with patients and assisting them through the process of making the appointment, preparation for, and getting the results. I loved working in the healthcare field, but I didn’t feel like I was actually making a difference in their life. More so, I was just helping them along; but I wanted to be apart of the process in their journey of getting better and living life to the fullest! So I started researching different healthcare professions. I came across your standard: pharmacist (tried that, next), nurse (shots, no thanks), doctor (length of school, meh), psychologist (hhmmm . . .), physical therapist (anatomy, too much), occupational therapy (TELL ME MORE). As I began researching occupational therapy, I just kept thinking to myself – this is it, this is me, this is what I’ve been waiting for! So I went to the AOTA webpage and started looking for schools. I knew I needed a change in my life, so what better change than to head to the west coast for graduate school! Then it was just figuring out all the prerequisites and requirements for each school and begin the application process. I was really going to do this!!! I took two courses that summer that I needed to fulfill the prereqs, and then planned a trip to visit a few colleges in California, obviously one being the University of Southern California! I fell in love! It was better than I could have dreamed, everyone was so great and USC had so much to offer! As soon as I returned home I began working on my applications and OTCAS. My goal was to submit them all and be finished by October 30th, since USC had an early deadline of November 30th and said to submit 4 weeks ahead of time! I’m happy to say I met my goal, so next was the waiting game!!! How long could it really take? Let me tell you — awhile!!! Even though I applied to several schools in California and Washington, I had already ranked them in my head, but still I wasn’t sure who I would hear from first. I waited . . . and waited . . . and waited, and then finally on Christmas Eve, I got home from work and checked my mail . . . and there it was . . . an envelope from USC. Now if you all watch TV shows, they always say you want the “big” envelopes, because “small” ones are rejection letters. Mine was a small envelope. Shakingly, I opened the letter, and much to my relief I had been accepted!!! Overcome with feelings of joy, excitement, determination, and fear, I didn’t know what to think! Was I really ready to move across the country, all by myself, where I didn’t know anyone, and pursue my dream? Fast forward a few months, I flew out to California again to find a place to live and attend the admitted student reception and knew this was absolutely the place I wanted to be! I was so excited to begin this journey.
With all that being said, I have never been happier with a decision I made. It has been one of the best thus far in my life! So never think a dream is too big, or too difficult! You can do it! And be successful! Take a risk, make a change, live your life to the fullest! That’s what we tell our patients to do, isn’t it? You can do it too! Dream big! I did. 😊
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Transportation In LA ⟩
November 1, 2014, by Bindi
Housing and Transportation Living in LA
Deciding where to live can be a confusing task, specifically when you’re new to USC and LA. The most important thing to take into account is transport and accessibility. Here are a few things to consider if you will be living at the OT House.
- USC has 2 campuses. Health Sciences Campus (HSC) and University Park Campus (UPC). For masters’ students all the classes except for field work and some elective courses will be held at HSC.
- OT house — Centennial Apartments is located on UPC.
- Students who don’t have a car in LA shouldn’t feel homebound because they don’t have a car. Make use of the free transport services available.
- The USC transport not only provides transport from residential areas around the campus to the campus but also inter campus (i.e., from UPC to HSC) with a stop at Union Station.
- They also have special services like the shuttles that go to LA Live every Friday and Saturday, and recently started an intercampus tram on the weekends as well.
- Campus cruisers — this is a free car service. If you are one of the many individuals who work, study or take classes at night, you don’t have to walk to your car or home alone. The USC Campus Cruiser Service offers either a walking or vehicle escort to your destination.
- Download the USC transportation app for cell phones. This allows you to track buses and cruisers in live time. It can save you a lot of time.
- There are many events hosted by the division and university. Do not hesitate to attend them because you don’t have a ride to the event. In my experience I have found everyone understands how difficult it is to get around LA without a car — so just ask people if you can carpool with them. Most will be more than happy to help.
This is LA, ensure your safety by maximizing use of the safe and free transport that USC offers!!
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