“Where were you $464 ago?” It was not the response I was expecting. Particularly not talking to a complete stranger—it comes off a little too accusatory for casual first impressions. And yet, that’s exactly how it was said. By a student’s mother. Whom I had never met before. And I think it was at that moment I realized I was doing something kind of cool. I, like many of my foolish peers, had an unpaid internship this summer. It was essentially all the work of a part-time job and none of the pay, with a 1-2 hour commute (depending on the traffic) from Palos Verdes to West Hollywood, three times a week. So after 3+ months of sugar coated slave labor, I got back to USC’s campus needing money. Badly. This is where CourseSmart stepped in. Continue reading...

The USC School of Cinematic Arts is forcing students who are getting their MFA in directing to sleep outside the school so a selected few can receive D-clearance the following day! Over a hundred students need to take classes that can only hold 32 to 50 students. Cinema students, who are paying over 40 thousand dollars in tuition per year to the school, hauled mattresses and sleeping bags to USC and slept outside the cinema building on the night of Thursday, April 23rd in order to receive D-clearance on Friday, April 24th. The school will only accept D-clearance in person, and not online or on the phone like other departments. This is horrific! It looks like Skid Row out there! Sincerely, An outraged USC student Continue reading...

Muscles ripple like tidal waves beneath skintight tanks. Sweat trickles down bulging biceps and hairless torsos. The breath becomes heavier by the minute. Moans of exertion are heard ever now and then. No, this is not the opening scene of “Cockpit II”, but an everyday scene in our very own Lyon Center. There are many reasons why we would want to regularly attend the gym. As a gay couple with probably the most boring bodies in the world (think patches of hair between the nipples, abs-less stomachs and love handles), it would be a great opportunity to grow some muscles. Furthermore, as individuals with a stress-level that might make the most studious student pass for a pothead, we could seriously use the endorphins. Finally, we defy anyone to contradict us on the fact that this is probably as homoerotic as a place can get. Continue reading...

This might not come as a surprise to the student body of the University of Southern California, but it seems that we have our very own actor in the gay adult entertainment industry. Though he tries to maintain a low profile on campus (understandable), he agreed to speak with me about what it’s like juggling student life and an illustrious career in the industry. Because he has asked to remain anonymous, both in real name and professional alias, I will be referring to him as Tyler Beau— an alias I’ve devised to protect his identity — to share with you exactly what it’s like to balance full-time schooling with a job in adult entertainment. Continue reading...

It's Halloween night. You are inside a darkened house, strung up with cobwebs and severed limbs, surrounded by a suffocating crowd of costumes and spectacles galore. To call it stuffy would be an understatement. In the living room, college students are trying to dance, but between the drunkenness and claustrophobia, there really isn’t much room for anything but a rhythmic grind. Where are you? You’re at the SoCal VoCal house for their annual VoCalloween party. The SoCal VoCals, USC’s oldest a cappella group, are known for hosting large-scale parties at its house throughout the year, bringing together a mix of theater, Greek, music, and other diverse crowds. The term "a cappella" means "without instruments"; as an a cappella group, the VoCals perform with just their voices. Continue reading...

It was pitch black. I was sitting in the lighting booth in Bovard Auditorium, holding the God Mic, and I gave the cue. The house lights went back on and a thunderous applause ensued. The 17th Annual Pilipino American Culture Show ended and the audience roared with applause. With that, the most ambitious USC culture show season had come to a close, and I was part of it. I ran to the back of the Bovard, entered through the doors, heard my name called as Skit Director and took a long bow. But then it hit me. The colorful lights, the booming audio, the crowds of people — how much did it all cost? Do these shows really connect a group of people with their culture? Continue reading...

Jazz in the Park, a weeklong event from 12-1pm everyday at Alumni Park, features our very own Thornton School of Music students. Three of the five groups performing are student-run, and every group has a fresh, unique sound ranging from funk to Latin to even esoteric. Continue reading...

Unless you already knew it was there, you would never suspect that a kaleidoscope of color and flavor was nestled onto a side street off Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood every Sunday morning. The Hollywood Farmers’ Market, an open-air street market with more than 90 farmers, 30 local artisans, and 30 bakers and food vendors, is a vibrant hub well worth the early-morning trek across town. Continue reading...