How Ambassador Julia Found Community as a Spring-Admitted Student
Coming out of high school as a COVID grad, I was nervous yet excited to start a new chapter of my life. When I learned of my admittance to USC as a Spring admit, it wasn’t the most welcoming news. A swirl of emotions washed over me––joy, confusion, then disappointment. “Spring admit?”, I thought to myself. Not even aware that a Spring admission program was established, I was taken aback that I was going to be starting a semester later than everyone else who was admitted in the Fall.
Then I started feeling worried about “fitting in” because finding a community was something I anticipated by jumping into a pool of new people in a new place. I began fearing if I could feel at home and felt alone more than ever. The thought of transitioning into an entirely different environment––and that environment being college––was simply daunting. However, as a current junior, I can confidently say that these concerns shouldn’t stop you from finding a space of comfort where you can thrive.
Before taking my first Spring semester at USC (online, of course), I joined the Spring admit Facebook group. Being in a virtual space with fellow Spring admits allowed me to take baby steps in approaching new peers and creating the first link in establishing friendly relationships that are still intact today. Moving to campus as a sophomore, I attended various campus-wide events like the welcome week events as well as mixers which truly revived the spirit of in-person interaction in me. Living in the Village helped me experience a tight-knit community of living with other students from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and majors. There are exciting events hosted for USC Housing Residents such as watching a Cirque Du Soleil - OVO show or going to Catalina Island, so definitely check them out!
Getting involved was the next step I took in an effort to find my safe space in organizations, somewhere that I can come together with peers who share a common passion or interest. Actively searching for organizations was a strenuous process, especially with the wide spectrum and the infinite number of organizations with various focuses. Narrowing my interests and passions, I joined KCN (Korean Culture Night) and DAY (Dear Asian Youth) to present my passion for my cultural heritage as well as promote intersectional activism alongside other amazing individuals. Now part of APASA (Asian Pacific American Student Assembly), I’m a part of a collective community that strives to create a safe space for sharing and celebrating APIDA heritage.
No one size fits all, so finding these communities definitely takes time and effort, but USC’s resources as well as the Trojan network are some of the greatest assets we all have access to as USC students. Plus, whenever you’re lost, simply ask friends, peers you meet in class, or Trojans you meet off campus what organizations, classes, or activities they liked the best. Maybe that can spark a great idea of where you can start your journey to finding your place at USC!
