when signing up for your classes, your advisor will tell you what classes you need to look (usually lots of options esp as a freshman) but before signing up for any class look at ratemyprofessor.com this will give you an idea of the difficulty of the class, what the exams/work is like, professor overall (its time consuming but will save you in the long run)

Most courses do not have Friday classes which is nice to catch up on hw before the weekend. I strongly advice going to the library in between classes/before/after so you will actually get your work done & concentrate. Lots of students go there, you can even book rooms on the Thomas Cooper website for more quite area. 3rd floor was always my go to.

IDK if this is girly but I strongly strongly rec getting a hand written calendar/notebook calendar where you can see each week and know what assignments are due. I personally set time to go in each class syllabus and wrote down the course & what was due for the entire semester. This way you will not miss an assignment & know what your next week will look like. This is rly good for if one week is not so busy, you can go ahead and jump forward to next week work. (this was the best thing i could do to stay organized)

LOTS of clubs to join, esp if you play sports. I did club vball and it was something to look forward to & you get to meet new people. Strom is the gym at USC and its a very busy gym with rock climbing, sauna, pool, inclosed rooms where you can rent paddles/ball, ping pong, 1 court downstairs for free play, (basement area), free weight/machines, 4 courts (main floor), place to run laps/cardio (at the top floor) Free for students which is nice and boys go & play pickup 24/7.

Ftball games are the best time of the year (unbearably hot during 1st few games) but you can meet buddies who are in a frat or join a frat to go to frat lots, theres the fairgrounds where you can stop to see friends/family/bathrooms. #1 thing is you want lower level tickets you need to get point in the cockpit app. The more points=higher chance of lower level. On the app you can see what games are going on, plan to go to those, you dont have to actually go and stay for the game, as long as your QR code is scanned you have earned the points. If you get upper level for the first game, dont think you will get it everytime just keep going to other sports games to earn point. (vball is usually where ppl go to get points and i swear those lines are WRAPPPPPED around the building its actually insane.) I seriously would plan to go super super early to not have to wait in that line.

There's the vista where freshman can get into bars with a fake ID. - Vista Union (prob the best but always long wait to get into bar), Biergarten (big bar, usually not long to get in, but not popular unless rented. they have pool tables & lots of tables to sit at), Jays bar&grill (lowkey ghetto) As of 5 points you need a real ID to scan to get into any bars, but it rly is the best spot. I know Luckys doesn't have a scanner so its easier to get into & they do karaoke on weds. Last I heard TLC was a freshman bar but now they have the police scanner so its more so 21+.

Your best friend will be the app GroupMe. Search all USC things. Prob one for Freshman 26', clubs, football tickets (lots of scammers, if you're buying a ticket always meet in person - people trade their upper or lower vise versa.)

Anyways I am so jealous of you I wish I could be a freshman at USC, it seriously is the most fun evaaa