TROYYYYPHIIII! What an exciting and extremely eventful semester we have had. I hope you all have enjoyed the amazing programming we have had, from our amazing General Meetings, to tailgates, to Friendship Games practices, to KAPA reveals! Whether you picked up or got picked up, have been to every event or only a few, I sure feel the community I have in Troy Philippines grow so strongly.
Defining community is such an open-ended, flexible, and nuanced idea. To me, Troy Philippines has become an increasing contributor to that definition. What does community mean for you? Heading into a turbulent midterm season, it’s important to understand the outlets and sources of community you can find yourself in to destress. This is step one to gaining aura.
Managing your stress can be a different game. Self-reflect: how do you find yourself distressing? Listening to music, going to EVK/Parkside spontaneously for ice cream, or skating around campus? Or have you neglected these activities that are supposed to balance out your hectic workload? Re-evaluating where your time is going can be so important in balancing your mental health, so you can destroy your midterms (and gain even more aura).
About Friendship Games… IT’S THIS WEEK! I hope you all are hyped, whether you are just spectating or playing in games. It’s also personally my first time taking part, so many exciting things coming up! For those participating, I know how mentally and physically taxing practices can be. Make sure you dedicate some time to take care of yourself, whether that be doomscrolling on TikTok or binging Netflix, don’t shame yourself for wanting to take some time away from responsibility. The key to auramaxxing is balancing both and accepting the needs of your body and mind.
Speaking of upcoming events, our Internal Vice President Cai and I will be hosting our second Joilibee (a combined name of Josh and Cailin) Office Hours, THIS WEDNESDAY from 7 - 9 PM AT WPH B30. The theme of this year for Troy Philippines is “roots” — to understand just how deep our individual roots are, we hold a roundtable discussion in the beginning of every Office Hours to reflect on our own Filipino identity and attachment to our culture.
If you weren’t there last time, wyd? Surrounded by free food and chill vibes, we mingled and locked in while making paper parols with Directors of Cultural Engagement Josh Nicolas and Ari! We also can’t forget about the free Fabletics we got from Jantzen 🐐🐐 This week, it’s lock in time: get your nerd aura out and lock in with free snacks and good vibes this Wednesday.
Getting ready for internship application season? Whatever professional opportunity you are looking for, USC and Troy Philippines have some resources for you that you should be aware of!
Connect with us on our LinkedIn! Reap the benefits of being in the network with many successful Troy Philippines alumni by networking through our platform. If you have any opportunities you would like us to push on our LinkedIn page, please fill out this form, and we’ll be sure to give you the space you deserve. +1000 aura
Take advantage of the designated safe spaces to study! There are many on campus, and here are a few you should know of (but definitely not all of them):
Kortschak Learning Center (KCLC), located on the third floor of the Student Union Building, room 311. This center is designated to empower students and their success!
Asian Pacific American Student Services (APASS) Lounge, located on the fourth floor of the Student Union Building, room 410. This center is designed for Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) identifying students, with periodic events with free food! A couple people from Troy Philippines work here, so definitely a safe place to lock in.
First Generation Plus Student Center (FG+SC), located on the second floor of Ronald Tutor Campus Center, room 224. According to their website: “The First Generation Plus Success Center aims to create a culture of belonging and inclusion that will facilitate the transition of USC first-generation, undocumented, former foster youth, and transfer students into college life.” As a FGLI student myself, I believe this is an important space to find comfort in the unfamiliar struggles college life can throw at you. If you are also an FGLI student, feel free to reach out to me and we can rant about our unique struggles together #strengthinsolidarity
There are also constant professional opportunities appearing for Troy Philippines members! Look at our Discord server in the #resources channel for now… we are cooking something up to make sure you don’t miss other resources or opportunities that can get you to where you want to be next.
Stay strong, and push through this midterm season! Think of all of the amazing things that will be happening both in and out of Troy Philippines, and reward yourself when you can. Please feel free to reach out to me at jplacido@usc.edu or if you see me around at TP events. I’m so proud of you – I already see you gaining more aura 🔥🔥
From one sigma to another,
Josh Placido
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