#danica hosaka

[uscdornsifeadmission]

My Favorite Trader Joe’s Snacks to Get Me Through the Day - Danica Hosaka

With only a few more weeks left to live in the Village, I am now realizing that the convenience of running downstairs to Trader Joe’s to pick up a quick snack on the way to class is no longer going to be a reality. As a big snacker and Trader Joe’s fanatic, this is a very sad realization to me. Here are a few of my favorites that are very affordable (and somewhat healthy):

1. Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups: These Peanut Butter Cups are like Reese’s but better. They have the perfect amount of savory dark chocolate and salty peanut butter. All it takes is one or two cups to get me through a late-night study session.

2. Sweet, Savory, and Tart Trex Mix: You can never go wrong with any kind of Trader Joe’s Trail Mix, but this one is my personal favorite. It contains three different kinds of chocolate chips (and of course, cranberries, ​peanuts, cashews, and almonds).

3. Soft and Juicy Dried Mangoes: These mangoes are delicious and a great snack to take on the go because they are small and compact… did I mention that they are also only $2 a bag?

4. Pita Chips with Sea Salt and Hummus Quartet: This combination is a great afternoon snack and a healthy alternative to potato chips.​

5. Organic Lowfat Yogurt Squishers: These bad boys will bring you back to your childhood. I highly recommend freezing them and eating them as a guilt-free dessert.​

[uscdornsifeadmission]

Future Lawyers Unite! - Danica Hosaka

Going into college, I never thought I would join Greek life because of the stereotypes and negative media surrounding fraternities and sororities. However, I found a professional (and co-ed) fraternity called Phi Alpha Delta (also known as PAD), which is USC’s only pre-law fraternity on campus. PAD’s purpose is to help members explore potential careers in law and meet other students who have similar academic interests.

During weekly Wednesday night meetings, PAD brings in professional speakers to help us get a taste of the steps it takes to become a lawyer or the day in the life of a lawyer. Last semester, we had lawyers come in from the LA Clippers, Marvel Studios, and Paul Hastings. We also had an instructor from TestMasters LSAT prep come in for a mini LSAT prep course. Overall, these speakers helped me realize that law school is the path for me after I graduate.

This spring semester, I serve as the Vice President for Scholarship, which means that I encourage the academic success of all PAD members through weekly newsletters, study hours, and a scholarship drive. I also create and monitor forms, such as professor/class recommendations, past internships that members have participated in, outgoing senior surveys, and alumni surveys.

Because of PAD, I have been able to develop my professional skills, which includes learning how to enhance my resume, dressing in “business professional”, and networking at any social event. While these professional advancements have been helpful, I found a little family at USC through PAD, who constantly support me and have my back.

[uscdornsifeadmission]

Tips If You Are Planning On Going To Law School - Danica Hosaka

Thinking about going to more school after undergrad seems like a drag, but it is a reality for many people in this day and age. For example, I am applying to law school during this upcoming cycle, and it is a lot of work. Below are some tips I have if you are planning on going to law school:

1. Find a major that you like: One of the most important things on your law school application will be your GPA. If you major in something that you love to study, getting good grades will be a lot easier. Not only will you get good grades but also you will find it easier to go to class and complete assignments if you enjoy the subject you are studying. This is why it is okay to change your major multiple times in order to find the major that is perfect for you. You want to make sure that your major is something that you enjoy and want to learn more about.

2. Set a general timeline for your undergraduate career: Preparing to apply to law school starts as soon as you know you want to go to law school. Whether this knowledge is acquired in your freshman year or your senior year, start crafting a plan on how you want to attack the law school application process. You want to make sure that you are keeping track of the items you need to check off in order to not fall behind in the application process. For an example timeline for law school applications, visit the pre-law advising website: https://dornsife.usc.edu/timeline/

3. Get involved in extra-curricular activities: Part of your application for law school includes your resume. Law schools request to see your resume because they want to know that you did more things outside of going to class. They want a well-rounded individual sitting in their classes. Whether these extra-curricular activities include getting a job/internship or getting leadership positions of clubs, make sure that you are getting involved and staying involved. Law schools like to see commitment to activities.

4. Be friendly with at least two of your professors: Another part of the law school application process is getting letters of recommendation from your professors. Law schools want to know what you are like in the classroom (Are you studious? Do you participate in class? etc.). Therefore, I highly recommend going to office hours with your professor; during office hours, professors will get to know you better and put a face to a name. This will help them write a strong letter of recommendation for you and can help you stand apart from other applicants.

5. Take class about law: The best way to learn if law school is the right fit for you is to take classes about law. USC not only offers political science or public policy classes but also offers undergraduate classes in the Gould School of Law. I have taken a few of these classes and found all of them really useful in figuring out that I want to go to law school. Most of the professors in the department have gone to law school before and are currently practicing attorneys. They have a lot of knowledge about law and are willing to talk to you about the law school experience. 

For example, my LAW 200 professor, Mr. Mark Haddad, was a partner at Sidley Austin LLP and served as a clerk for Justice William Brennan of the Supreme Court. He has been a fantastic resource for me, as he has introduced me to reading case law and shown us examples of oral arguments given in front of the Supreme Court.

I hope you have found these tips helpful! The pre-law advising office is one of the many resources that students use (including myself) to prepare to go to law school and understand what the application process entails.

[uscdornsifeadmission]

USC Bucket List

The Dornsife Ambassadors shared their recommendations on the things you MUST do during your time at USC.

Elisabeth Vehling: Explore Culver City.

Tommy Nguyen: Get interviewed by Youtuber.

Marlaina Leo: Be on the field in the Coliseum.

Jada Hislop: Do a Joshua Tree Weekend Trip.

Elizabeth Zhou: Get coffee with your professor.

G Bajaj: Meet a celebrity.

Natalia Hayakawa: Stay after the football games and listen to the band.

Allie Famiglietti: Take a PWP (Problems Without Passports) or a Maymester. John Perino: Go to Catalina Island/Wrigley Institute.

Claire He: Take a picture with Tommy Trojan.

Lily Dyre: Attend a Visions and Voices performance/event.

Tiffany Vuong: Climb on Traveler the horse.

Lana Bridi: Take a 2-unit class.

Amanda Cawley: Take a PE class for ½ a unit.

Victoria Friend: Take the surfing class.

Danica Hosaka: Take a freshman seminar.

[uscdornsifeadmission]

Graduating Early - Danica Hosaka

“You’re graduating early? Why would you want to do such a thing?” This is a question that I get from fellow students, old high school friends, and family alike. I have to explain to them that college costs a lot of money, and that time is also money. Saving myself a full year of tuition and time means that I can spend more time in the workforce and less time paying for school. Since I want to go to law school, I also explain that I am willing to sacrifice the amount of work it takes to graduate early in order to use my tuition money on a year of law school instead of a fourth year in undergrad.

If you would like to see if you can graduate early, here are some of the resources that helped me:

Your Advisor

During my second semester at USC, I talked to my psychology advisor to set my course plan. At that time, I was a business and psychology double major but wanted to drop my business major because I realized that business was not for me. During my time with my advisor, we came up with a plan where I could finish all my psychology major and psychology & law minor requirements in four semesters. Also, I continued to stay in contact with my advisor, especially when I was close to my registration date, in order to make sure I was getting the classes I needed to each semester. Because of my advisor, I am receiving my diploma in May!

Transfer Planning Guide

Taking summer classes if you planning on graduating early are almost always a must. You can take major/minor requirements at USC over the summer if you need to, but you can also take elective classes at your local community college to reach the 128 units you need to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. Once you become a registered student at USC, you can find the transfer planning guide in your OASIS account, and it will tell you which classes from local community colleges will transfer for credit. This guide helped me so much during the summer after my first year because I was able to take classes at home and have those classes as a part of my USC curriculum.

Academic Achievement Award

Because I had to take over 18 units for two semesters, I had to pay per unit for the units that exceeded the 18 units that base tuition covers. While the extra units cost only a fraction of a fourth year of tuition, they are still a financial burden that some people cannot afford. Luckily, USC offers a scholarship that covers up to three extra units for students who are pursuing multiple programs, including double majoring or majoring and minoring. Here is the website that has more information about the requirements for the scholarship: https://ahf.usc.edu/awards/aaa/

[uscdornsifeadmission]

Sophomore Seminar 200: So You Want To Be A Lawyer? - Danica Hosaka

Last semester, I decided to take a Sophomore Seminar called "So You Want to Be a Lawyer?" because I had been thinking about attending law school. In this class, Professor Auerbach explained to students what it is really like to become a lawyer. He described every step of becoming a lawyer starting from applying to law school, being a student in law school, passing the bar, and finding your preferred practice. Occasionally, Professor Auerbach invited guest speakers from different fields of law to come and speak about what it is like to be a lawyer in that profession and what their law school experiences were like. Some examples of lawyers who came to talk to us were a civil litigator, a district attorney, an entertainment lawyer, and a patent lawyer. These speakers truly provided great insights on what it is like to be a part of the law and gave good advice on what to do to become a lawyer.

Two times during the semester, Professor Auerbach took the entire class on a field trip. First, we went to the Criminal Courts Building located near Grand Park. We got to talk to a judge about his work and observe an ongoing trial. My group was able to see a direct examination of an expert witness in a rape case. More recently, we visited the 2nd district Court of Appeals, located right in the heart of downtown LA. While court was adjourned for the day, we did visit the courtroom where many appeals cases are heard. We even got to sit at the bench where the California Supreme Court Justices sit when they visit (see pictures).

Overall, this class did a great job of introducing students like me to the world of law and the steps it takes to become a lawyer, as well as what it is like to be a practicing lawyer. Because of this class, I have determined that law school is my calling and that the life of a lawyer is something I want to live. I highly recommend it to sophomores or juniors who are thinking about going to law school and/or pursing careers in law.

[uscdornsifeadmission]

 Forever Bleeding Cardinal and Gold - Danica Hosaka

Hi everyone! My name is Danica Hosaka, and I am a sophomore majoring in Psychology with a minor in Psychology and Law (on the pre-law track if that wasn’t obvious!). My love for psychology was kindled in my AP Psychology class in high school. My teacher presented the information in such a fascinating way that I was always left wanting more, which ultimately influenced my major. Also, I am from Thousand Oaks, California, which is close enough where I can go home to do laundry but far away enough where I can feel independent and have my own college experience.

Ever since I was little, USC has always been my dream school. Getting the “Welcome to the Trojan Family” letter in the mail was the best day of my life. I remember calling my parents and screaming “I GOT INTO USC”, as well as all the excitement and joy that rushed through my body. It seemed like all my hard work in high school paid off at that moment. I committed to USC later that month, and it was the best decision I have made so far.

To tell you a little bit more about me, I make it a point to be engaged with the USC community outside of classes. For instance, I am involved in Tommy’s Tours, which leads tours to elementary and middle school students, and Phi Alpha Delta, which is the pre-law fraternity on campus. I am also a marketing intern with the athletics department, which gives me opportunities to be on the field at the Coliseum during football games and on the court at the Galen Center for basketball and volleyball games. These experiences allow me to both meet other people on campus, as well as give me a feel for what I want to do with the rest of my life.

To me, the best thing about USC is having that balance between academics and social life. Going to USC gives me the opportunity to meet people from around the country and around the world. I have friends from every walk of life who help me be the best person I possibly can be. Also, the professors here are genuinely interested in you and want you to succeed. There have been countless times where I have gone into office hours completely confused and come out with a new outlook on the topic at hand. Overall, I am truly grateful for the Trojan family because of all the support and love I receive from students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Because of this Trojan family, I live and breathe Cardinal and Gold-- there really is no better place to be than USC! Fight On!