6 Cool Classes to Take at USC

By Christine Ascher on September 27, 2017

College is the perfect time to explore new hobbies and find new areas of interest. While it can be hard to find time in your likely overloaded schedule to actually pursue something that you’re interested in during your free time, you may actually be able to learn something new and exciting — that doesn’t relate to your major — in class.

In addition to having an organized platform through which you can learn, this will give you the chance to earn credit while having fun and exploring something new. When you have room for elective credits, take advantage of them by enrolling in a unique course that will teach you something completely unfamiliar.

If you’re lucky enough to have some extra time in your schedule, check out some of these fun and rewarding classes that you can take at USC.

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1. Yoga

If you’re looking for a class that will help you both relax and get a workout in during the day, yoga is a great option. In addition to actually practicing yoga in a learning environment, where you’re free to make mistakes and ask questions, you’ll also learn a lot about its foundations, and the different types of yoga.

You’ll receive some exposure to meditation and mindfulness as well. The class provides students with a broad overview of yoga concepts and puts you in a great place if you want to continue the practice on your own or in a studio in the future.

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2. Stress Management for Healthy Living

If yoga isn’t for you but you want to work on lowering your stress levels, Stress Management will help you learn various techniques for dealing with a busy schedule. In addition to learning new ways to manage your time, you’ll also get some exposure to different breathing techniques and meditations that you can turn to when you find yourself feeling anxious.

Part of your class time is also dedicated to physical exercise, and you’ll engage in a new activity every week in the hopes that everyone will be able to find an exercise that they enjoy and can continue using on their own. If that’s not enough to appeal to you, you’ll also get to learn about the importance of sleep — and you’ll put what you learn to good use by dedicating some class time to napping.

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3. Deepwater Cruising

Deepwater Cruising is a pretty popular extracurricular, and it’s easy to understand why. During the course of this elective, you’ll learn the basics of sailing through lecture, dockside demonstrations, and practice, and you’ll also be able to put what you learn to the test with a sailing voyage. At the end of the semester, you’ll have the opportunity to go on a two-day voyage to Catalina Island. In addition to taking advantage of USC’s location on the West Coast, taking this class will give you the chance to learn and practice a unique skill, and have some amazing experiences in the process.

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4. The Science of Happiness

As is evident just from the title, “The Science of Happiness” is an interesting and unique course that counts towards your general education requirements and that will give you something to talk about with your friends and family. Students learn about happiness studies and different ways that happiness can be quantified, examining studies through the lenses of psychology, economics, and neuroscience.

The course also discusses the effects of happiness studies on public policy decisions and personal choices and will give you the chance to sharpen your critical thinking when it comes to scientific research.

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5. Theatrical Film Symposium

Even if you’re not a student in the School of Cinematic Arts, it’s worth taking a class to get some of the Cinematic Arts experience during your time at USC. The course Theatrical Film Symposium is open to all USC students and, understandably, is one of the most popular elective courses at USC.

You’ll get to see screenings of upcoming movies, and you’ll hear from some big-time names in the industry – some past guests include Clint Eastwood, Orlando Bloom, and Helen Hunt. Each week, students get to see a movie (before its official release) and talk with the creators of the film. The class itself is taught by Leonard Maltin, who is a well-known film critic and historian.

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6. Surfing

If you’ve ever wished that you knew how to surf but never had the time to learn, now is your chance: USC offers a 1-unit surfing course that will teach you all of the basics, as well as the safety tips and precautions that you need to know. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to practice in a safe environment, and you’ll also take part in conditioning exercises, to ensure that you’re in the perfect shape to get started.

This course allows you to develop a more thorough understanding of surfing, far beyond what you would get from just practicing on your own. If you’re not convinced yet, just consider this: instead of sitting in a stuffy classroom, you’ll be heading to class on the beach.

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