I find the way the USC community often talks about the vibrant neighborhoods beyond campus to be repetitive and uninspired. Time and time again, I have heard the same generic comments from fellow students. 

“I just stay on campus and USC Village because it’s too dangerous everywhere else,” they complain.

Because the same line has been repeated,” this narrative is ingrained in the minds of many USC students. What this means all too often is that my fellow students will either never leave campus or only venture to frequent high-end shopping centers like the Grove or Century City Mall. 

I find this mindset to be to the detriment of both students and Los Angeles itself. It builds an invisible wall that allows for stereotypes on both USC students and regions like South Central L.A. to be perpetuated. 

Much of the invisible wall’s impact can be attributed to the literal walls our campus has that have segregated USC students from the surrounding community in ways that UCLA students, living in the same county as us, do not feel with Westwood. This was even further perpetuated by the campus checkpoints and ID scanning USC implemented during the previous three semesters.

For USC students, this means the “University of Spoiled Children”  reputation lives on, as the surrounding communities can only perceive USC students through the countless scandals they see on the news. 

Likewise, students continue to have a negative perception of the surrounding community because of the absence of memories created in the community; instead, their knowledge is shaped by  the Department of Public Safety’s crime alert emails or the news. The reality of the matter is that crime around USC is no different in any other major city.

As someone born and raised in L.A. County, I encourage everyone to get off campus more. There is always so much to discover in L.A.:  I’ve shown my “transplant” friends the places I frequent, but I also owe much of my neighborhood knowledge to those friends.

Now more than ever, L.A businesses need customers to support them. Amid the looming fear of raids in our city by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, immigrant-owned businesses like those in the Fashion District and at Santee Alley are experiencing low customer turnout and really could use the support of the powerful USC community.

For every spot I have learned from my friends in downtown, I’ve taken them to eat at the best spots in the San Fernando Valley. Every neighborhood has something to offer, and you won’t find what that is by relying on fear and stereotypes.

With that in mind, let’s look beyond the stereotypes and explore two of the unique neighborhoods in L.A. — Echo Park and L.A. Fashion District — spots I have especially enjoyed visiting.

I understand the time constraints of college life and how inaccessible L.A. can feel. It may not always be possible to get very far off campus with your schedule, but Echo Park is one of the most beautiful and easily accessible neighborhoods from USC: Echo Park is easily accessible using the Metro 2 bus that boards on the intersection of West Jefferson Boulevard and South Hoover Street. 

Just a 25-minute bus ride is all it takes! I especially love Sunday’s Best Thrift Apparel — home to the most adorable cat named Sunday and filled with the best thrift finds any day of the week. 

Only a 40-minute bus ride from campus lies the Fashion District, which I adore. What is so great about the Fashion District is that it’s one of the few places in L.A. to shop for clothes that aren’t  inundated with the big brands like Urban Outfitters and Hollister. You can find one-of-a-kind clothes or some of the most beautiful flower arrangements that are fun to look at, even if you are not looking to buy any.

One of the major shopping centers in the Fashion District is Santee Alley; it’s especially famous within L.A.’s Latine community, and for good reason — it’s big, and the options are plenty. I have fond memories of shopping there with friends to find the perfect outfit for Kali Uchis’ Red Moon in Venus Tour in 2023 and racing back to campus to make it in time for class. 

If you haven’t found reason enough to leave campus, now is the perfect opportunity to choose to support L.A. beyond the gates of campus and see the beauty the city has to offer. L.A. is more complex than what you’ve heard, and all it takes is a little exploring to see that.