Roaring 20's: The Trojan Take
By Lizzie Schneider
When reflecting on the implications of the coronavirus pandemic, some think of frustration, some of optimism and others of the 1918 Influenza pandemic that has been eerily echoed. However, without a doubt, one thing that allowed for was time to be creative. USC students, used to a lifestyle of working hard and playing hard that was suddenly ripped away from them in the prime of their youth, found themselves with time on their hands to pursue whatever they were interested in. As a student population already incredibly motivated to succeed in every aspect of life, start-up businesses began popping up everywhere. College aged kids 100 years ago were very similar to those of today.
During the 1918 Influenza pandemic that killed 50 million people, students were isolated and required to wear flu masks. Since online learning was impossible at the time and social distancing had not been invented yet, students took classes in the open air if weather allowed, and some campuses like that of UNC went into quarantine until the pandemic ended. Like USC offering the USC hotel to quarantine in, telehealth appointments and testing in the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters, Elon college offered a makeshift infirmary as did Vassar, Wellesley, Princeton and William and Mary. Additionally, the call for students to sacrifice their college experience and contribute their time and energies for the good of the people can be seen during both time periods. . In the 20th century, the Women’s Medical College in Philadelphia sent upperclassmen to hospitals where they took care of patients and similarly at the Pennsylvania School for Social Services, students volunteered as nurses aids. Students at Smith College volunteered on farms where they harvested crops like potatoes to prevent food shortages. For USC students, volunteering may not be as much of an option given stay at home orders, however, the extra time allowed for start up businesses to flourish.
Take online boutique Good Motto. USC sophomore Grace Stenger launched her online business in April of 2020 about a month after being sent home from school with the rest of the student body. Originally an etsy shop, Stenger found herself with the opportunity to flourish creatively and publish a website. Focusing on rebranding a once fairly eclectic mix of custom painted or embroidered denim jackets, art prints and screen printed sweatshirts, gracestengerdesigns.com is now an aesthetically pleasing, modern preppy business. With the introduction of new collections like “Lovely + Grateful” and “Dreamer + Doer” which feature hand-painted yoga tanks, leggings and sweatshirts, the business that began simply as commissioned creations has now become a full-fledged label. Good Motto also offers painted or embroidered customizations for initials, colleges or sororities on sweatshirts and denim jackets as well as fashionable wall art for the trendy and preppy student. To date, Good Motto has over $500 in sales and is projected to be even more successful as the pandemic ceases and students go back to school.
Start-up businesses undoubtedly take a significant amount of time and effort to launch successfully. But, quarantine gave students the opportunity to work hard (or not) in school and focus on their passions as social opportunities petered out and eventually ceased. Given that most everyone was on their phones and looking at social media or online shopping, advertising was entirely free and virality was incredibly easy to achieve, leading to a boom in sales.
Jayla Loren Apparel designed by junior Jayla Loren is a tie-dye business, and Design Tings which are custom creations hand painted and embroidered by sophomore Kiana Ting,are all USC student start-up businesses launched during quarantine. The roaring 20s was characterized by optimism, glitzy social events and fun fashion which is where current society is looking to be headed yet again, 100 years later. Where flapper dresses and attention-grabbing outfits were the norm, today we see daring pieces and bright colors becoming increasingly donned. Now that vaccinations are more abundant and are mass distributed, social events will be picking up and the future for the creativity that was unlocked during the period of quarantine looks bright. For the young business owner, especially one in a university environment, the pandemic was a perfect time to take a leap of faith and put in the work to push for success in an unprecedented moment. For USC specifically, the Trojan family — including the student body and prospective students yearning to connect from afar — served to buoy up small businesses and continue the local tradition of success. Achievement is fashionable.
During the 1918 Influenza pandemic that killed 50 million people, students were isolated and required to wear flu masks. Since online learning was impossible at the time and social distancing had not been invented yet, students took classes in the open air if weather allowed, and some campuses like that of UNC went into quarantine until the pandemic ended. Like USC offering the USC hotel to quarantine in, telehealth appointments and testing in the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters, Elon college offered a makeshift infirmary as did Vassar, Wellesley, Princeton and William and Mary. Additionally, the call for students to sacrifice their college experience and contribute their time and energies for the good of the people can be seen during both time periods. . In the 20th century, the Women’s Medical College in Philadelphia sent upperclassmen to hospitals where they took care of patients and similarly at the Pennsylvania School for Social Services, students volunteered as nurses aids. Students at Smith College volunteered on farms where they harvested crops like potatoes to prevent food shortages. For USC students, volunteering may not be as much of an option given stay at home orders, however, the extra time allowed for start up businesses to flourish.
Take online boutique Good Motto. USC sophomore Grace Stenger launched her online business in April of 2020 about a month after being sent home from school with the rest of the student body. Originally an etsy shop, Stenger found herself with the opportunity to flourish creatively and publish a website. Focusing on rebranding a once fairly eclectic mix of custom painted or embroidered denim jackets, art prints and screen printed sweatshirts, gracestengerdesigns.com is now an aesthetically pleasing, modern preppy business. With the introduction of new collections like “Lovely + Grateful” and “Dreamer + Doer” which feature hand-painted yoga tanks, leggings and sweatshirts, the business that began simply as commissioned creations has now become a full-fledged label. Good Motto also offers painted or embroidered customizations for initials, colleges or sororities on sweatshirts and denim jackets as well as fashionable wall art for the trendy and preppy student. To date, Good Motto has over $500 in sales and is projected to be even more successful as the pandemic ceases and students go back to school.
Start-up businesses undoubtedly take a significant amount of time and effort to launch successfully. But, quarantine gave students the opportunity to work hard (or not) in school and focus on their passions as social opportunities petered out and eventually ceased. Given that most everyone was on their phones and looking at social media or online shopping, advertising was entirely free and virality was incredibly easy to achieve, leading to a boom in sales.
Jayla Loren Apparel designed by junior Jayla Loren is a tie-dye business, and Design Tings which are custom creations hand painted and embroidered by sophomore Kiana Ting,are all USC student start-up businesses launched during quarantine. The roaring 20s was characterized by optimism, glitzy social events and fun fashion which is where current society is looking to be headed yet again, 100 years later. Where flapper dresses and attention-grabbing outfits were the norm, today we see daring pieces and bright colors becoming increasingly donned. Now that vaccinations are more abundant and are mass distributed, social events will be picking up and the future for the creativity that was unlocked during the period of quarantine looks bright. For the young business owner, especially one in a university environment, the pandemic was a perfect time to take a leap of faith and put in the work to push for success in an unprecedented moment. For USC specifically, the Trojan family — including the student body and prospective students yearning to connect from afar — served to buoy up small businesses and continue the local tradition of success. Achievement is fashionable.