<p>current trojans i have a question...i'm wondering about the quality and frequency of on campus activities--things like screenings, gatherings, and especially concerts (for me, concerts mean anything from indie/rock to classical, i love classical), etc. i know of Springfest and i heard about the Welcome Back concert...but what other interesting things happen on campus, like if you're looking for something to do but can't into the city? or if (worst case scenario and my fear) very few interesting things happen on campus, please tell...</p>
<p>Concerts are pretty limited... SpringFest and the Welcome concert are the two main ones... along with a weeklong TroyWeek celebration (the week we play fUCLA in football), which Jimmy Eat World played this year. Ground Zero also has smaller "gatherings" as you put it...so there are things to do around campus, you just have to look for them. However, the social life of the school definitely does not revolve around the campus.</p>
<p>They at least used to have weekly movie screenings for about half the price of a real movie ticket, of movies that were just out of theatres but not on DVD yet. The Friday midnight show was extremely popular.</p>
<p>The lack of official campus nightlife was a frequent topic in the Daily Trojan this past year. As the university moves away from being a commuter school and more students live on campus, some are calling for more nighttime activities. </p>
<p>During the day, the campus is a vibrant and diverse place full of things to get involve with. However, when I wonder around at night, things are eerily quiet. Perhaps the social/party scene moves into the city or up to Fraternity Row?</p>
<p>"some are calling for more nighttime activities."</p>
<p>Are there any administrators or student groups working proactively to improve this? Thanks --</p>
<p>I don't know of anyone specific, but most students acknowledge it as a shortcoming of the school. People seem to gather socially in smaller groups or parties in lieu of large events on campus.</p>
<p>One of the Daily Trojan pieces I remember is <a href="http://www.dailytrojan.com/media/storage/paper679/news/2005/08/29/Opinions/Student.Life.Surroundings.Fall.Short-970760.shtml?norewrite200605301715&sourcedomain=www.dailytrojan.com%5B/url%5D">http://www.dailytrojan.com/media/storage/paper679/news/2005/08/29/Opinions/Student.Life.Surroundings.Fall.Short-970760.shtml?norewrite200605301715&sourcedomain=www.dailytrojan.com</a></p>
<p>Thanks for the link. Hope this is an area where students and faculty will continue to work for a more vibrant campus life.</p>
<p>Also, Ground Zero is open nights, and they often have different bands and groups playing there. They also have improv comedy on Fridays. All for free. Also, you can buy milkshakes and such that are wonderful.</p>
<p>There's nothing on it right now, but if you want to look back at some of the past on-campus activities, take a look at SNAPP: <a href="https://saitweb.usc.edu/snapp/index.cfm%5B/url%5D">https://saitweb.usc.edu/snapp/index.cfm</a></p>
<p>I would say that there is always <em>something</em> happening on campus, but events seem to be small, indoor gatherings of specific groups. Events that bring masses of people out to the quads, such as concerts, are few and far between.</p>
<p>actually, i'm very glad to hear that things like bands play at on-campus cafes (i'm planning on starting up something myself)...i'm really into all sorts of music, but especially indie and ecclectic music, so that seemed exactly my kind of thing. </p>
<p>are the Thornton School concerts free for students as well, or does it depend on what kind of concert it is? </p>
<p>and larationalist, will they still be having movie screenings on-campus? i wasn't sure because you're talking about the movie screenings in the past tense...</p>
<p>From what I've heard and what I experienced when I visited in January. The best way to find things to do at night is through Greek Life. I am already a brother in a fraternity at my current(I'ma prospective transfer) school and have met the brothers from that fraternity at USC and they were very welcoming and accomodating. ANy guys looking into fraternities on here check out Delta Chi. Also while I was there there were a bunch of programs that went on at night. I went to one in Annenberg that was broadcast on the radio and they had someone from CNN, KCAL, the LAPD Public Information officer and a bunch of others, it was about misinformation in the news, specifically the Sago mine incident. It was great. There were quite a few programs at night going on the 3 days I was there. Partywise though, The Row is the place to be. Fight On!</p>
<p>It's ridiculous to ask large squad events to happen on campus frequently during weekdays. I know Faculty and admistration are against this. The campus is mainly used for academic and intellectual purpose, and should be kept that way. Some faculty members even thought about proposing ban on the on-campus football tailgating except for parents' day and alum day events. </p>
<p>Besides, there are always film screenings, concerts, etc. every week. Thornton, film school, and school of theatre all have their season schedules handed out at the beginning of every semester. If you scheduled well, you probably can have arts, entertainment every night. </p>
<p>As for shortage of restraunts and gathering places around the campus, it is an inherent problem in this neighborhood. Students alone can not support any sizable business. The declination of Telegraph Ave south of CAL campus is a proof. As the downtown revitalization is happening, things will change for the better, but any new development around campus will meet somewhat resistance, some of which is huge. </p>
<p>And at last, I will disagree with that dailytrojan writer: it is not necessay to have a super student live for a college to be elite. It is just an unfounded argument, not that I am against improving undergraduate life at USC.</p>
<p>phobos- I'm not sure. I know they stopped the midnight screenings by the time I left, but still had 8pm and 10pm screenings. But I graduated a year ago, and to be honest I didn't have time to go to any of them during my thesis year, so I'm two years removed from the DKA movie screening experience. I hope they're still there because it was a great event, but wanted to make it clear that I wasn't 100% sure it was still happening.</p>
<p>There really is plenty of stuff to do around USC, but you've got to be proactive about it, it's not going to land in your lap. Aside from the campus movie screenings, there are always people handing out free tickets for pre-screenings at the Paramount and Sony studios, and parties on the row are fun if you bring friends whether you're greek or not, there are improv troupe performances in the middle of campus weekly, and smaller bands perform there pretty often too. There are plays and musicals put on by the theater school, as well as the occasional comedian visit, guest jazz performers, etc. in Bovard. There are a million different groups you can join, as well as events put on by various building governments like trips to six flags, bbq's, halloween festivities, primal scream during finals. And football. I think there might be some other sports, too...</p>
<p>Anyway, there is more stuff to do at USC than a person can participate in, even if they DIDN'T go to class or do homework, as I'm sure all of you are planning to. You've just got to keep your eyes open, seek it out.</p>
<p>well, i guess this question kinda derails the original point of the thread a bit...but bear with me. is getting into the city or Hollywood fairly easy, even without a car? i plan to invade Amoeba Records on a regular basis...</p>
<p>During the school year, the Thornthon orchestra has a concert almost every week. Most of them are free for students, yet not very many students go. Get a calendar from the music school. Highly recommended.</p>
<p>Check out "The Big Game Hunters," a student comedy troupe, which performs periodically during the school year. My son's a member.</p>
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