USC

What are students doing this bye-weekend?

On and off campus ideas to add to your schedule.

Photo of students walking across the USC campus

Students walk past the Tommy Trojan statue at USC on Sept. 12. (Photo by Sangmin Kim)

By Dylan Brashier

No football? No problem.

With the USC football team on an early bye week, students won’t have the opportunity to attend tailgates or a game at the crowded Coliseum. So what else is there to do? Annenberg Media asked individuals what their plans are this weekend and made a list of exciting on and off campus events for students to fill up their itinerary.

Kayla Sarno, a senior music industry major, said, “Usually I don’t hear of parties or plans until the last minute. … [I’m] probably going to go to one of the club events on campus.”

If you want to stay on campus this weekend, check out EngageSC for a variety of events.

Campus activities will be holding a Late Night ‘SC Game Night at the Pardee Lawn, Friday, Sept. 15 from 8-11 p.m. Sign up on EngageSC.

Looking for some stress relief and peace? SKY at USC has got you covered. According to their Instagram, “SKY Happiness Retreat is a 15-hour total well-being training backed up by peer reviewed research from Yale, Harvard and other research groups.” The retreat will take place from Friday, Sept. 15 to Sunday, Sept. 17 at the Art of Living, located at 948 W. Adams Boulevard. Learn meditation, secrets of breath and community positivity with SKY at USC.

Other students, like freshman classics major Jonathan Zhuo, want to get off campus and visit Los Angeles’s best spots.

“I’m gonna be exploring L.A., either going to like the Griffith Observatory or just trying to find some good food, probably Koreatown and Little Tokyo as well,” Zhuo said.

Other off-campus events include the 626 Night Market Mini in Downtown Santa Monica, featuring, “local food pop-ups, curated by the 626 Night Market team, merchandise & craft vendors.” According to Eventbrite, this free-to-attend mini market occurs every other weekend on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-10 p.m. each night.

Want to sit down with an Academy Award–winning actor?  Matthew McConaughey will be holding “An Afternoon with Matthew McConaughey,” at the Robert Frost Auditorium in Culver City, where he will be discussing his new picture book “Just Because.” Tickets and signed book bundles can be found through Eventbrite.

Night Nation Run is hosting an event this Saturday, Sept. 16 at Dignity Health Sports Park. Per their website, “the Night Nation Run is the World’s 1st Running Music Festival, an ultimate blend of a Music Festival and a Fun Run.” The run showcases interactive features such as light shows, bubble machines, ecstatic DJs and an after party finale for a colorful L.A. night experience. Sign ups end Thursday, Sept. 14 at midnight, so act fast.

Some students, like freshman economics and data science major Arnav Gandhi, are going to spend their weekend branching out spiritually.

“I’m Hindu, so I’m going to a new temple [in Chino Hills] and check it out,” Gandhi said. “It’s called BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir.”

Students that want to connect with the L.A. culture should attend the 2023 South L.A. Power Fest this Saturday, Sept. 16 from 12-8 p.m. Held at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Mall on West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, “experience the power and sounds of this talented musical lineup as they take the stage to entertain and inspire.” The event advertises various local food vendors and a chance to learn more about the community and social-economic conditions of South L.A.

But fear not football fans, the USC football team has their next game on Saturday, Sept. 23 at Arizona State and their next home game against Arizona on Saturday, Oct. 7.