Where to Find Free Events @ USC
By: Natalia Wurst ‘21
If you’re anything like me and spent the summer before freshman year researching every possible way to mooch off our school, you probably don’t need this list. But for the rest of you sane people, who still want alternative (FREE) ways to spend your weekend besides watching Netflix, here is where to find them:
1. Late Night ‘SC Facebook page
LNSC holds a special place in my heart because it was one of the first USC Facebook pages I followed (even before our meme page and Free Food @ USC). The events posted there are diverse and eclectic–from drag bingo to glow yoga, to comedy shows and karaoke–it’s pretty all-encompassing. They are mostly all on campus, though there may be the occasional trip to the Grove or night hike in Griffith Park.
There’s a recap video on their website from the time they hosted a movie night in McCarthy quad that will definitely make your heart melt if you need any more convincing.
https://www.facebook.com/latenightsc/
2. Cardinal & Gold website*
For those of you who want to take the mooching to another level, I’d recommend you check the Cardinal & Gold website every so often. These are events that take place every Friday and Saturday night, typically off campus (transportation is provided), and save you so much freaking money. If it’s December and you’re looking to go to LA Live to ice skate but also be treated to hot chocolate, cookies, and scarves (as we all are), then this is the bandwagon to hop on.
https://resed.usc.edu/events/cardinal-gold-events/
3. USC Residential Education Facebook page/USC ResX app*
Most of the listings here are from Cardinal & Gold so I guess you could say I’m cheating by making this a separate item. Still, it needs its own section. The ResEd Facebook page provides a perfect blend of free events off campus that make you cry in front of your friends (i.e rock climbing, Black Panther screenings, etc) and super wholesome on-campus events for the homebodies who just want to decorate Valentine’s Day cookies all day.
And, yes, there’s also an app for this. The ResX app has an “Events” tab that’s pretty cleanly formatted and lets you save the events you’re interested in directly to the calendar on your phone.
https://www.facebook.com/USCResidentialEducation/
4. USC events calendar
For those who can’t be bothered with terrible karaoke singing or cookie decorating, and would rather spend their time getting cultured (major props), the official USC events calendar is for you. It holds the information about the dates that West Side Story is playing on campus as well as where to find lectures like “Beyond the PhD” or “Biotech Connection Los Angeles Seminar.” I promise you won’t regret glancing it over.
5. Visions and Voices website
I cannot rave more about this beautiful url. I remember waving my hand like “yeah, yeah” as a naive baby Trojan at orientation, forced to sit through presentations about how amazing our arts program is here. But I’m telling you–it’s not just empty propaganda!
Visions and Voices offers something for literally every type of person. Interested in musical theater? There’s an event for that. Classical music? An event for that. Social activism? So many events for that. Algorithms and their impact on contemporary society? Yup, that too.
http://visionsandvoices.usc.edu
6. The mini blackboard outside of TCC
This is my favorite thing to walk past every morning before 9am class. The sign explains itself! All events happen at Tommy’s Place, located in the basement of Ronald Tutor Campus Center.
I hope you are now more motivated to put Black Mirror on hold for a while (though I can’t really judge you for refusing, because I’ve heard some really stellar things about that show). Anyway, happy mooching!
Lots of love!
-Nat
* = open only to residential students :(
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