Each year, fall approaches quickly to the city of Columbia. Temperatures continue to rise to a sweltering 100 degrees on an almost daily basis, the smell of the coming football season is wafting through the air and thousands of Gamecock students make the long (or short) trek to their new home at the University of South Carolina.
And whether you’re new to the Gamecock way of life or simply returning to your roots, Columbia has something to offer everyone on just about any night of the week. So make sure to start the school year off right and plan your week around some of the best that the capital city has to offer.
Monday
Let’s face it; no one likes Mondays. After a long two days of kicking back on the couch after partying into the wee hours of the morning, the last thing anyone wants to do is pull on a halfway-decent outfit and trudge to an 8 a.m. class. However, the Monday blues can, in fact, be cured. How? With only two words: Moe Mondays. Every Monday, hundreds of people line up outside Moe’s Southwest Grill on Main Street to wrap up their favorite burrito with chips and a drink for a mere $5. It’s quick, it’s delicious and it fits on a college budget. What more can we ask for? Later, head out to New Brookland Tavern and take in Scene SC’s acoustic showcase, featuring a variety of local and national acts.
Tuesday
If Monday is known as the worst day of the week, then Tuesday is probably better known as its ugly cousin. But with countless events and specials offered around the Columbia area, even Tuesday doesn’t have to be just another day on the calendar. The Whig, the Vista’s most famous underground bar, serves up 50-cent tacos loaded with all your favorite toppings every Tuesday night starting at 4 p.m. Tuesday is also a great night for open-mic sets, with The Big Ugly in the Vista and Alter Ego lounge in Lexington opening up their stages for future music hopefuls at 8 p.m.
Wednesday
Congratulations, you’ve made it halfway through a week of classes! To help make it over the middle-of-the-week hump, make your way to any one of Columbia’s famous trivia nights, with local restaurants like the Mellow Mushroom holding an all-night trivia bowl complete with a gift certificate prize at the end of the night. West Columbia’s own New Brookland Tavern even gets in on the fun, hosting its own “Super Awesome Wednesdays” with games, trivia and an inexpensive meal provided by the Garden Deli. For those of you 21 and up, the Flying Saucer on Senate Street has Brewery Nite every Wednesday, where patrons can try out a new type of beer and even get to take the glass home.
Thursday
Better known as Thirsty Thursday to some, this is probably one of the best nights of the week to make your way down to Five Points and sample some of the best drink specials the bars have to offer. Pour House is home to the infamous $1 beer night, and Grandma’s treats the 21-and-up crowd with a $5 Power Hour from 10 to 11 p.m. Even if you’re not of age to hit the bar scene, many Five Points venues host live music with inexpensive price tags every Thursday night, or head to the Russell House Theater to take in a movie with free popcorn.
Friday
It’s the last day of classes, and though some may still be recovering from Thursday night’s festivities, there’s a lot on Columbia’s calendar reserved just for Friday nights. Not counting the bars and venues chock-full of live music running the gamut from acoustic to jazz and rock, Friday is also a great night to hit the stage yourself and try out a little karaoke. Several bars in the area hold wildly popular karaoke nights where patrons can belt out a few choice tunes (ABBA’s “Dancing Queen,” anyone?) into the late hours. Carolina Ale House, the Saloon and the Vista Grill are only a handful of venues that offer karaoke to the Columbia area complete with a live host and a fully stocked jukebox.
Saturday
The first day of the week when many of us can sleep in, Saturday is a good night to head out to a house party or out to dinner at one of Columbia’s fabulous restaurants with a group of friends. For some, Saturday is for relaxing, and if this is the case for you, it’s always fun to visit one of Columbia’s hookah bars. 803 Hookah Bar and Lounge requires a membership, but the prices are inexpensive, and a live DJ is also often on deck spinning records until 2 a.m. Or make your way to the Vista, where Mezza Lebanese Bistro also offers a full hookah bar and authentic Lebanese cuisine. For those who like to get Saturday moving a little bit more, several clubs in the area host full-fledged dance nights, complete with DJs, light shows and dance music that really gets the pulse pounding.
Sunday
It’s Sunday, and that means it’s time to repent for all the crazy things you did during your week in Columbia. Relax at the Columbia Museum of Art; Sunday admission is free, and what fits into a college student’s extremely tight budget better than that?