Vanessa Marcano

It is Friday afternoon. Students around campus anxiously wait as class time creeps by, minute by minute.

The rhythms of professors’ voices are spouting off duties, assignments and exam dates. The bustling and rustling of notebooks and binders suddenly fill the classrooms, as the clock’s hand finally reaches that 50th minute, signaling triumphant freedom – at least for the next 48 hours. Frantic text messages flood cell phone inboxes, all carrying the same inevitable question: what are we going to do this weekend?

One program, Weekend STUFF, was created just to answer that question.

An alliance of sorts – among The Union, Residential Life, Wellness Center and Multicultural Affairs staff – the program offers alternatives to alleviate on-campus weekend boredom, while at the same time encouraging social and cultural life at SDSU.

First established in the fall of 2005, Weekend STUFF is an initiative to ensure that there are always events for students to attend on campus every weekend during the semester, said Adam Karnopp, director of orientation at The Union.

“We have a lot more students around on the weekend,” said Karnopp. “[The events] are geared for any student at SDSU, though a big portion of our crowd come from the residence halls, since most of our events happen on campus.”

Weekend STUFF has an entire bag of tricks for on-campus entertainment this fall. On Sept. 18, Friday Night Flicks will be showing Transformers 2 at 9 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center. On Oct. 2, students should save the date for laughs with The Hangover. According to RottenTomatoes.com, it is one of the most highly rated films of the summer.

“We also have some more active programs, like a dance night on Sept. 25, which will feature ballroom, Latin and jitterbug dancing,” said Karnopp.

In partnership with the Multicultural Affairs Office, Weekend STUFF will have dance instructors conducting classes. Attendees will have a chance to shake their cares away for one night and mingle with other Jackrabbits. The dance night will take place at Volstorff Ballroom, from 8 to 11 p.m.

There will be no excuse for students to go home this upcoming weekend, because following the Beef Bowl game on Sept.19, Weekend STUFF has planned a Union Fun Night, starting at 9 p.m. at Jacks’ Place.

“We do [The Union Fun Night] every year in the fall, just to get people used to what happens in The Union,” said Karnopp.

“We bring the karaoke machine for people to sing, since students not yet 21 can’t do that anywhere else in the area,” he said. Though karaoke is a big part of the evening, the Outback Jacks pool area will be open for free games that night, said Karnopp, adding that there may be a Wii console for a greater variety of entertainment. Jacks’ Place, which is usually closed on weekends, will be open and offering specials on beef pizza, as part of the Beef Bowl weekend, Karnopp said.

“We’ll also have prizes to give away, and anybody who comes will have a chance to win.”

The upcoming month of October will be packed with lively events organized by Weekend STUFF.

One of the crowning jewels for this fall’s programs includes an unusual trek through The Union.

“We’re trying to pull off a Union mini-golf event, where people will just play mini-golf through the building,” said Karnopp.

Scheduled for Oct. 9, golf enthusiasts will have an opportunity to satisfy their sports cravings at this event, which will run from 9 a.m. until noon, according to Weekend STUFF’s Facebook site.

At the end of October, Weekend STUFF is organizing a trip to Valley Fair amusement park. Though this is one of the few events where students will have to pay a fee, “it ends up being a lot cheaper and more convenient to go with [Weekend STUFF] than if you just go with a group of friends,” said Karnopp. “We go during a time where it becomes ValleySCARE. They do different haunted houses and mazes. Last year, it was pretty popular and a lot of fun,” he said.

For more information on Weekend STUFF, visit Facebook.com and search for Weekend STUFF, or contact Adam Karnopp at 605-688-4960.