It’s happening again. You’re lying on your bed on a Friday night, lamenting that there’s nothing to do. 

Yes, most students live on or near University Park Campus, located in the heart of arguably the most dynamic city in the world — home to a diverse mix of cuisines, music, art and athletics. However, those options are just out of reach for some, whether it’s due to lack of access to transportation, a tight budget or just not being that outgoing — but there’s still hope. 

This article speaks nothing of the discounted movie and museum tickets, the Metro E Line stop at the edge of campus that makes the beach just a 50-minute train ride away, or the countless concerts, restaurants, markets and other activities that are at our fingertips as USC students. Rather, it dives into the countless solo adventures one can find for free at UPC.

Covering the size of just under 130 football fields, UPC is bound to be home to a hodgepodge of oddities and attractions that could spark joy; it’s just a matter of finding them. Aside from subscribing to the Daily Trojan’s daily newsletter for a list of three events to attend each day, there are countless ways to discover campus’ secrets. Here are four to get you started. 

Scavenge for free books

Libraries famously already give you access to a treasure trove of free books, but, notably, you aren’t allowed to keep them. That is, until you are.

One could spend the rest of their lives thumbing through the ever-changing assortments of free books in bookcases scattered across campus. 

Free books can be found near the circulation desks of Doheny Memorial Library, Hoose Library of Philosophy, and the Architecture and Fine Arts Library. Each will offer their own flavor of literature based on their library’s focus.

In fact, Doheny, home to separate music and cinematic arts libraries, has more free offerings from each. The Music Library often also has an assortment of CDs, cassette tapes, sheet music and even vinyl records available for pickup. Although it’s rarer, the Cinematic Arts Library may suddenly dump a mountain of free film-related magazines or posters for the taking. 

If you yearn for the classics, head up to the fourth floor of Taper Hall for a collection of old poetry and prose.

A little bit of old-fashioned scavenging could bring your next diamond in the rough.

Catch a free movie or TV screening

Alessandro Ago, the School of Cinematic Arts’ director of programming and special projects — also known as [email protected] — has quite possibly the most famous email address at USC. With a prolific mailing list asking students to try a new short film or “hold space” for SCA’s “Theatrical Film Symposium” class, the mailing list serves up a never-ending fare for the film or television enthusiast as part of SCA’s “Outside the Box [Office]” program. 

The events include screenings of Oscar-winning movies and short films, sneak previews of highly anticipated blockbusters and everything in between. Recent screenings have included episodes of the “Andor” series, the 100th-anniversary screening of “The Phantom of the Opera” (1925) and a preview of “Bugonia.”

Email “subscribe” to Ago’s email address to join the mailing list and find your next favorite piece of media.

Take a self-guided tour of campus

Although this is best for first-years, it’s doubtful that even the most senior students know their way around campus’ most secluded nooks and crannies. Indeed, arming yourself with a map and a pencil could bring endless hours of fun as you traverse each building and walkway.

Soon, you’ll surely find yourself scribbling your favorite lookout points, study spots and bathrooms, having a more intimate look at the campus you may call home. 

If you’re looking for a few places to guide your adventure, the SCA complex is a veritable amusement park of its own: Movie posters line the hallways and staircases of each building, many of them adorned with signatures of USC alums who found their way into their casts or crews. 

The George Lucas Building offers a mini-museum of historic film equipment. A giant statue of Po from the “Kung Fu Panda” series is tucked away in one of SCA’s other buildings, waiting for you to come say hi.

You may also search for your favorite study spot in any one of Doheny’s five public levels of bookstacks or sunbathe on USC’s new Spirit of Troy lawn behind Marks Tower. 

Feed your non-denominational soul in the Little Chapel of Silence

Every person needs a place just to get away from it all. Tucked between Hubbard Hall and the Town and Gown Ballroom, a small brick sanctuary radiates warmth under the yellow lamplight of a quiet evening. The Little Chapel of Silence, a space for people of all faith traditions, is a spot to sit, reflect, and share in the peace and grief of all who have been there before.

Originally built in 1935, the tiny enclosure boasts a tall wooden carving of the “Trojan Trysting Tree,” rows of benches for contemplation, and an altar at the front which offers both a box to submit written prayers and a journal which visitors can write in with their prayers, struggles or triumphs. The Office of Religious and Spiritual Life collects the prayer slips to read and burn twice a year.  

Time stops between the brick walls and carpeted floors. Through the highs and lows of college, a visit to the chapel is a must for anyone hoping for a moment of peace.