<p>There’s nothing to do in Pasadena apart from the movie theaters (the best one is [the</a> Rialto](<a href=“http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Market/LosAngeles/RialtoTheatre.htm]the”>http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Market/LosAngeles/RialtoTheatre.htm)), so I’m not surprised that you didn’t get much feedback from store owners. Additionally, Pasadena seems to shut down at 10 PM and a good percentage of students are nocturnal.</p>
<p>During the day, you can get to LA or the beaches by train and move around inside LA by bus. Venice Beach has a variety of weird shops and entertaining crazy people as well as, you know, the ocean. [Santa</a> Monica Pier](<a href=“http://www.santamonicapier.org/]Santa”>http://www.santamonicapier.org/) has various restaurants and events, as well as an arcade, but I think the best part of it is the beachside playground. In LA, there’s Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Melrose (part of Melrose can best be described as “a goth shopping district”), and every year, E3, which Caltech’s gamer club can get you into.</p>
<p>LA public transport is not really an option at night, but if you have a car, the options really open up. [Perversion[/url</a>] is an awesome goth club, and every so often, there’s [url=<a href=“http://www.wumpskate.com/main.php]Wumpskate[/url”>http://www.wumpskate.com/main.php]Wumpskate[/url</a>], which is an even awesomer goth roller disco. LA is where the nocturnal students with cars go to eat. I’ve gone with big groups of Techers to [url=<a href="http://www.cantersdeli.com/]Canter’s[/url">http://www.cantersdeli.com/]Canter’s[/url</a>], [url=<a href=“http://www.fred62.com/]Fred”>http://www.fred62.com/]Fred</a> 62](<a href=“http://www.evilclubempire.com/perversion/news.html]Perversion[/url”>http://www.evilclubempire.com/perversion/news.html), [Nova</a> Express](<a href=“http://www.novaexpresscafe.com/main.html]Nova”>http://www.novaexpresscafe.com/main.html), [Mel’s[/url</a>], and [url=<a href=“http://www.roadtripamerica.com/eats/pantry.htm]The”>http://www.roadtripamerica.com/eats/pantry.htm]The</a> Pantry](<a href=“http://www.melsdrive-in.com/hoursandlocations/westhollywood.html]Mel’s[/url”>http://www.melsdrive-in.com/hoursandlocations/westhollywood.html), where even the water is probably not vegetarian. It being LA, there are also concerts and whatnot. Most recently, I’ve seen Assemblage 23 at a place I forget the name of and Apocalyptica at LA’s instance of [House</a> of Blues](<a href=“http://www.hob.com%5DHouse”>http://www.hob.com). My girlfriend went to an Avenged Sevenfold show the other day at [Universal</a> CityWalk](<a href=“http://www.citywalkhollywood.com/]Universal”>http://www.citywalkhollywood.com/), which is also worth at least one visit. Finally, there’s the annual [Yuri’s</a> Night](<a href=“http://la.yurisnight.net/]Yuri’s”>http://la.yurisnight.net/), which in LA is heavily associated with Caltech and JPL. Half ravers, half planetary scientists, good times.</p>
<p>Now for the campus-related stuff. I’ve been to beach barbeques and overnight trips to the Mojave Desert with my Houses. I’d say each House does at least one major event a month, on or off campus, although the definition of event will vary depending on House personality between “come get pizza or waffles from the lounge and go back to your room to study” to “campuswide drag show during Parent’s Weekend”. And of course there are the Interhouse parties. Of course, social events change, but if you want to get an idea of what’s happened in the past, I recommend visiting the House websites and looking at the photo albums. The student government does run some things, but honestly, ASCIT events are usually lame compared to House events. I guess if you really, really liked your high school prom, you might enjoy the ASCIT Formal. They do organize screenings of new movies with free tickets for undergrads, and there’s occasionally Midnight Donuts. Also, Prefrosh Weekend very much counts as an event. If you’ve been to one, you should know that most Techers do spend more time working than that.</p>
<p>I make time to go to the three or four best Interhouse parties, head off campus for a movie or to the beach about every other weekend, and find myself at a 24-hour diner once or twice a week, usually when I’m up late working on a set. Some weekends, I just hang around in the lounge or someone’s room, watching movies or playing video games. Last term was somewhat sub-par socially because I had sets due on Friday at noon, which sucked because there’s a House event that takes place on Thursday nights that I hate to miss. The days you have free will depend on when your sets are due. IIRC some Core courses issue sets that are due on Monday, which can screw up your weekend but make Tuesday available. So your social calendar can be as full as you want it to be. Work will determine when it happens, rather than if it happens.</p>