Having an outlet outside of college can be beneficial, especially as finals week fast approaches. Although doing things on campus can help, there are plenty of things to do off-campus as well.
From Karaoke nights to walking around Farmer’s Markets, here are a few things that can help de-stress a college student.
Limitless Axes and Ales:
Daniel Vega has been hosting Karaoke Night at Limitless Axes and Ales, an axe-throwing bar, since July 2024.
“I feel it’s very important, and rewarding, to socialize in groups with others around common interests,” Vega said. “Music is universal. It transcends age, race, gender, ethnicity, social, and economics.”
His ultimate goal is to entertain and bring everyone together.
For student Rion Fernandez, who is an LMC student and attends karaoke nights almost weekly, it does just that.
“It’s an awesome tradition for Filipinos and welcoming to everyone else,” said Fernandez, adding that “It’s free, accessible, near and fun.”
The karaoke night consists of a scannable QR code on the screen with bright lights, Trivia about music, and of course the karaoke queue.
Axes and Ales is located at the Streets of Brentwood every Thursday from 8 p.m. until midnight. The karaoke is open to all ages and for those who drink — you can get a wristband at the door.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot:
Kirsten Shahan — current LMC student — attends both Limitless Axes and Ales karaoke on Thursdays and the WTF Restaurant Bar & Grill in Oakley every Friday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. for karaoke. She goes with her family most weeks and loves to sing.
“I think what I enjoy most is that it’s a really homey vibe and very welcoming — and it was the first place I did karaoke at. When I went, they were so welcoming and encouraged me to practice even more,” said Shahan.
“Everyone feels like family and everyone is usually dancing.”
The Restaurant & Bar is located in Oakley, California.
Up at the front part of the restaurant is a floor seating area a few steps down. There, two DJs sit and keep a list of all who want to participate in karaoke. The overall queue can take a bit to get through and is definitely something that many want to get in early for due to how busy it can be. This event happens Fridays, and is open to all ages — making it a fun family-friendly event.
Brentwood Craft & Ciders:
Student Milo Pinheiro, has attended trivia nights at Brentwood Craft & Ciders and believes that this is a fun event for students who like to get their trivia on. “I enjoy trivia and I think it’s a fun game people should play,” said Pinheiro.
Trivia starts at 7 p.m. and tends to last anywhere between one to two hours and is open to all ages. It gets extremely busy, so coming early is critical. The event is every Tuesday.
Brentwood Farmers Market:
The Brentwood Farmers Market is located in downtown Brentwood and runs from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday.
“I think anyone should go to the farmers market every now and then since it’s got lots of [locally] grown stuff and local made stuff,” said Danny Nightingale, another student. “It’s not just fruits and veggies, there was other stuff around too. Plus you might run into someone you know and have a good chat.”
