It is Thursday night. The numbers 11:07 illuminate the face of freshman Bhaveen Jani’s digital clock. The first of many knocks rap against his Thurston Hall door.

Soon 15 of Jani’s friends file into the small dorm room, heavy with the
scent of cologne mixed with perfume. The room is abuzz, voices asking whether it’s Club 5, Bravo Bravo or Platinum’s dance floor they will be grooving on tonight.

And so starts the long-awaited weekend for many GW students.

Weekends at GW are far from typical. Although most students interviewed said they have their own usual weekend routines-mostly two nights going out and one night of rest-the end-of-the-week fun differs greatly from student to student.

Like most students, senior Juliet Arkin’s weekend begins Thursday night because she escaped Friday classes. Similar to Jani, Arkin enjoys ringing in the weekend with a night of dancing.

“I usually go to The Cage or Nation,” Arkin said.

Nation, in Southeast D.C. and The Cage, on 14th Street NW, play gothic/industrial music on the nights Arkin goes.

Arkin said she often sleeps until noon on Friday to recover from the previous night’s dancing. Most Friday nights, Arkin said, she ventures to The Edge, another Goth club.

“Saturday is my calm day,” Arkin said. “I usually rent a movie or go to the movies.”

Sophomore Allison Matela said going to the movies is one of her favorite weekend activities.

“Visions in Dupont Circle is my favorite theater,” Matela said. “They have a coffee bar and show different types of movies, like The Monty Python.”

Matela said she enjoys going to clubs in Adams Morgan at least one night during the weekend.

On Sundays, like most students asked, Matela said she studies.

“I have to do all the work I did not do the rest of the weekend.” Matela said.

Freshman Valentina Xavier’s weekend begins Saturday because she takes Friday classes.

Xavier said she enjoys going shopping or eating dinner in Georgetown or Dupont Circle. Xavier said she goes to clubs every once in a while but prefers parties.

“I like parties more than clubs because there are more people you know at parties and you are more likely to see them again,” Xavier said.

For seniors Kiesha Christoph and Jessica Sultzer, members of GW’s women’s soccer team, soccer occupies most of their time on the weekend.

“We have practice on Friday at 7:30 a.m., so that means we can’t really go out Thursday night,” Christoph said.

The team also holds practice on Saturday at 7:30 a.m. and games on Sunday, Christoph said. She recommended that people avoid work on Sunday and go out to Mount Vernon and watch them play.

“If you are hung over and want to sit, come watch the girls soccer team,” Christoph said.

Of all the students interviewed, sophomore Robby Frederickson has the longest weekend. It spans from Wednesday night until Sunday night, he said.

Frederickson said his weekend usually begins calmly playing card in a friend’s room. On Thursday night the Kappa Sigma member hits the clubs – usually Bravo Bravo.

“I go to the (fraternity) house and see what the guys are doing,” Frederickson said. “It’s a central location to see what is going on.”

Frederickson called Friday night his “chill night.” He said he sleeps most of the day.

“I try to get some rest,” Frederickson said. “I just hang out.”

Every Saturday he frequents Tequila Grill on K Street because a friend promotes there. On Sunday, Frederickson said he tries to get some work done.

“Sunday is up in the air,” Frederickson said. ” You don’t know what is going to happen. Most people are tired and don’t want to go out.”

Senior Sajana Khoobchan likes to travel on the weekends. She often makes trips to Boston and New York to visit friends. Khoobchan said a few times in the semester she heads to Atlantic City to test her luck gambling.

“Most of the time I lose money,” Khoobchan said. “It’s the worst.”

Junior Steven Kaplan said he uses the weekend to plan the week ahead. Unlike most students interviewed, Kaplan said he does not like to sleep late on the weekends. He said he likes to get up early and get things done.

Kaplan said he enjoys going to jazz clubs such as Blues Alley in Georgetown

Kaplan said he believes wherever students’ interests lie they can find ways to have fun around GW on the weekend.

“You have to find out what scene works for you or create your own scene,” Kaplan said. “GW has an eclectic group of people. You just have to find where you fit in.”