Nalgene bottles are being rinsed, handles of Smirnoff are being purchased, and the mechanical bull is being prepared. This Friday WILD will once again lay claim to the Wash. U. campus, and as Lil’ John and the East Side Boyz prepare to take over the Quad, a group of Wash. U. students are preparing to vacate the campus; at least for the Friday night event. Whether they’re fifth year seniors bored with the tradition or freshmen lacking desire to take part in the drunken festivities, there are many students looking for an alternative to the WILD event. As a result, Cadenza has compiled a guide to substitute WILD events, so hopefully each type of non-WILD participator has a refuge from the storm.

For the aristocrat

Gettin’ crunk with Lil’ John at WILD doesn’t exactly denote taste, class, and decorum; at least not as much as it promotes getting wasted on a couple of forties. So, if you’re more wine and cheese than beer and buffalo wings, perhaps WILD is not your ideal Friday night destination. But if you are instead in the market for a class-filled musical outing, be sure to stop by the Saint Louis Symphony’s Opening Weekend and Musical Director David Robertson’s inaugural performance in Powell Hall. Friday’s concert will feature works by Bach, Stravinsky, Mozart, Vivier, and John Adams, as well as a performance by soprano Dawn Upshaw. Student tickets are available for half price, providing a classy and affordable evening of fine entertainment.

For the academic

Mechanical bulls, pie-eating contests, and inflatable games aren’t exactly forms of intellectual entertainment. So, the academic, who prefers his leisure time to be both educational and entertaining, may not find WILD to be the ideal atmosphere for acquiring knowledge-excluding the knowledge of a more sordid nature that can be attained at almost any WILD event. However, this Friday night there is hope for our academic friends to still hear live music while simultaneously managing to utilize one of St. Louis’ finest educational facilities. This Friday, the St. Louis Science Center will host the first in a series of free concerts from 6 until 9:30 pm. Jupiter Jazz, a spoken word and hip-hop group will perform, followed by Floating City, an experimental group that utilizes unpredictable lyrics paired against “unorthodox melodies.” Food and drink will be on hand, as well as alcoholic beverages that will be sold for a small price. So, for science buffs and music fans alike, the Science Center offers yet another escape from the educationally-devoid WILD festivities.

For the fashionista

The rain-soaked quad is definitely not the ideal location for strutting your stuff on a Friday night. In the course of a WILD concert, flat-ironed hair becomes a tangle of curls and brand new shoes become indiscriminant brown clods. So, if you fear that your new Gucci shoes may get ruined in the WILD debacle, it may be wise to pursue Friday night entertainments elsewhere. For the Wash U fashionista, a trip off-campus to a swanky bar or club may be preferable to the wet t-shirt contests that are sure to pervade the WILD festivities. A trip to the up-and-coming Park Ave. of Lafayette Square may be the perfect escape. Located at 1913 Park Ave, 33 Wine Shop and Tasting Bar is so chic that it doesn’t even need a sign over the door; with a variety of wines and beers to choose from, this South-Beach style bar is the perfect destination for a burgeoning social climber. Just next door, you will also find Bailey’s Chocolate Bar, the carrier of “fine desserts, cheeses, and aphrodisiacs.” Between a Thin Mint Martini and a decadent crÅ me brul‚e, any fashionista will surely enjoy the swanky atmosphere and delicious treats.

For the homebody

Even though the college social scene often consists of trips to frat-house basements and regular visits to Blue Hill, there are those who prefer PJs and popcorn to tube tops and bar-hopping. So for the homebody who would prefer a quiet night in, to a raucous night out, we recommend staying in this Friday, with a stock of Orville Redenbacher’s, the door locked, and a new release in hand. While September isn’t the peak of movie season, there are several new films available at your local video retailer: Adam Sandler’s “The Longest Yard” and the independent film Winter Solstice, featuring Anthony La Plagia as a troubled widower, are both recent releases. So whether you’re in the mood for a slapstick comedy or an artsy drama, tuck yourself away with a new film or an old favorite, well-hidden from the mayhem that is sure to be occurring just down the hall.

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