THURSDAY 8 OCTOBER

It's Thursday in the a.m.--you just got your FM, and, of course, immediately turned to listings. Guess what? Finally, the UC has done something useful with its power and gotten the MAC open at 7 a.m. So take off those slippers, put on your trendy Adidas kicks, and jog over to soak up some fitness. 39 Holyoke St. 495-2219. FREE.

After you're done impressing all of the other athletic early birds, invite one of the more attractive ones back to the dining hall to partake in the delight of cinnamon scones, apple walnut pancakes and eggs cooked to order. 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at any of the Houses. FREE.

On your way back from class, add some excitement to your life by stopping in at A Taste of Culture to get a free five-minute palm reading. Prepare to be dazzled by the endless possibilities that await you this weekend. 1 to 5 p.m., on Mass. Ave. across from The Inn at Harvard. Don't bother calling--they'll know you're coming. FREE.

Stop plucking at guitars and singing random songs to no one in particular; for crying out loud, show off. your talent to some real people. Tonight is open mic night at the posh "Back Room" at Cafe Soho's. You can sign up on the way in for an opportunity to stun the world with your musical talent. Or, if you're too damn shy, skip the sign-up sheet and recede into the dark cozy booths to eat some French fries and listen to braver souls share their tunes. 8 p.m., 11 Springfield St in Cambridge. 354-1040. Cover charge $3.

To finish off your day, comp FM. 7 p.m., 14 Plympton Street, 576-6565. FREE

FRIDAY 9 OCTOBER

The school week is over: now's your chance to get out of the bubble. Make a break for the Hammond Pond Reservation and take one of their easy climbs for beginners. That's right, go rock climbing!!! If you have some experience, go for one of the more challenging trails. But be careful not to get lost: though most of the paths are clearly marked, there aren't any maps of the park available. Hammond Pond Pkwy., Newton (Chestnut Hill T-stop). FREE.

Eighteen-year-old Flamenco phenom Isaac de los Reyes performs a fastpaced, energetic routine sure to liven up your weekend. Go to the Los Jovenes Flamencos dance complex for an unforgettable evening of Flamenco. Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 6 and 9 p.m., and Sunday 5 and 8 p.m., 536 Mass Ave (central T-stop). 824-8000. $22.50.

Peter, Paul and Mary fan? How about the beloved, late Woodie Guthrie? Argentina's Mercedes Sosa performs her unique brand of Spanish-language folk music tonight at Symphony Hall in Boston. Often compared to folk artists like Joan Baez, Sosa has endured political exile from Argentina, and her enchanting melodies echo these political struggles. 8:30 p.m., 301 Mass Ave in Boston (at Huntington Ave). Call Ticketmaster at 931-2000 or Symphony Charge at 266-1200. From $18.50 to 29.50.

Right around the corner, they constantly have solid musical acts for mad cheap prices. Really! We're not shitting you. It's at the House of Blues. Friday at 10 p.m. is Angela Straley singing the blues, and Saturday at 10 p.m. Elvin Bishop. 96 Winthrop St. 497-2229. $12 for Friday and $15 for Saturday.

Walk out of your dorm and not much further tonight for the soothing folk tunes of Geoff Bartley. If you like him, come back tomorrow for Eddie from Ohio. Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 7 and 10 p.m., Club Passim, 47 Palmer Street. 492-5300. $12 Friday and $14 Saturday.

For those who thought that tea was only something that those English blokes partook of, guess again. Come join the Signet Society for Arts and Letters at their weekly tea and discover that Americans can boil water too. 5 to 7 p.m., 46 Dunster St. FREE.

After tea is over and you're done discussing high culture, kick it Inman Square-style and step out to the chic Jae's Cafe for delectable Japanese, Pan American and Thai food. With an all black decor, piercing violet lights and exotic tropical fish this place has nothing but panache. 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m., 1281 Cambridge St. 497-8380. $10 to 15 per entree.

Finish off the evening by treating yourself to some of the best ice cream in Cambridge. Only a hop, skip and jump away from Jae's is Christina's Homemade Ice Cream, featuring such flavors as Jalapeno, Mango and Guinness. Enjoy the pastel rainbow colored decor as you sit in monstrous wooden booths reveling in you tasty frozen treat. 11 a.m. to midnight, 1255 Cambridge St. 492-7021. $1 to 3.

SATURDAY 10 OCTOBER

Are the jokes that your Science A Core professor reads off his lecture notes getting a bit stale? Spend the night listening to comedy night listening to comedy by Frank Santorelli at Nick's Comedy Shop. It's 18+, so bring some ID. Shows at 7:45 and 10 p.m., 100 Warrenton St. (Boylston T-stop) 482-0930. $12.

Hey Rock! Take her to the zoo. I hear Harvard students like the zoo! The Franklin Park Zoo has free admission every Saturday morning, so get off your lazy, hung-over ass and go. 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., 1 Franklin Park Rd., (Forest Hills T-stop). 541-5466. FREE.

Culture yourself by taking a brisk walk over to the Carpenter Center to see the VES Visiting. Faculty Art Exhibition. Works from highlighting video instillation queen Joan Jonas, Susan Meiselas's photographs of carnival stripers and Sheldon Cohen's bewitching animation make this exhibit home of the real flame of creativity at Harvard. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., 24 Quincy Street. 495-3251. FREE.

Go with the rest of Boston to WBMX 98.5's MIXFEST, a free concert featuring all sorts of great bands and artists. Elvis Costello, Bruce Hornsby, Heather Nova and Blue Man Group headline the acts on Saturday, and then the hip, happening, trendy, Canadian and actually good Barenaked Ladies play on Sunday. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. City Hall Plaza (Government Center T-stop). FREE. You can call me Pavlov's dog.

Ya man. It's Reggae for Unity '98 at the Boston Center for the Arts Theater. Why not? They'll probably play "No Woman No Cry." 3 p.m. to 1 a.m., 539 Tremont St. (Back Bay or Copley T-stop). 426-0320. $22.

SUNDAY 11 OCTOBER

Take a break from all of the boring Warren Court reading and spend a few hours at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The collection in this museum is not allowed to be changed, according to the stipulations of Isabella Stewart Gardner's will. But, strangely enough, it is now featuring, for a limited time only, an exhibition of the photography of resident artist Abelardo Morell. "Face to Face" is a collection of photographs of the works in the museum which Morell has juxtaposed and compressed with wide-angle lenses to give the collection a whole new side. Take that, Isabella! 280 The Fenway. (617) 566-1401. Students get in for $5.

Looking to uselessly procrastinate? Most likely not--so why not jizzet over to Rosie's Bakery in Inman Square. One of the finest bakeries in Cambridge, Rosie's boasts a large variety of scrumptious desserts including their luscious cheesecake and sinful brownies. With so many sensuous explosions off in your mouth, your worries about work will melt away. 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 243 Hampshire St. 491-9488. $1 to 10.

Learn about the arduous struggle of independent filmmaking as the Harvard Film Archive hosts the Mass Ave. Film Festival. Sit in on Allen Piper's (Harvard Alum) feature film, Starving Artists, Rob Fizt's Molt and Lost Face and Gary Cohen's Dizzy Horse. Stick around for the question and answer sessions with producers and directors to find out how unglamorous independent filmmaking can be. Harvard Film Archive, 11 a.m., to 5 p.m., 24 Quincy Street. 924-9701. $10 all day pass.

MONDAY 12 OCTOBER

[sy zy gy: 1. n. alignment of the sun, earth, and moon during an eclipse. 2. n. a conjunction of two or more disparate elements whose combination is greater than the sum of its parts.]

Now that you know what the word means, go down to the Science Center from noon to sunset to see live hip hop like hip hop like Harvard's own BSide, dance, Giant Puppets, poetry, spoken word and more. Noon to night, Harvard Yard. 625-5744 or email schock@fas.harvard.edu. FREE.

Start the week out right by learning a new language. Try some Swedish on for size. Classes have already begun in Arlington. For more info, call (781) 641-2278.

TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER

For all who arranged their schedules with no classes on Tuesday and Thursday (and for any Big Lebowski fans out there), take a trip to Lanes and Games, a monster bowling alley which also features pool tables and a wild video game room. As you step into this futuristic world with your friends, all guilt about that Chaucer reading will disappear into a desperate need to beat the world at bowling or at least score in the triple digits. 9 a.m. to midnight, 195 Concord Tpke off Rt. 2 (Alewife T-stop). 876-5533. $3 to 4 for games, depending on candlepin or full size. And you know what they say about a guy who bowls candlepin.

Head down Mass. Ave. to West Coast Video and partake in their kooky scheme of "Two for Tuesday" video rentals. For every title selected, a free one can also be rented. Get Who's Harry Crumb AND Teen Wolf at the same fucking time! Limited time only. 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., 950 Mass Ave. 876-9268. $3.77 per video.

If you get hungry during your double feature, don't fret--you can just ring The Greenhouse Pizza delivery service. They offer small and large pizzas Monday through Friday. A minimum order of $10 is required, so add some nachos, cookies and Nantucket Nectars for tomorrow's all-nighter. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. 496-6520.

Go intellectual and check out a book reading. It's about what is going on at college campuses. Alan charles Kors and Harvey A. Silverglate read from their work The Shadow University: The Betrayal of Liberty on America's Campuses. 6 p.m., Rabb Lecture Hall, Boston Public Library, Copley Square. 536-5400, ext. 336. FREE.

Stop being such a cheap bastard. Withdraw all your money from BankBoston and go to the brand-spanking new Diesel Store. 30 JFK St. 354-5258. Expensive, but trendy.

Stay home. Waste time. Enjoy yourself. That new show, Felicity, on WB--it's really that good. Trust us. And the Real World's right after. See if Steven is going to bitch-slap any more roommates. 9 p.m., in your room. FREE (after purchase of TV)

WEDNESDAY 14 OCTOBER

Go check out the author who's been hailed as "the best American writer of his generation." Tim O'Brien, winner of the Pulitzer Prize (among other honors), reads from his latest work, Tomcat in Love. 6 p.m., Rabb Lecture Hall, Boston Public Library, Copley Square. 536-5400, ext. 336. FREE.

Don't you think that it's time to overcome your clown phobia? Now's your chance to face your fears. Go and see the Greatest Show on Earth, Ringling Bros., Barnum and Bailey Circus, where the four corners of the earth come together in three rings. 7:30 p.m., Fleetcenter (North Station T-stop). 931-2000. $25-35.

At the kingdom Fine Art Gallery this month is an exciting exhibit featuring paintings, sculpture and mixed media works by some people you may have heard of and others you will pretend to have heard of. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., 153 Mass Ave. 266-1997. FREE.

Take a break from dining hall cuisine and a go for a stroll down to Central Square. The "other square" boasts a number of affordable ethnic restaurants:

If you're in the mood for Middle Eastern dining, go to the aptly named Middle East. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., 472 Mass Ave, 354-8238. $10 to 25, including a cover for suprisingly entertaining bands.

Rhythm and Spice has a Caribbean menu best known for its jerk cooking. 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., 315 Mass. Ave., 497-0977. $10 to 15.

Pho Republique will delight your taste buds with its Vietnamese Soup and all around wonderful Southeast Asian food; 5:30 to 10 p.m., 468 Mass. Ave., 576-2111. $8 to 12.

Not quite so adventurous? The Miracle of Science offers New American food like veggie burgers and goat cheese quesadillas. 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., 321 Mass Ave. 868-2866. $5 to 12.

If you are more interested in the beverage selection, try The Plough and Stars, which offers you food and good beer. 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m., 912 Mass. Ave. 441-3455. $2 Bud to $3.25 Guinness.

Whichever way you go with this solid selection of grub, it will sure beat the shitty chicken lomaine in Annenberg.

It's time to get some new CDs, and Tower and HMV, the best selection of new music in the Square, are open until midnight tonight. They're open to midnight every night. HMV's at 1 Brattle Square. 868-9696. Tower's at 59 Mt. Auburn St. 876-3377. $7 to 16.