Most of you who have secured college places are probably planning to spend every free minute in the library, at lectures or asking tutors for extra reading lists.

If not, where can you spend your time and the money you would otherwise be allocating to your core-texts book-buying fund?

Students are well known for their partying ways and - although in all seriousness it is important to maintain a sensible level of study - socialising is an important element of the college experience. The old adage about "all work and no play..." is an important one for students to grasp.

Those of you who are heading off to Athlone IT this autumn can benefit from the insider knowledge of student union president Deirdre Swords. "Our on-campus bar is called Scribes and it has only been open for two years so it's not too scruffy yet. It is very popular because we are a little bit out of town and the majority of students here only live about a 10-minute walk from campus," she says.

The bar has live DJs four nights a week, some of them from the student body and some more professional acts. As Swords explains, the union puts a lot of effort into organising college events: "Even though we may be in the midlands and aren't a big city, we really make sure we get good acts to come and play here. A couple of years ago we had Patrick Kielty doing his stand-up routine and last year we had bands like The Four of Us or Aslan. We are going to aim to go bigger and better again for this year."

By way of nightclubs in Athlone, Swords recommends Ginkels 2000 in Mill Street, to where the union helps to subsidise a bus every Monday and Thursday night. "They do student discounts and some complimentary passes if it's your birthday. They also contribute to our student hardship fund, so we have a good relationship with them."

As far as food and coffee go, Athlone IT has a coffee dock open in college from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., after which there is snack food available in the bar. Close to the college is Club Sandwich (which lives up to its name by making club sandwiches its speciality) or The Diner for fish and chips.

"The Diner is the famous chippy haunt for after the college bar - it is a fairly well established fact that the curry-chips-and-cheese combo originated here," Swords tells us.

Siobhβn O'Dowd is entertainments officer for the student union in Trinity College. "For big events throughout the year we tend to use outside venues because we don't really have anywhere on campus that would cope with the numbers involved," she says. "The Freshers Ball this year is going to be in the Red Box, POD and Access all Areas on Harcourt Street, which can accommodate about 1,400 people."

The thinking behind going outside the walls is twofold - for space, and to introduce students to the high-spots of Dublin life. "During freshers week we have nights out in different places so people can get to know where the venues are around town for things going on during the year," she says.

"So, for instance, on the Monday of freshers week this year we'll be in the Temple Bar Music Centre; on Tuesday in the POD; on Wednesday in Isaac Butts and so on."

Freshers' Week Thursday is going to be a little bit different, with a "Traffic Light" ball taking place in the Palace nightclub on Camden Street. "On your way in, you get given a sticker which is green, orange or red - you choose which sticker you want, to indicate to everybody else your status for the night. "You can figure out for yourself what the stickers mean," O'Dowd says.

On-campus, the Buttery bar is where most of the socialising action centres. On weeknights there can be nights arranged around Premiership football on the big screen, karaoke or table quizzes, which are generally free to those with a TCD student card. The food in the Buttery is also popular, not least because it's at subsidised prices.

"We try to put the emphasis on the socialising aspect of nights in the Buttery," remarks O'Dowd. "The student drinking culture has changed in recent years. We don't have as many beer promotions and people just can't afford to drink so much - either from the money or early-lectures viewpoint."

For coffee, food or a drink there's a huge choice, but when pressed O'Dowd suggests Cocoon on Duke Lane for ultra sophistication and Doyle's pub on D'Olier street for handiness and homely food.

In NUI Galway the entertainment is handled by ents manager Jonathan Byrne. The college bar is near the student union and student services centre and is reportedly an excellent live venue. Student bands participate alongside acts such as Relish or Wilt. There is something organised for as many nights of the week as possible, often featuring DJs from the Decks Soc showing their turntable skills.

Just as ents in TCD has begun to take the emphasis off alcohol, so NUI Galway is offering alternatives to beer swilling. They have had an alcohol-free venue, called the Hub, for the past three years.

"We've been trying to encourage a responsible attitude towards drinking which is important from a welfare point of view," says Byrne. "When you have quality events you don't need to be getting drunk to have fun." The Hub hosts events ranging from hypnotists to circus-act street performers. Off-campus, the Cellar bar continues to be popular with Galway students. On Tuesdays the Deck Soc holds an "Open Deck" night there when you can bring along your discs and force your mates to boogie to your sounds. On Wednesdays, The Cellar hosts "Open Mike" night where you can sing an ould ballad, show off your Limp Bizkit guitar-playing skills or audition for the role of next Ed Byrne, Tommy Tiernan, The Nualas or whatever. "Some of the most fun nights have happened at Open Mike during the year," says Byrne. "They are great for freshers to get involved in because there's nothing like making an eejit of yourself for making friends and building up your confidence."

Wherever you're heading off to in the next few weeks, you'll be spoilt for choice about where to go for nights out. Get involved in social events organised by the SU, Clubs and Societies - you'll soon make plenty of friends and as long as you keep at least half an eye on the books, you'll enjoy college life to the full.