Blue Shirt Cafe Davis Square has turned into the area's hot hangout spot on the north side of the river. Above, Tufts students Abi Mancell-Egala and Jenny Ngan. (Globe Staff Photo/Pat Greenhouse) MORE INFORMATION Low on dough? Get me outta here Everyone's a star Insomniacs The numbers Printable version of this story Boston.com's "Back on Campus" guide

This annual guide aims to give the college crowd (and anyone else looking for fun) an intro to the Boston entertainment scene. It's in two parts: first a series of primers on everything from cheap dates to out-of-town escapes, then a guide to the clubs.

Under-21 fun
Classes have only started, and already you're sick of the student center, the library, and most of all, your room (and roommate). But you're not 21 yet, so that rules out most of the hot clubs in town. Just because you can't drink doesn't mean you can't have fun.

The music scenes
When you're feeling noncommittal or just plain poverty-stricken, it's nice to know you can sample great music without oepning the wallet.

Gay scene
Boston's gay and lesbian population is one of the largest in the country, but its presence can be subtle. There are surprisingly few gay bars here, and there is no one-stop community center like in many other cities. But signs of a vital gay community are almost everywhere if you look closely.

Club Boston
Looking for a night on the town, but don't know where to go? This sampling of popular area clubs will get you started. Many of them are 21+, but have 18+ nights.