Athens is home to 21 bars for students and locals to enjoy, but what goes on behind the bar is often not seen by its visitors.
Although most bars are open throughout the day, they do not become crowded until the evenings, which is when students who work there, such as Valerie Hicks and Taylor Britain, put in the most work. With weekends like Homecoming and Halloween in season, bar workers will have to work longer hours, while still managing the stress of school work.
"(Working late hours) took some adjustment, definitely,” Valerie Hicks, a fifth year senior studying retail fashion and development, said. “I had to make sure none of my classes were before 10 a.m. because I just physically cannot get up any earlier than that.”
Hicks typically works until about 3 a.m. as a closing manager at The Crystal, 34 N. Court St.
Working late nights at a bar can be stressful but as long as she keeps her schedule together, Hicks said it’s a great job to have while in college.
"I love it, it is a fun time, there can be busy parts, on Wednesdays for us because that is our liquor special or weekends and special holiday weekends,” Britain, a junior studying business, said.
Working at a bar is like going out all of the time and getting to be social, just without the drinking, Britain, a bouncer and bar-back at Lucky’s Sports Tavern, 11 N Court St., said.
As a bouncer, Britain’s least favorite part of his job is denying people and fighting with underage students trying to get in as well as kicking people out. However, Britain said because Lucky’s is mainly an alumni and upperclassmen bar, he doesn’t have to deal too much with that.
Although she is a closing manager, Hicks assumes the responsibilities of a bartender as well.
"That’s that one thing I love about (The Crystal) is that everyone is treated as equals,” she said. “The owner is an amazing person ... he really knows how to pick out the good (workers), so everyone that works together is like a family.”
Hicks and Britain both said that having to tell people “no” is their least favorite part of working at a bar. But, if you can “maintain your patience but control your customers,” it is not that bad, Hicks said.
Out of all of the favorable weekends at Ohio University, both Hicks and Britain said Moms Weekend is the craziest.
“Moms always buy the shots and tip well, they like to channel their youth,” Britain said.
Working until 3 a.m. can be stressful, and it would be easy to lose sleep and get behind in school work, but as long as time management is a top priority, working at a bar in college is a great choice, Hicks said.
Tayler Sweeney, a junior studying marketing, said working late nights at bars would be really difficult, unless the workers could prioritize school and health.
Hicks recommends working at a bar, but you have to be the right type of person and be "willing to get down and dirty” because of how crowded the bars can get, she said.
“I think I would be able to (work late hours at a bar) because I like to do all of my homework during the day,” Sweeney said, “But I also like sleeping a lot, so I may not be able to.”
Britain wants to own his own tap house someday, so his working experience has been valuable, and he definitely recommends working at a bar as long as mental and physical health is held as a priority, he said.
"It has been one of the most fun experiences I have ever had (working at a bar) I honestly could not imagine doing OU without working at that bar,” Hicks said.
