No matter the school, bars are the staple of a college town. Romances, friendships and memories are made and destroyed in college bars. They are where students, professors and residents go to drink away the pain of their midterm week or seasonal depression. It is no mistake that each bar in the town of Oswego has day-specific specials to draw in their eager customers. Monday Night Trivia, BOGO Tuesday, Shed Wednesday (R.I.P), Mug Night Thursday, and of course we do not need an excuse to drink on Fridays and Saturdays. Sunday drinking is either for celebration or mourning, there is no in between. Those of us that are of drinking age know that drinking in bars is part of our Laker culture, but let's make sure our good nights are not at the expense of students bartending part time to pay their bills. You know, people like me.
Don't call me a pet name.
You may not know it, but the last man to walk into this bar and call me "sweetheart" pulled a knife out of his pocket five minutes after. The one before that offered oral sex in exchange for drinks, he was no younger than 60. Most of the men who walk into my bar and call me a pet name have either threatened me, assaulted me, harassed me or robbed me.
Don't touch me.
Your over-the-bar hand hold or arm grab might seem innocent, but it is not. The last guy to touch my hand over the bar tried to rip the ring off of my finger, then proceeded to threaten my life. Another man slapped my ass while I tried to clean up a broken beer bottle. It makes me feel unsafe and uncomfortable. Please do not touch your bartenders, male or female.
Do not call me a bitch if I don't flirt back.
While I am bartending, I have about a million things going on in my mind at once. I have to worry about inventory, trouble customers, orders, cash, credit cards, the girl throwing up in the corner, the boy trying too hard with the almost-unconscious girl in the corner of my eye, all while having Today's Top Hits and frat boy shouts blaring in my ears. The last thing I want to worry about is having you call me a bitch because I am not single.
Get cash before going out.
I cannot stress this enough. The only time that it is slightly acceptable to use your debit card all night is the one week right after refunds. Any time after that, it is just obnoxious. I guarantee you that if you have a card in your hand, or if you happen to be one of those kids who insist on waving payment in my face, you will not be getting served with priority. Ten times out of ten I will serve a person waiting with cash in their hand before someone with a card. By taking out cash before you hit the bars, you will not only get served quicker but you will most likely save money by avoiding minimums and excessive charging. Just saying.
Tip the appropriate amount.
I feel like I should not have to say this, but then I remember that not everyone grew up working in restaurants and therefore cannot be blamed for their poor etiquette. The traditional rule for tipping at bars is $1 per drink. Now, some of you do this very well. But the overwhelming majority of you do not know the difference between a drink and an order.
Scenario of the correct thing to do:
You order a double Red Bull vodka for $4. You hand me $5 and tell me to keep the change.
Scenario of the incorrect thing to do:
You order a double Red Bull vodka, two beers, and some tequila shots for $19. You hand me a $20 bill and tell me to keep the change.
This especially goes for those of you that order Irish Car-bombs (I'm looking at you, every male college student ever). Not only do I have to pour a Guinness and mix a shot, but I also have to clean up the half of the drink that didn't make it into your mouth while you raced your buddy.
If I ask you to leave, just leave.
There is literally no outcome that comes in your favor when refusing to leave when asked. No matter what happens, you are not going to be happy. It could just be because we live in the black hole, but for some reason common human-decency is lost in the bars of Oswego. If you or a friend is so completely drunk that they are asleep on the bar, falling on the ground or throwing up anywhere that is not a toilet, it is time to go home. Bartenders can get in severe amounts of legal trouble if you are over served or serve irresponsibly. So if I nicely ask you to leave, just go home or get your friend home safe. In my first year as a bartender, I had to ask a man to leave for harassing young women, including myself. He refused, threw his arm across my chest, threatened to hit me in the face and screamed obscenities at me. Be considerate and respectful to the people providing your good time.
When the lights come on, it's time to go.
If your phone says it is 2 AM, the music has been turned off and the lights are on, you should not be trying to order another drink. The night is over, after-hours is waiting for you and there is a D Bus right outside! In a typical week, I will work from 10 PM to 2 AM on a Tuesday. The entire shift is spent on my feet. Once I am done cleaning up your puke, broken bottles, Four Loko contraband and Juul pods, I need to get home so that I can wake up for my morning class. You might be okay with blacking out the night before your classes, but I am not.
Maybe it is because I am graduating in four months, or because of what is been going on in society, or maybe I am just fed up, but I need college students to know how their behavior affects others. It is easy to assume the person pouring your drinks is just a bartender and does not deserve your respect, but we have one of the most stressful jobs there is. I have experienced some of my scariest, most uncomfortable moments of my life as a bartender and there are millions of people doing the same thing each night. I love being able to have fun and be safe while working in one of the coolest jobs in a college town. It sucks when a good night is ruined by sexual harassment, rude behavior, fights, cheap tips and disrespect. The easiest way to get the best service is by treating your bartender with respect!
