The life of a campus bartender
March 23rd, 2011 | Entertainment | No Comments »
Beer - a favourite drink amongst students on campus.
Story and images by Kyle Reynolds
While a guitarist belts out songs to the likes of CCR and The Doors, about three dozen students enjoy a pint (or two) of cold beer, freshly-poured by bartender Amanda Wemdelgass.
A devoted part-time employee at E.P Taylor’s for two years now, Wemdelgass has seen and experienced everything from the most hectic pub events to inebriated students forced to deal with campus security or police.
“It’s all part of the job,” said the 26-year old social butterfly. “Some days are stressful and full of drama, while others are fun and laid-back. It’s a social atmosphere, which makes the job interesting.”
A student ordered a pint of Guinness and within 30 seconds Wemdelgass had grabbed a chilled glass from the refrigerator, poured the brew with admirable speed and precision, and the drink was on the counter ready to go.
“If you want to be a bartender, I can’t stress enough how important it is to be organized and know your drinks,” said Wemdelgass. “We may make it look easy, but it’s not always the most glamourous job. I find it’s key to be friendly, approachable and humourous. And math skills always come in handy.”
According to Iain Donnell, a student who grabs a drink at least once a week from E.P Taylor’s, the only thing he expects from a bartender is to be quick on their feet and aware of their surroundings.
“It’s not about how fast they can get me a drink, but it’s how fast they can acknowledge the fact that I’m there,” said Donnell. “Sometimes people show up after you and somehow get drinks before you, but a good bartender will at least acknowledge that you are there and will get to you as soon as they can.”
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