The most rocking annual dance party this campus has ever seen has received a major face-lift this year. Friday, Jan. 28, the first West Hall Coffee House will take place from 8 p.m to 11 p.m. in West Hall. The Coffee House will be the dorm’s campus-wide event this year, replacing the annual West Hall Dance Party.
The guys of West Hall have been planning to do this most of the year. “West Hall Dance Party has tended to be a little crazy. This will be more relaxed and even-toned . . . Hopefully, people will enjoy good conversation and company.” West residents seem generally excited about the Coffee House. Senior Will Schroeder said of the change: “there have been so many dance parties in the past few years . . . we’re just changing things up and taking a break. The Dance Party may be back next year.”
Seth Currier, Residence Director, said the event will be “real chill.” The idea is to “encourage conversations”— to just have fun and hang out. The plan is to “see how it goes.” Maybe it will be a new annual tradition. Currier is buying coffee from Hands Around the World. The coffee, hot chocolate and tea will be free of charge. Bring your own mug. They will also have a limited amount of mugs available for use.
First floor will serve as the entryway, and there will be couches in the front lobby for people to hang out and talk. There will also be a bake sale on first floor. Senior Alex Menning said, “People are baking all sorts of goods, and they will be sold in small quantities for cheap prices.” First floor RA Dan Unekis said that a “limited selection of old floor t-shirts” will be on sale as well.” Proceeds will go to support West Hall’s Compassion child of two years, 19-year-old Marcos from Ethiopia. Unekis commented that this event has helped to spur conversation within West: “Some freshmen didn’t even know we had a Compassion child, so it’s been great to have that better-known.”
Second floor lobby will have live music and a “coffee house feel,” according to Unekis. There will be a full mix of performers from all classes. The music will be acoustic with some duets and some solo performances. The lobby will be filled with seating and art that West residents have hung.
Third floor lobby will have a Latin theme. RA Brian Brandau said they are going for “an outdoor-café-at-night setting. People will be serving coffee from under an overhang, including Latin American coffees. There will also be black paper on the walls (for ‘night’) as well as stars and a moon for atmosphere. Each table is going to have a basket of tortilla chips and salsa, and Latin music will be playing.” There will also be board games and card games available for people to play.
Coffee has become a social-must on this campus. Head over to West tonight and check it out.