At Olin After Dark, students can leave their worries and stress at the door. A new program hosted by the library every Wednesday from 3-6 p.m. on the second floor, Olin After Dark offers entertaining events and a chance to bond with other students.
“It is intended to be a very casual event where students can come and just relax. We chose this time so that we could get most of our daytime students as well as our Holt students,” says Alyssa Hanson, Office and Facilities Coordinator. Events are normally held in Room 203, giving students a more private space to craft, play games, or just to lounge after the event.
Past events held have included a spa day, a jam session, a game night, dream board making, and more. The events for the following month are sent out in a newsletter by the library, and on the day of the event, the list of events will be displayed. Reminders are also sent on the day of an event, ensuring that students are up to date and that all who want to attend can.
While there is much fun and relaxation to be enjoyed, there has also been an unexpected outcome of Olin After Dark: the events held have created a new opportunity for community and friendship among students.
“We do find that with some of the more passive activities, a lot of the participants who come in will actually just talk to each other, and they’ll show each other all of the crafts that they’re making. It’s really exciting to see a lot of friendship and camaraderie within the community,” says Stephanie Nieves, Digital Services Specialist.
As said by Hanson, the average turnout is about 40 students, and most are eager to participate and join in on the activities. “It’s good to take a break from things because most people are in the library just grinding away and studying. And it’s nice to be able to take a break and do something different,” says Charlotte Yauger (‘28).
In addition to the variety of events, the program provides a flexible schedule that students can appreciate. “A lot of events don’t fit perfectly into your schedule. If it’s a progressive event or something that is very self-contained, you can’t stay. But with Olin After Dark, it’s a few hours long, and you can stay for as long or as short as you like,” says Charlie Baierlein (‘28).
The first October event was the Fox FabLab demo where students learned how to use a Cricut machine and its materials to make customized keychains. There are more events to follow throughout the month.
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