There is a weekly phenomenon by the name of BarHop, where students and real people alike can drink (21+, duh) and be merry every Thursday and Friday from 9pm to 12:30 am. Its Twitter page describes it as “a student social experience like no other.” And, really, where else in the Upper Valley can a Dartmouth student (of any age) get a bar and club experience, much less a safe, comfortable, and ridiculously fun one?

Some of the past Bar Hop nights have included trivia, painting and drawing (Tipsy Palette, how awesome is that?), and live music performances. Overall, BarHop is a good, fun time away from the frat scene, where one can often feel surrounded by the pressure to drink, play pong, and be 100% hyped. It is also unlike dry campus programs like Collis After Dark, which many upperclassmen won’t bother with because they prefer environments where they can relax with a drink and not be breaking some code of conduct.

I spoke to Jennifer Evans, a ’17 from Wales, who has been with Ba Hop since its inception, about her time at the Hop and how it compares to other social scenes on Dartmouth’s campus.

Q: What do you know about the start of BarHop?

A: “BarHop was started by an initiative to have a social space to bring more people to the Hop, not just for shows. I was working in the Audience Engagement at the Hop, where we started brainstorming this idea and, led by staff member Sean Gao, a ’14, [Amber Porter, another ’14,] and [myself], along with a team of others, started BarHop. This was winter ’14, and we just set it up and saw where it would go.”

Q: What’s your favorite part of BarHop?

A: “I love how BarHop is the closest [thing] to the pub atmosphere I know from home – there is a chance to dance, just sit and talk, do activities, open mic, and loads of chances to do what you wanna do while in a space where you’re comfortable if you’re drinking or not drinking. Almost all spaces at Dartmouth – common spaces or social spaces – create a dichotomy of alcohol or no alcohol, drinking to get drunk or not drinking at all, and BarHop is a nice alternative to that.”

Q: What’s been your favorite BarHop activity?

A: “My fave activity from BarHop has been the jewelry studio pop up nights. They have jewelry available to just take (amazing), and also you can make your own pieces, which most people just don’t have time to do if they have to get to the studio. It combines a time of social engagement with the art studios, and I love that it brings art activities into the ‘normal’ social spaces.”

Q: What do you want people to know about the people who make BarHop happen?

A: “While BarHop is funded by the Hop and overseen by Sean, it really is a student-initiated thing every week. Students pick the themes, students stand on the door, and students run the bars. We have an integral team, but we’ve always loved suggestions for themes or performers, and we love collaborating with groups if possible. From the beginning, we wanted BarHop to be a space by the people, for the people, and I think we’ve been good at preserving that.”

Q: What makes BarHop different from other on-campus programs?

A: “Similar to my earlier answer about the alcohol/no alcohol dichotomy, I also think that, being in the neutral space of the Hop Garage, [BarHop] is able to be a safe space without getting labeled as only that and looked down on by people in certain communities. We always monitor and take action if we see anything, from someone too drunk to someone looking uncomfortable or harassed, to just rudeness. And I hope that the students working look like people who you can come to while at BarHop and say, “I need help” and not be scared. There is not the power dynamic of the fraternities that can make going out a nervous and downright dangerous experience for some people.”

Q: Describe BarHop in one word.

A: “Versatile.”

While Jennifer is no longer an active member involved with BarHop, she obviously has a strong fondness for the program as it still stands. Bar Hop is an invaluable Dartmouth experience, even for those of us under 21, that gives students the opportunity to come together in a silly, relaxed environment and take a break from the chaos that is academic rigor. BarHop is fantastically irreplaceable.

Reminder: BarHop. Hop Garage. Every Thursday And Friday. 9pm – 12:30am.