Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

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i • m ' i January Fanning, senior in interior design, makes change for a customer after pouring him a drink . at Rusty ' s Lost Chance Restaurant and Saloon, Nov. 20. My first time bartending, I was nervous about messing stuff up, but now I ' m good, Fanning said. Photo by Nicole Donnert 28 o student life I

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The Book Exchange wall in the K-State Student Union offers students a place to advertise books for sale. Dove Saltier, sophomore in mechanical engineering, said students preferred getting books from other students because it saved both people money. You don ' t lose money and other people don ' t have to spend too much, he said. The wall was open to anyone with purple cards for items for sole and blue cords for items wanted. Photo by Jeanel Drake After completing their finals, Dec, 19, students wait in line at the K-State Student Union Bookstore to sell bock textbooks for cash. Dan Walter, textbook manager at Varney ' s Book Store, said the store paid close to 50 percent on textbooks until the store ' s quota was filled, then the percentage decreased or textbooks were no longer accepted. He said students on average could spend between $400 and $500 on textbooks each semester. Photo by Nicole Donnert textbooks ; 27

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Handling the antics of inebriated customers, pouring drintcs with provocative-sounding names and finishing work at 2:30 a.m., were all in a night ' s work for student bartenders. In her two and a half years waitressing and bartending at Rusty ' s Last Chance Restaurant and Saloon, January Fanning, senior in interior design, said she saw all kinds of human behavior. At least once a week we have to kick somebody out because they ' re annoying everyone, Fanning said. Noth- ing surprises me anymore. Fanning typically worked the late shift twice a week. She said her time behind the bar taught her to have patience. You have to deal with a lot of different people, Fanning said. You get your drunk people, and you get your people who come in and think it ' s a restaurant and want you to have high class service. Bartending takes a lot of patience. Before being promoted to bartender, Fanning wait- ressed at Chance. Fellow bartender Jamie Stewart, senior in finance, also began as a waitress. Both said they preferred bartending to waitressing. When you ' re behind the bar and somebody ' s annoying you, you can choose to walk away, Stewart said. One thing I didn ' t like about waitressing was all the groping. Although bar employees sometimes worked in unfavorable condi- tions, Stewart and Fanning said the money and friendships they formed made their job worth it. I ' ve met a lot of people that are my good friends now, Stewart said. Working there this long, you know everybody. It ' s like one big family. Having hardworking and friendly employees was the key to success. Rusty Wilson, owner of five Aggieville bars, said. That ' s why Last Chance has been so successful, Wilson said. It ' s because of hiring good people. Your people need to have creative ideas. Wilson gave his employees creative freedom in his bars. They had input on advertising, promotions and T-shirts. Some of the girls have shirts that say ' Rusty Girl ' on them, Wilson said. One night, they had something saying, ' Show us your tips. ' Working late at Rusty ' s Last Chance on a busy Thursday night, January Fanning, senior in interior design, mixes vodka and 7- Up for a customer. Fanning said she had dealt with all kinds of customers in her two and a half years working at Chance. I hod one guy kicked out because he was yelling that Lost Chance sucked at 5 o ' clock on a Friday night, Fanning said. Photo by Nicole Donnert bartending n 29