Students gathered at 24 College Street on a recent Friday night for a “pop-up coffeehouse,” a new phenomenon at Bowdoin. Sipping hot drinks and eating snacks provided by College Dining, students listened to live music, played board games and chatted.

Melissa Quinby, director of the Women’s Resource Center, said she and a group of students — Michelle Kruk ’16, Jackie Fickes ’15, Gabriela Serrato Marks ’15 and Dana White ’15 — created the inaugural pop-up coffee house to give students a laid-back option for socializing on Friday and Saturday evenings. More of these temporary coffee houses will pop up throughout the year, perhaps at the Outing Club and at one or two of the College Houses, Quinby added.

“The 24 College team succeeded in developing a fun, relaxing and entertaining evening for Bowdoin students and prospective students by reaching out to student musicians, the Slam Poetry Society and the Board Games Group,” Quinby said. “I think that students can expect to see at least three to five more of them this year — each with its own theme and character.”

Kruk, one of the Women’s Resource Center student directors, said that many events at 24 College Street (home to the Women’s Resource Center and the Resource Center for Gender and Sexual Diversity) are oriented toward specific groups of students. “This was an event that appealed to everyone,” she added. “It was a great way to introduce students to 24 College and remind them that it’s a beautiful space that all students can enjoy.”