Blog #16

Every Monday night, from four to eight, I am scheduled to work at America’s Buffet in Lafollette. On Mondays, I am in charge of the appearance of the Buffet. I make sure that the salad bar is clean, as well as, all the tables. The good thing about my job is that it is very laid back. When it is not busy, I am able to converse and observe other employees and customers. March 30, was one of those nights. The Buffet was very empty with only a few students eating. I took advantage of the situation and started talking to one of my co-workers, Brena, about how she became a cashier and what she likes and dislikes about working at the Buffet. Just to give you some background about Brena, she is someone who loves to talk and talk. She is so outgoing and if you need any information about anyone or what is going on, you go to her. After talking with Brena for a period of time, I didn’t have to ask as many questions because she just kept going. I could sense that she enjoyed our conversation because she started focusing her attention more on me rather than the customers coming in. When we got on the topic of student workers and non-student workers, she commented that non-student employees “treat students like crap.” She also mentioned that most employees have been working at the Buffet for many years, which makes them feel like they can have authority over others. Brena also said how hard it is to get a job in Lafollette as a non-student employee because they are starting to rely more on student employees. My research has shown that there has been an increase in student employees here at Ball State and one of those reasons is because of the increase in pay. Working for dining services pays more than any other job on campus.