While most students lie in bed throughout the early hours of the morning, others stay busy working around the clock. The world doesn't stop at midnight, and Ball State is no exception.
As many offices and business wind down for the evening, others just get started. La Bamba's Mexican restaurant in the Village sees their busiest hours from midnight to 4 a.m.
"It seems that night is the busiest time for us," Rodolfo Vasques, an employee for La Babma's, said. "In winter and on the weekdays, it's a little slower, but it's always busy."
Vasques, who has been working at the restaurant for three years, enjoys his late-shift hours and said that there is always something exciting going on.
"I've had to break up lots of fights. We get drunk people in here fighting and breaking tables," Vasques said. "We call the police, but sometimes I've had to step in and break it up myself."
Hiatt Printing Center, located next to the CBX bookstore on McKinley Avenue, also stays open into the early hours of the morning but doesn't experience as much excitement.
"We're open 24 hours, and it can get boring in the morning when nobody comes in," Tim Galbraith, a two year employee of Hiatt Printing, said. "The only big business we see at night is toward the end of the semester when students need to get their work done."
Galbraith stays busy by stocking paper and reading a book.
Galbraith works midnight to 8 a.m. Monday through Friday and has the weekend off.
"I try to adjust back to normal sleeping hours on the weekends, but it's hard."
Getting back to normal sleeping hours can prove more difficult than it seems. Lynette Billings, front desk attendant at the Ball State Student Center hotel, works 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday.
"I have the weekends off, and I try to get back into the swing of thing, but it's hard," Billings said. "I usually end up sleeping all day."
Billings soon wants to pursue a degree and go back to school, but isn't sure where she will get the time.
"When I start school, I don't know if I'll ever sleep," she said.
While Billings struggles to keep her eyes open throughout the day, staying awake during her shift is never a problem.
"I have plenty to keep me busy," she said. "When I'm not with guests, I work on our daily audit. I balance the drawers and do lots of paperwork."
Other Ball State employees who keep late hours include parking services, the University Police Department and the maintence staff that keep the buildings clean for students and faculty.
While working the graveyard shift may not be for everyone, some late-night employees have come to prefer the hours over other "normal" options.
"As hard as it is to stay up sometimes, I've been working these hours for seven years and I wouldn't work any other time," Billings said.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
