Factory Life

Ladies and gentlemen, I was not planning on working in a factory (Revere Copper) this summer. When it came down to it, my initial reaction was... "ugh". And when I tell people that I work in a factory, their reaction is, "ugh".

Pouring copper, taken from the company website.

I'm kind of exaggerating.

But in general, having a summer job in a factory is, as far as I know, a pretty unique experience for the average college student (especially considering the serious lack of domestic manufacturing in North America). So this, coupled with the fact that I have tons of friends struggling to find any work, leads me to feel pretty fortunate.

That being said, it has its ups and downs. To get them out of the way, let's start with...

The Downs.

The work day starts at 7.30. So, every day, I have to wake up at 6.30 to eat and get ready to go. Haha, totally kidding. I scramble out of bed in a big ball of stress, caffeine, and no food, at around five-of-seven; after which, I hop in the car and barely make it there at 7.25 with coffee all over my hand and a strong desire to take a standing nap. No me gusta.

It's an eight-hour shift. This isn't really a down, but it's the first time I've had a job like this so I'm putting it in this category because it's something to get used to.

I get dirty, have to wear heavy jeans, work boots and obnoxious chem-lab-esqe safety glasses that alter my vision. All day. It's hot in the summer.

All in all though, there aren't many negatives. And I try not to complain!

Now for...

The Ups.

I GET PAIIID. Which is nice, considering my large gap in work history due to studying and exchange-studenting.

I get done early. So once I'm out of work at 3.30 I have the rest of the evening to read, relax, and do other summer things.

I'll probably never work in this environment again. I don't mean this in a "once I'm done, I'm outta here" way; but because I'm privileged enough to pursue studies in Anthro and Bio, I probably won't find myself in a working environment like this. I'm learning humility and patience, which I'm finding are really useful / important qualities to have.

Good people. I really like my coworkers, we have a good time.

Just to reiterate, I now have income.

Because I'll be spending most of my time for the rest of the summer in the factory, look out for more updates on that front. Also, watch out for updates about my internship at the refugee center!

Thanks for reading!