Mena works three on-campus jobs to support himself
Photo Credit: Brianna Egan
Brianna Egan, Web Editor
August 8, 2011
Filed under Features, Student Life, Top Stories
Apolinar "Apple" Mena, pictured here at the game center, appreciates the convenience of working on campus.
“Hey Apple!” A student slaps three dollar bills on the counter and saunters over to Lane 2, blue bowling ball in hand. The distinct ring of balls against pins against hardwood echoes across the alley.
The student on the other side of the transaction, Apolinar Mena — or “Apple” to the regulars — juggles three jobs on the CSULB campus, and being game attendant at the on-campus bowling alley is one of them.
“You get to meet a lot of cool people in the game center, a lot of regulars,” said Mena, who is a rising sophomore and Criminal Justice major. “They get to know you by name: ‘Hey! How’ve you been?’”
Mena works the cash register, fixes the lanes, and hands out shoes. The game center boasts a 10-lane alley, a ping-pong table, a foosball table, and billiard tables. Students visit the lanes in their free time before and after classes.
“People come here because it’s cheaper than other bowling alleys,” Mena said. “It brings people together and really relieves stress — a lot of students will come as a group.”
The alley features 10 lanes. "It gets a lot busier from 11-3," Mena said.
A former bowling-alley-frequenter himself, he started working at the game center immediately after beginning his first year at CSULB. He recently picked up his other jobs at the “Candy Corner” and the Information Center, both in the Student Union.
“I thought, As long as I come here [to the bowling alley] every single day, I should start working,” Mena said.
Combining his income from the three jobs, he is a fully self-supporting student, as he also was granted a full four-year scholarship after graduating from Millikan High School in Long Beach.
“What [income] I get from my work allows me to go out, pay my car bill, housing — it works out,” he said.
Mena is grateful to have found a steady source of income and a welcoming environment on campus.
“Working here is very convenient: I get to time my hours for before and after class,” he said. “It really feels like home because I’ve only been in college for a year and it feels like longer.”
He encourages other students to get involved through student jobs and give back to the campus.
“[The jobs] work around your schedule and if you’re willing to have fun — but of course be committed and responsible — it’s easy to handle,” Mena said. “The environment here is different and the people are really friendly. It’s like a family because it’s not as stressful as other jobs.”
Mena plans to go to law school, but as for now, he takes pride in being Apple, the bowling alley guy.
WHOOOOOOTTT so very good