Waking up to be in a classroom at 8 a.m. may seem dreadful, but Karen Spencer wakes up significantly earlier to clean that classroom.
Her job is not what one might describe as glorious, but Spencer has been at it happily for eight and a half years. She is a custodian at the Harrison School of Pharmacy and gets the majority of her work done before most students are even awake.
"When they first put us on the first shift, it kind of stressed us out, trying to get stuff done before 7:30," Spencer said.
But she said she is now accustomed to waking up early and gets her work done on time with no problem.
Since she's constantly moving throughout the building all day, interaction with people is inevitable. She said this is her favorite part about her job.
"(I like) the people, you know--talking with them, joking with them, laughing with them, and sharing things with them," Spencer said.
Spencer lives in Auburn with her two dogs, a shih tzu and a Yorkie. She has three adult daughters.
Her free time at home is spent either catching up on sleep, furthering her education or working on side projects.
"Well, I'm taking an online course, and then I'm a seamstress, and then I'm trying to take back up knitting," Spencer said, "I used to do it when I was really small, and I'm trying to get back into it."
She even plans to start a seamstress business, but it is still in the works.
She does, however, have a separate cleaning business.
"Most of the time when I wake up (from my afternoon nap), I'll just run over there and do them," Spencer said. "And that just depends on when I wake up, you know. Most of them close at 5, so anytime after 5."
On the weekends she will sew or try to knit something. She said she is trying to learn embroidery.
She also spends time working on her online course.
"I'm just taking (the course) to sharpen up my skills," Spencer said.
While her sleep schedule may not be that of a typical adult in the workforce, Spencer and her labor cannot be overlooked in the pristine halls of the Harrison School of Pharmacy.
Schedule
3:45 a.m. - Wake up, bathe and get ready
4:40 a.m. - Leave home
5 a.m. - Arrive at Harrison School of Pharmacy; empty the trash, mop, dust and vacuum the clinic
6 a.m. - Clean ladies' bathroom
6:15 - 7:30 a.m. - Empty trash cans, wipe down tables, sweep the floor in the classrooms and labs; clean receptionist's desk, offices, dining area and bathrooms in the rest of the building
7:40 a.m. - Clean men's bathroom
8 a.m. - Dust and mop the hallways
9 - 9:30 a.m. - Eat lunch
10 a.m. - Set up supplies for the next day on the third and second floors
10:30 - 11 a.m. - Clean pharmacy area; dust outside areas
12 p.m. - Take out trash and check on bathrooms; make sure everything's done
1:15 p.m. - Leave for home
1:30 p.m. - Play with dogs; watch T.V.
3 p.m. - Go to sleep for a few hours
5 p.m. -Go clean buildings for side business
7 p.m. - Eat dinner
8-9 p.m. - Log tithes and offerings for church finances and do online course
11 p.m. - Back to bed
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