Name: Meredith Wilcox
University: Gannon University ‘10
Degrees: Bachelor’s in Theology (but I took more English credits than anything – I love journalism and poetry!)
Occupation: College bookseller – I’m that girl who greets you when you come into the bookstore – and I’m also a photographer and blogger.
Hometown: Erie, PA
Hobbies: Photography, creative writing, traveling with my husband, and I’m very into hockey (Vancouver Canucks) and football (the Steelers, duh).
This or That:
Coffee or Tea: I would be nothing without coffee, but I drink tea a lot, too!
Written or Spoken Word: Oh, that’s such a good question. I would be a bad creative writer if I didn’t pick written, but I love when things come to life when they’re spoken.
Salty or Sweet: Honestly, neither! Give me savory snacks – beef jerky is my weakness.
Hot or Cold: Hot, definitely.
CD or Vinyl: VINYL. I love my turntable!
Movies or Books: I am terrible at seeing movies, so definitely books.
Loud or Quiet: Quiet, usually.
Favorites:
Book: Catcher in the Rye
Album: U2’s “October” – be careful if you listen to it, it’ll mess with your emotions.
Artist/Band: Dave Grohl is my MAN.
Author: Steve Martin. Did y’all know that he’s a prolific author? Read “An Object of Beauty.”
Outfit: I call leggings, a Foo Fighters t-shirt, and an oversized flannel my uniform, so we’ll go with that.
Season: Autumn
Time of Day: Early morning
How did you start working at the bookstore?
My mom saw an ad for a temporary position in the paper, and I was between seasons at my previous job, so I figured it was worth a shot. I actually couldn’t find the store when I came to apply, then didn’t know when I was starting work, and then had a panic attack my first actual morning and almost didn’t come in! Needless to say, five years later, I’m happy I finally worked up the courage to come to work.
How did you meet your husband?
Scott was already working at the store when I started here. We hit it off pretty quickly, and after my first summer here, another of our coworkers noticed that we got along really well. She suggested to both of us, separately, that we might enjoy going on a date, and a few weeks later, we made plans to go to a Behrend water polo match (romantic, I know), then decided to go to dinner and play mini golf instead. The rest, they say, is history!
What is your favorite thing about working at the bookstore?
It’s come up many times since I’ve started working here that the store has become a sort of “safe space” for our student workers and friends. Since my desk is literally at the door of the store (and the building), I get to greet and chat with everyone as they come in. Several of those small interactions have turned into sincerely important friendships, and I’ve gotten to meet people I never would have otherwise.
Has anything crazy ever happened?
(Full disclosure, I had to talk to Scott to get some ideas for this one!) On a really quiet afternoon last summer, we got a visit from the Nittany Lion (who may or may not have been a former student worker). He waited on customers, answered calls, and helped us get books on the shelves!
If you could do absolutely anything right this moment, what would you do?
Is “go to sleep” a bad answer? Probably. Okay, I’d like to go back to Disney World, with no one but myself and my cameras!
It’s now five years in the future, where do you see yourself?
I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m still here at the store, but I also hope to have a bigger presence online – whatever Instagram and WordPress become in five years, I’d like to be doing my thing in a bigger way!
What is your ultimate goal?
Honestly? Just happiness. I’ve dealt with depression and anxiety my whole life, so I value feeling good that much more. I’m not a career-minded person; I prefer doing things I enjoy, and I’m glad I have the sort of job that lets me leave work at work, and enjoy my personal life.
What is your biggest fear?
I am petrified of water. I actually had a nightmare recently that my husband bought a house boat, and I didn’t have it in me to tell him I was terrified of it, so we kept it and I was scared to death the rest of my dream. Fun! But, seriously, I don’t swim and I don’t go on boats because it’s a crippling fear.
If you could physically meet one person, who would you choose?
Anyone who knows me in real life, knows already that Dave Grohl is my answer here. I love his work, I love that he’s a fellow Capricorn, and I would love to just have a conversation with him!
Any advice about life after college for our readers?
Hoo boy, here we go. College is sort of a bubble that you don’t realize is one until you are out of it. Even with internships and jobs, you’re existing on a schedule that keeps you rigidly focused on the next thing. And then… you graduate, and your sense of purpose is replaced with debt!! And you have to make your day-to-day life reflect the goals you set for yourself, entirely on your own, for the first time in your life. It’s terrifying a lot of the time, but freeing once you own who you are. I spent a lot of my first few years after graduating floundering between jobs and friend groups in an attempt to find myself. After a lot of reflection, I realized that I was the only person who determined who adult-me would be. That was when I stopped apologizing for myself and stopped trying to define myself by others and just started focusing on the things I truly enjoy. It’s a process that you definitely can start while you’re still in college, but make that your focus when you are thrown into adulthood and you’ll be okay! Also, figure out your student loan repayment plan as soon as you can. Trust me.
Thank you for the wonderful interview and always making me laugh at work! HCXO
Image Credits: Meredith and Scott Wilcox