Back Atchya!

I'M BACK!

It feels like only yesterday that I started this blog, but it's been about a year (exactly) already! My attention wandered for a good while, as my entire world was changing beneath my feet during the second half of my final year at Saint Mary's University. In between taking classes, doing homework, writing for The Journal, living in between two places, and job searching, I had little time to devote to my blog. Not to mention this summer was a whirlwind in itself. I feel like I should explain myself a bit more...

Like many University students, I felt the intense pressure of actually leaving the consistent and linear world of reading and writing, and starting the search for a "real" job. And of course, having lived and breathed school and extra-curriculars for the past five years, I was hoping it would translate into a position with a great company. Being an A-type personality, I began looking for work in December and January. I'll say this much, companies usually don't know if they'll need you that early. If you are a graduating student, don't panic so early. I threw my resume out to at least twenty-five companies, and I even used search engines like Monster and Workopolis (even though that seemed more miss than hit). I inevitably came across recruitment companies for temp jobs. I was even fooled into believing I was going into an interview with an actual company, but it was with a third-party recruitment center. By March I was panicking. Being so involved in Saint Mary's life and mingling with tons of companies over the years, it was unnerving that I was relying on job search engines for opening opportunities. I worked way too hard to end up at the bottom of the ladder!

By this time I was getting worried. There weren’t very many favorable callbacks and being in the Atlantic, big job opportunities for new entrants are hard to come by. I decided in March to move to Toronto to see if the job pool offered anything more for me. That was my plan. And I would have stuck to that plan if not for the phone call I received the very day I went back home to Moncton (the day after my last day of school). I received a call from Purolator Courier Ltd for a position I had applied for over a month earlier, before I decided to move to Toronto. They wanted me to come in for an interview for the position of Field Inside Sales Professional (FISP). To make a long story somewhat short, I went through three rounds of interviewing. It was extremely stressful to say the least. It helped that everyone around me stayed so positive, as I tend to be hard on myself when it comes to this type of thing.

One day, I was sitting in my bankers office discussing personal finances along with my potential job (and subsequent potential move to Nova Scotia), when my cell phone rang. I had a feeling it was Purolator, and they said that regardless of weather I got the final interview or not that they would call and tell me – so needless to say my stomach was doing flips. I almost threw up on her desk (..nice mental picture, eh?). They told me that it was between myself and another girl. The pressure was unparallel. I could barely sleep until the interview. But I made a vow to just be myself because whatever happened would happen for the best. Then one day about a week later, my boyfriend and I took a walk to calm my nerves and my cell rang. I got the job!!!

So here I am, four months into my new position, and I am so grateful for the opportunity. Sometimes, and more often than not, I step back for a minute and really appreciate it. There are a several really great aspects of my job: First, it’s in my field – marketing and communications. Secondly, the company is well respected and the employees are so faithful and hard working (and just a lot of fun, really). Third, the training and support I get in my role is awesome. I’m the only one in Atlantic Canada so it’s more difficult for me to be on the cusp, but with e-mails and conferences happening all the time, I’m always well informed. Besides the hours and work environment being amazing, they’re involving me in promotional events around Atlantic Canada. Being smaller than the rest of Canada, Atlantic Purolator positions are sometimes made into hybrid positions, and because of my strong background and love for marketing, this was a good fit for me.

Besides work, I’ve been really busy settling into post-university life. It’s been a challenge to say the least. I’m nerdy when it comes to school. Not like Steve Urkle nerdy or anything, but I am studious and I thrive on being busy all of the time and having several things on the go. Since working full time, although I adore my job, I feel like I need more to do outside of work. I was the same way at school too. I needed more to do besides study. And because I’m also post-Journal, I’m lacking extra-curriculars. Therefore, my new goal is finding constructive things to do outside of my full-time job. The things that I really want to accomplish now consist of (1) working on Scribe (which I’ve put aside as a result of my new job), (2) continue writing for a publication (something similar to what I was doing with the Journal and MissBiz), (3) travel whenever possible (my boyfriend and I are possibly planning a backpacking trip to Europe in the spring), (4) and doing all of the novel projects I’ve always wanted to do, but never had a chance to because of school obligations. I feel like I finally have an opportunity to do these things because I have a job that mostly requires me to work 9-5, and the rest of my time is my time. Finally!

Anyway, that’s the general gist of my life over the past several months. Another great thing about my situation is that I have time to devote to writing here, which I adore so much. School was great, but the working world can be pretty great too. It took me a while to get used to the “real” world, but with each passing day I get more and more excited to spend time doing the things that I want, and on my own terms.

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"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."

Annie Dillard