Celebrating my First Quarter Anniversary w/ Giant Eagle!!!

Today marks my three month anniversary with Giant Eagle. I was hired the Friday before Thanksgiving and did my orientation around the holiday. I did my training and computer work on Black Friday (I also picked up my medication at the pharmacy located inside the store that day so I was able to see some of the employees as they did their work). My first night of work was the Monday after Thanksgiving.

So far, things have gone well with Giant Eagle and it’s hard to believe that at one point I used to drive to Pittsburgh all the time for work. While I’ve only been with Giant Eagle three months, it seems as if I’ve been there longer. I started around the holidays, and that meant I was really busy stocking. I get better every day and take the time to listen to my team when it comes to improving myself.

Here’s a variety six pack of cold hard facts about me. A few covering Giant Eagle, as well as WIS, and my post academia life so far. Don’t worry, I have no hard feelings about my past.

Fact #1: I came back to WIS at the right time in January 2019 and it helped shape where I am now. I got to experience Target, built my work friendships, and began to find myself and my definition of style. I had a little inspiration 🍒.

Fact #2: I left WIS at the right time in November 2021 and it has worked out well. I miss my work family and still keep in touch with them through Facebook.

Fact #3: Working at Giant Eagle has been very convenient for me. I know where everything is when I go grocery shopping; I get my medication at the pharmacy; and, I’m five minutes from home and know when I’ll be done every night.

Fact #4: This isn’t my first time working for Giant Eagle. I was briefly employed at the Eastgate location in late 2018 and early 2019 before going back to WIS full time.

Fact #5: Working at Giant Eagle runs in my family. My uncle worked at various locations for 20+ years in the meat department (in addition to working for Gee Bee and other chains) and my sister worked as a deli clerk for five years at the Eastgate location and briefly at Hempfield as a Deli leader.

Fact #6: I spent a long time living in the past wondering how things could have been different with my education. Early in my post academia life, I denounced myself because I had a degree and was working a menial job. I wasn’t looking at the long term. But over the last few years, I am happy with the way things have turned out.

After only three months on the job, I’m starting to forget what it was like to travel for work (which I did for over a decade). I’ve had my flashbacks to my not so great days but I think we’ve driven over that valley for good now.

Looking back at my post academia life, the first few years (2006-2008) were the hardest before I saw slight improvement (2009-2012). Better days came (2013-2017) and these last few years (2018–present) have made me realize that I’m at a good place in life.