A Day In The Life: Megan Slater
Photo by Mike Hnida
Name: Megan Slater
Age: 36
Where did you grow up? Willmar, MN
Where do you live? St. Paul, MN
Who do you live with? Currently, my friend/roommate Haley. As of September 1, I’ll be living with my girlfriend Jillian.
What is your occupation? I’m an epidemiologist working as the project director of the Alcohol Epidemiologic Data System, a contract that provides support to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), which is a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). We conduct research (and provide research support) on the public health implications of alcohol use and misuse.
When did you come out? Age 29
How’d that go? It went as well as I could have ever imagined, and I have been so much happier since then. I feel very lucky to have friends and family who are incredibly loving and supportive.
When do you wake up? Earlier than I need to. Lately it has been around 6 a.m. when the sun wakes me up.
Phone alarm or old school alarm? No alarm needed generally, but on very rare occasions I use my phone alarm.
What’s the first thing you do in the morning? Bathroom, then breakfast!
Breakfast? Always. My go-to is either plain yogurt with fruit and homemade granola or a smoothie.
Coffee? No.
Cream or no? On the rare occasion that I have some coffee, yes, I prefer cream.
How do you spend your commute: Walking… to the kitchen to grab breakfast and set up my computer because I work remotely from home full time.
If your job were like a yearbook, what would you be voted? (Class clown, best dressed, most annoying, etc.) Best email communicator.
What inspires you? People who love life and share their positive energy with the world. Being around people like that inspires me to be a better human.
Do you eat your lunch while working or take a break? Take a break
Is your work space tidy or a hot mess? Tidy
What’s been your favorite job? My current gig is hard to top. I can work from anywhere, put my six years of graduate education to good use, and get paid more than I ever thought I would.
Who are your heroes? The positive, inspiring people in my life that I mentioned above.
Favorite weeknight meal: Go out, take out, or cook in? Cook in. I love cooking.
Most embarrassing moment: I honestly can’t think of one. No doubt I’ve had my fair share of embarrassing moments over the years, but nothing really sticks out in my memory as being more embarrassing.
On a usual weeknight, you are doing what? Getting my exercise on, followed by cooking dinner and catching up on some Hulu/Netflix (The Handmaid’s Tale is a current favorite).
Bedtime: Usually between 10 and 11 p.m.
Favorite weekend activity: Doing something active outside with friends or family.
What are you most proud of and why? The first things that came to my mind were the typical personal accomplishments that one might consider, like earning a PhD or playing college softball (Go Bison!), but if I’m honest, the “why” behind these things seems inadequate. I think I’m most proud of the way I’ve treated the people in my life with respect and love. I know I’ve fallen short on this many times (mostly with annoying strangers), but overall, I think I’ve done a fairly good job of this. Why am I proud of this? Because this world can be a pretty cruel place to live in at times, and any time someone treats another person with kindness, it makes the world a little bit better.
Words of wisdom to share: I think the answer above sums it up quite well.
