Keeping Up With... Meghan Bourgeault
by: Evan Bourgeault
Evan and his sisters... Meghan (center) and Emma
Meghan Bourgeault came to Wooster during her sophomore year and graduated in 2020. While at Wooster, Meghan participated in Madrigals as a soprano singer in her junior and senior years. She also played soccer for Wooster from her sophomore year up until she graduated. Meghan was an amazing soccer player and was the captain her senior year. Not only was she a great singer and soccer player but she was amazing in the musicals she performed in. For her junior year, she was Olive in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. For her senior year, she was Lily Craven in The Secret Garden. Meghan was the Student Activities Prefect during her senior year. Now that we have gotten to know Meghan better let's get into the interview...
Where have you been living since graduating from Wooster?
I was attending Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, Canada, but with Covid going on and being unsure of the life I wanted to live I decided to drop out, move to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and start working. Which is where I met my husband and where we currently reside.
Made any new friends?
Cannot say I have! Living in a Covid world for the past two years has made the matter extremely difficult. Have I been lonely at times? Yes. That being said, I've been inventive with my time. Suffering from symptoms of IBS, I learned how to heal my gut through the GAPS diet. I also discovered the effects of eating Keto on mental health. Many people are shying away from the bible in our political world, but in it, you can find many tidbits of wisdom. Fasting for instance isn't just a way for Christians to feel closer to God, it also has extraordinary health benefits. My longest fast has been three days, with water. The first day was hard, but upon waking on that third day I had mental clarity and I wasn't hungry. I highly recommend trying these things for anyone with IBS or mental health problems. One of the biggest themes I've seen in just two years of living on my own is that life is a struggle. But pain and struggle are what help you grow. What helps you become more than what you were yesterday? When you have a problem, when you have a goal, you can do the work and do it right or you can run around in circles for the rest of your life. It's your choice.
Any new hobbies?
When I met my husband he was already on a journey to create a family farm in Advocate Harbour, Nova Scotia, which is where our land is located. I was lucky enough to hop on the bandwagon. As a child, I always had a dream of living on a farm, but it was buried deep. That is until now. I'm in the process of developing many homesteading skills such as, but not limited to, preserving, gardening, herbal medicine, first aid, sewing, knitting, etc. And I think the biggest challenge has been learning how to manage a home. I am now the mother to a beautiful baby boy, but I am also the stepmother to a 6-year-old girl. Navigating the responsibilities of a homemaker is tough and involves a lot of trial and error. However, creating a family is a big step toward growing up and becoming an adult. An adult with the opportunity to pass down knowledge and raise the next generation. I hope for a big family and I encourage everyone to do the same. You will never love anything more than your children.
What has changed in your life since graduating?
Can I say everything? I feel like a completely new person. This is one of the reasons I've distanced myself from relationships made at Wooster. Not because I don't care about these people, but because I've changed so much that those relationships either need to be reinvented or abandoned. And that's okay. People change and people grow apart. It's a normal part of life.
One thing that's changed for me is my attitude. I've finally found some hope. I've had a long battle with mental illness probably since I was 10. And it isn't until now that I finally feel like I'm coming into my own. I feel the progress I've made and the progress fuels more progress. The thing that has helped in this discovery of hope is quite simple. I learned how to do something valuable. Then I learned how to do something else, and so forth. With each skill I learn, the more successful, the more confident I feel. That I can deal with anything life throws at me. Ask yourself what can I do that I'm willing to do, today. You'll find yourself moving forward, instead of being overwhelmed by your present situation.
Did Wooster set you up for success (Workload, time management, deadlines, life skills)?
I owe a lot to Wooster. Wooster allowed me to survive at a time when I was struggling emotionally. It was a safe space and allowed me to form close bonds with my teachers. Wooster was the transition between childhood and adulthood. While it may not have given me personality, life skills, etc. Probably because I didn't take advantage of what Wooster had to offer in that regard, but it gave me a unique experience for which I am grateful.
What did you like about Wooster that you haven't found since graduating?
The sense of community. Living in the city is isolating. Not only that, but it's diverse in its values. Diversity is so widespread these days and we are taught to swallow it down and be tolerant. This is why I value community, specifically a community with common goals. I'm not saying you shouldn't have an open mind when it comes to other people's way of life, there should always be a conversation. But I believe that one of the ways to a fulfilling life is being able to depend on and trust the people you surround yourself with. That being said, living on a homestead and having a large family gives me the chance to experience a tight-knit community once again.
Meet Meghan's son!
