The littlest things mean a lot when you are away from them for awhile. The way your mom says good morning or your dad gives you a bear hug. The petty arguments with your friends, and realizing the one you never argue with. This Christmas season as students return home we realize what we missed the most, what we have been homesick for and the things that never left nor changed. Even though I live at home and am a local this Christmas I don’t want to take anything for granted. I know it seems melodramatic but you never do know what you got till it’s gone or absent from awhile. Not only are some of my friends leaving to go home to their families for the holidays but I have some friends (who I haven’t seen or talked to for months) returning home too. I think many times we see things only as they are in front of us until given the time to step back and see something else. As you spend time with your family (especially if this is your last year in high school and you’re ready to move for college) remember to cherish it as much as you can. Even though you may not see it now you will realize how much you miss and appreciate your family once you are away and can’t always go home and say hi or call up your friend just to talk for a little bit. It’s the little things we sometimes take for granted but it’s times like these where we can realize what we have always had in front of us or what we have been ignoring all alone. As you enjoy your Christmas breaks have a good time with your family and friends and hold each memory close because school is going to go by fast and then you will be into the “real world” and growing up, becoming an adult. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and to you and your families and friends many, many memories for you to cherish for a lifetime.

Hey Everyone,

This is the first time I am revising a journal entry after I have finished it because, I wanted to keep you up to date. I officially have finished my first full semester of college!!!!! I am really excited and I think I did really, really well. I already have gotten 5 of 6 grades back and although I have a few more “B’s” than I wanted, I am ultimately satisfied at the effort that I put in this semester and am looking forward to future semesters where I can build on this one.

Wow, where to start. It sure has been a hectic couples weeks on the Embry-Riddle campus. Ok, Rockin’ The Holidays was an exciting, fun completion of the semester for Task Force One. About 120 people came out to support us in our endeavor and the band was great, the food was great, and people really enjoyed the prizes which ranged from gift cards, to toys, to lava lamps and black lights. After all the hitches we encountered this semester, we really pulled together and I felt we were successful in what we were trying to do. Unfortunately, I left my camera at home during the Thanksgiving Break so I was unable to supply you with pictures.

On a sad note, my computer died in these past couple weeks. One of the many wires I had sticking out of it wrapped around my newly bought office chair and that proceeded to pull it really hard onto the floor of my dorm. If anything comes from this experience it is to support accidental damage warranties, of which I did not have. For those of us who live in the great state of New York and are planning to attend the Daytona Beach Campus, we are out of luck because Dell doesn’t offer said warranties in those two states due to insurance and legal reasons. So I look forward to Christmas and next semester where I can raise enough money for a new laptop. Until then, my current computer is enshrined in my room. I have to admit, I did cry quite a bit when I realized the extent of the damage. I don’t think my computer would want to live with a feeding tube, so I just let it go. (Ok, bad metaphor at this point in American history, but still funny.)

Anyways, I am about to make the long road trip journey home beginning Friday with one of my high school friends who attends the University of Tampa, so I am getting really excited and pumped for that fun. It will be about a 20 hr trip, but since I lack a drivers license, her father is flying down and helping us drive. I am preparing to get my drivers license, however, but I-95 is not my ideal first driving experience. I am one of the few people left on campus, and it is quite refreshing to have the room to myself and I am totally relaxed. Pretty soon I will be packed into Victoria ‘s Toyota for almost a day. (If traffic goes smoothly!)

I can only wish everyone reading this the happiest of holidays, and a great new year. For those seniors in high school who are 17, remember this is your last holiday season as a kid, so treasure it, because next year will be soooooo different. I will talk and get you updated on the new semester next year, I hope you will all come back and read this. Don’t forget about me.

Happy Holidays!

P.S. After January 1, 2006 download the FAFSA (your financial aid form) and send it to all the schools you are applying to! Embry-Riddle has an early filer’s grant which if you file early enough, you will earn. I received it, and you should too! Good Luck!

Hey Everyone!
This is my first entry from home, New York City and the last 9 days I’ve spent here have been fun, exciting and full of adventure. The five days I spent in Daytona after my last entry were normal and I spent some time trying to get everything settled work-wise before I left. I did miss two days of classes (which is not bright) but for the most part, my professors were ok with it, because I let them know in advance. That was one long week, however. Finally, I left Daytona for home.

I didn’t stay at home long, because the day after I went home, I went up to Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York to visit my friend Stefanie. Skidmore is a really beautiful campus, because as many of you may know, autumn in the northeast is a great sight to behold. Skidmore is more of a liberal arts school, so I was around the type of people I went to high school with, and that was comforting. Even though I love it here at Embry-Riddle, it still is a big difference because I am the only person from my high school to come here in my year.

Speaking of my high school, the day before Thanksgiving is traditionally alumni day. So I made the journey into Lower Manhattan to go see the friends and teachers that made high school so great for me. That was so much fun. I didn’t realized how much I missed everyone and I was so happy to see everyone. These people from Stuyvesant High School are going to be my friends for life so it is a big deal that we went about three months apart. The biggest thing though was, my high school friends read my journals, which surprised me, so the compliments I received for this really boosted my self-esteem. (Not that it needs any more boosts.)

I finally tied my last loose end of high school. I spent last year producing a DVD for my class’ yearbook, but unfortunately, all of them weren’t printed by June so we finally gave out a bulk of them to the class. I put a lot of work into it so finally getting to give them out was a huge relief.. Watching it with about 30 of my friends in a small living room on a 12 inch computer screen wasn’t too bad either.

For Thanksgiving Day, I went to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This was interesting because I haven’t been to the parade since I used to watch it from my Mother’s office when I was really young. The parade was amazing and worth standing in freezing temperatures for hours. There was one really cool band from Ohio, and although I do not remember their name, I loved the few minutes of seeing them pass.

Ok, now I know everyone wants to know about the balloons because they are the most famous part of the parade. I had so much fun watching them float past because I absolutely love kiddy things. Things like Disney movies keep me young so I always am doing something fun and childish.

I had tons of fun on my vacation, but now, it is back to work. We only have a week and half of the semester left so it is time to finish everything up. I think I have had a great first semester and to ruin it by slacking off would be foolish. So the theme for the next 3 weeks will be, studying. Finals are fast approaching and I have to be ready for them.

Back to work,
Until next time,
Carlos