I am once again suggesting that you come to orientation events.
Well, it’s that time of the year again- orientation week for new students! I remember that I was soooooooo excited last year when I moved in. Funnily enough, I moved in last year on August 16, and this year moved in August 17 for Orientation Team, AKA O-Team.
We spent a few days on retreat preparing for orientation week, where we learned the welcome dance, practiced our chants, bonded together, and fine-tuned skills needed for orientation. I had the weekend off, and orientation week began on Monday. In the morning, Merrick (one of the other bloggers!) and I worked at the student union help station answering questions.
Merrick and I!
Throughout the day, the O-Team attended various events around campus. On Monday, I gave several unofficial tours of the campus and helped bring pep to the ice cream social. There, I high-fived students in the ice cream line while holding the orientation flag- a very high honor! That night was super fun- many people won prizes from the Bingo game that was going on.
On Tuesday, I helped pack s’mores bags for the fireside s’mores activity. Inside were graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows that students could use to make s’mores. Although the event got rained out, we were able to hold part of it outside! We danced to the Wobble, the Cupid Shuffle, and the Cha Cha Slide before we got rained out. In addition, other music was played, and students and O-Teamers formed a large dance circle. I found myself into it and ended up pulling out this move.
Splits!
On Wednesday we finished the last scheduled big block of move-in time. After helping get people checked in, we went to the student union and socialized with new students. I worked the welcome table again with a different person and then went to check the Eagle to Eagle rooms. The Eagle to Eagle sessions are in a small classroom setting and led by an orientation ambassador (so you can call me Professor Carly McDonald, I guess?) who presents information about the campus.
I made sure that my room was set up, and thankfully, everything was working. My Eagle to Eagle session is for people who live on the fourth floor of New Residence Hall 2, and I’m excited to meet them tomorrow.
COAS 318!
One question I get a lot is “How do you have so much energy?” Well, truth be told: it comes from other members of the team. Everyone is here because they want to make new students feel welcome and give them a successful start to their time at Embry-Riddle. When one person is excited, the energy radiates through the team and bounces off of the rest of us, and that’s why you’ll see us chanting in the student union at 8 AM and 8 PM.
I’ve really enjoyed every aspect of O-Week since the O-Team is one big family. It’s great to help out and meet new students, which is what being on the O-Team is all about. You make a lot of friends on the team, too- and they’re just a text away in the future, weather it be during O-Week or finals week.
Hopefully I’ll see you around if you’re currently at Embry-Riddle, and if not… see you in the next blog post!
Happy August everyone! I’m currently blogging from Daytona Beach, Florida, back on campus as a Resident Advisor (RA) and I’m ready to get the Fall 2021 semester started! The past week or so I’ve spent every day in training for my RA position, my Student Government Association (SGA) position, and for Orientation Team. Since it is a new semester and I anticipate I will meet a lot of new people working around campus during Orientation and Move In, I decided it’s time for a re-introduction!
Hello! My name is Merrick and this is my 5th year working towards a Bachelors of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. I plan to graduate in Spring 2022. My concentration is in Aeronautics, with a minor in Arabic Studies. On campus, I’m an RA, an SGA Associate Justice on the Student Court, an Orientation Team Ambassador, a University 101 Peer Mentor, an Air Force ROTC Cadet, and I blog for the school!
In my free time (which is very limited), when I’m not in class, meetings, doing homework, or studying, you will most likely find me working out. I love to run and workout outside, as well as attend Fitness Classes at the Fitness Center on campus! My app of choice is Spotify, and I love listening to music on my noise canceling headphones. I also love music when I’m running, and I like to listen to podcasts in Arabic for fun. My current favorite is BBC Extra. I try to do yoga every day, particularly in the mornings (even if it’s just for 10-15 minutes when I wake up). I’ve been fairly consistent in that routine for about a year now. If I’m not doing yoga I’m probably sleeping, reading books (my latest find is Grow Rich! With Peace of Mind by Napoleon Hill), or doing an outside activity.
On the weekends if I’m free I will most likely be at the beach, surfing, hiking, on nature walks, or listening to podcasts in English like Ted Talks Daily or Short Wave (a science podcast hosted by NPR).
This is me on a hike from my summer in Alaska!
I love plants. I also love dark chocolate! I drink a lot of water, and also a lot of coffee and tea. In particular, I prefer hot coffee in the mornings, iced tea or coffee in the afternoons, and hot tea in the evenings. I enjoy smoothies, especially on the hot Florida days after a workout.
Some of my plants I keep by the window in my Residence Hall room!
I am so excited to meet my residents this semester and I’m looking forward to greeting all the incoming students during Orientation. If you see me around campus, feel free to say hi!
Me: Bring 15 pairs of shoes, you’ll wear them. Also me: *wears three pairs of shoes*
So, it’s nearing August, and you’re probably counting down the days until you finally get to move in. (I know I was!) You’re probably also making a packing list, a shopping list of things to buy, and talking to people you’ve met that will also be going to Riddle.
I’ve noticed that when you’re a graduated senior going to college, everyone wants to give you advice. Your mom. Your neighbor. Your high school teachers. Even your cat meowing at you- “don’t leave me!” When you get to Embry-Riddle, if you’re a first-year student, you’ll take UNIV 101 or something similar that’s oriented towards your major (for example, ASC 101 for aviation-related majors). These are just basic college success classes where you’ll make a four-year college plan.
However, there is some stuff in these classes that they don’t really tell you. Like everyone else, I have some advice for you, but it’s not exactly what you’ll learn in UNIV 101. It’s more of a precursor to UNIV 101- what to bring, and tips for move-in. Here’s my first tidbit of college advice.
1. If you have any doubt about bringing it, or only think you’ll use it, you most likely DO NOT need it!!! Seriously. I came to Embry-Riddle expecting to wear 15 different pairs of shoes since I wanted to plan my outfit each day. That idea died about two weeks into the semester, and I ended up wearing the same 5 or so pairs of shoes all semester long. In addition to that, I thought I’d be using the ovens in New Residence Hall 2 every week, but that idea also died within a month. It was fun, but I ended up finding other things to do. So if there’s any doubt about it, or only think you’ll use it, then don’t bring it!
With that, if you actually do need it, you can probably get it mailed to you, borrow it from someone else, buy another one, or get it during winter break.
2. If you know them, see what your room/suitemates are bringing. If not, reach out to them and check your Riddle email in case someone reached out to you. Thank me later. It’s nice to get to know your room and suitemates before the term starts. You’ll have a better idea of what they’re like instead of them just being a name on your housing page. If you don’t know where your dorm is yet, head over to the housing website, select your campus, log in, and it’ll be there under Assignments. Here’s mine for example:
O’Connor is an upperclassman dorm in the student village.
As you can see here, I’m in an O’Connor room (with the number blanked out), room C. I’m in a single room, which means I don’t have a roommate. On the right, I have three suitemates with whom I share a common area, and they reside in rooms A, B, and D, respectively. The floor plans are online for each residence hall, as well as a dorm tour. (Click here for the list of residence halls and then click on yours for a tour. New Residence Hall 1 and New Residence Hall 2 have the same room layouts.)
To email your room or suitemates, right-click on their name and then click “copy email address.” You can also try searching for them on social media (like ZeeMee) or in the Outlook email system if their name is unique. Be careful about common(ish) names- I’m “mcdonc24” because I’m the 24th person at Embry-Riddle to have a last name starting with “mcdon” and a first name starting with “c.”
3. Check. Your. ERAU. Email!!!!!! CHECK YOUR ERAU EMAIL! This is the one that’s accessed through Ernie. Many important things are sent to it, like financial aid, housing, and course information. Oh! And you might see other students reaching out to you if you’re part of one of the ERAU programs!
4. Go to orientation/new student events that sound interesting to you!! The O-Team (and other new student welcome organizations) is full of nice people, and you’ll get to meet fellow freshmen. Plus, they might have free food, and everyone likes free food. Source: Me. I am on the O-Team and it is full of really nice people.
Either way, come to the public events! Maybe the O-Team will be having a bonfire in the fire pit and giving away free s’mores. Not your thing? Maybe you’ll come to the student union, find some O-Teamers making a TikTok, and join in. I did that last year and it was super fun. I can’t give away any O-Team secrets, but trust me, you’ll want to come to the events.
5. Some sort of longboard or skateboard is nice, but it’s not absolutely necessary. If you want one, chances are that you’ll learn to ride it decently quickly. I have a longboard, and I had it shipped directly to ERAU. I only bought one because I’d learned to ride my friend’s! So if you really want a longboard, but don’t know how to ride it, someone will help. (Also, get a longboard and not a skateboard since longboards are more stable.) Adams and Wood are the first-year dorms farthest away from your classes, so you might want to get one if you live over there. But again, it’s not necessary.
6. When you move in, grab a blue bin, and load your stuff up into it. If you require multiple trips, have the person with the car circle around the parking lots and then come back once you’ve dropped off your stuff in your dorm. This one’s kind of confusing, but not really. I had a lot of stuff to unload in my dorm and knew I’d need at least two trips to bring everything in. So my mom and I loaded up the bin with the first set of my stuff and dropped it off in my dorm room while my dad drove around the parking lot. We then texted him, unloaded the rest, and then my dad found a parking spot while my mom and I unloaded the stuff. And then I moved in.
7. Don’t want to buy it now? Buy it in Daytona. (Just hope it’s available!) A lot of the stuff can be bought in the surrounding Walmarts and Targets. However, it’s kind of a double-edged sword: if you buy it before you get here, you’ll have it for sure, but you’ll have to get it here somehow. If you don’t buy it before you get here, you risk waiting 2-3 days for shipping (like from Amazon) or the stores being out.
I would also suggest getting in contact with your room/suitemates and coordinating what shared stuff to bring- you don’t want to show up with a bath mat and all 3 other people have one, too! (SEE? Get in contact with your room/suitemates! This is #2!!)
Also- bring hangers if you plan to use the closet.
8. Your room arrangement can be changed literally any time you want to. I changed my room arrangement SEVERAL times in my first semester before I found an arrangement that I liked. So if you didn’t submit the room setup request, or if you changed your mind over the summer, you can always change it! There’s a form on ERNIE that will allow you to submit a housing maintenance request where you can request something to be fixed or the lofting of your bed to be changed.
In New Residence Hall 1 and 2, you can also get a ladder (shown in the picture) or a bedside guard rail so you don’t roll out of bed. These will be requested on the form; they’re also free! If you’ve got a fully lofted bed but don’t want the ladder, you have two options: climb the silver rungs or step on the desk. Most people that I’ve seen who step on their desk have it on the side where my ladder is, though. And I’ve seen plenty of people with the ladder/desk on the other side and the bed closer to the front of the room. It’s all personal preference!
My dorm room once I moved out.
So, hopefully, these 8 tips helped you think about your move-in and what to bring. The official Embry-Riddle What to Bring checklist is here, while this one was created by a student on the blog. While some items (like sheets) are mandatory, others (like decorations) are really up to your personal preference. Hopefully, you’re having a great summer, and I’ll hopefully see you in the fall!
Happy July everyone! I’m currently blogging from Fairbanks, Alaska where August and the Fall 2021 semester are both right around the corner! Since Orientation, move in, and classes are going to be beginning in less than a month I want to share my favorite Dorm Essentials & Tips for those living on campus.
Starting this fall, I will have had experience living in a total of three different Residence Halls over a period of my (soon to be) five years at ERAU. I’ve lived on campus my entire college experience and I’m here to share my top tips to make your living space feel like home.
My current home away from home includes lots of weekend hikes, here’s my latest adventure!
Since your dorm room will be where you spend a lot of your time, making sure that is a comfortable space where you can do homework, study, and relax at the end of the day is extremely important. Since this list is general, most residence halls allow all of these items, but double check with your housing contract for items more specific to your specific living community. For reference, you may check out ERAU’s Housing and Residence life Community Standards, linked here, where also featured is a FAQ page, a Residence Hall option guide, a Move-In guide, as well as my personal favorites (guides I reference the most) the Approved Cooking Appliances in the Residence Halls list, and ERAU’s streaming service website for television shows and movies available for free here to all on-campus students.
My dorm essential list includes, first and foremost, stocking up on snacks! Secondly, my favorite part about coming back to my room at the end of a long day is taking a hot shower and setting up my essential oil diffuser! I also love having plants in my room. All rooms have windows that receive some amount of natural light during the day, so I suggest low maintenance plants like succulents or cacti. Another great option is planting a few wildflower seeds in a small pot to brighten your room, or trying some easy to grow herbs such as basil, mint, or chives!
Nonperishable snacks like granola bars, nuts, and apple sauce are great to have on hand during the school year, but right now I am grateful to be able to pick fresh berries to snack on in between my online summer classes!
Another one of my favorite room essentials is a natural light simulating alarm clock. Since I’m in ROTC (or if you have any early morning or late-night flights if you’re studying Aeronautical Science), I highly recommend getting an alarm clock that can sync with your phone, your Alexa Amazon Echo, and simulates sunrise/sunset to help you regulate your sleep schedule. Before PT in the mornings, I am always listening to music on Spotify while I get ready in my room, so being able to auto-play music directly after my alarm goes off makes my morning routine that much simpler.
I also suggest investing in a good pair of headphones! Despite nighttime quiet hours, and quiet hours during finals, living in the Residence Halls can be loud at times and there are definitely moments when I like peace and quiet. The perfect solution I’ve found to this, other than heading to the Quiet Rooms on the second floor of the library to study, are noise canceling headphones! Since music plays such an important role in helping me relax while taking breaks from studying, I use headphones for peace and quiet while I do homework, as well as for high quality music when I’m working out or relaxing.
