Things I Did In My Freshman Year of College That You Should, Too

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Carly

Your future self will thank you. Love, a senior.

So you’ve finally decided that you’re coming to ERAU for college- good decision! Getting into college is just the beginning. I’ve loved my time here at ERAU and feel like I’ve made the most of it, and of course I have some advice for you!

1. GET INVOLVED!!!
I’m serious. Getting involved has not only given me things for my resume that I can talk about in job interviews, but it’s also given me some awesome experiences that I wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise. I’ve gotten to go all over the country with Women’s Ambassadors and gone to professional conferences thanks to the Society of Women Engineers. It doesn’t matter what you get involved with, as long as you get involved! Below is a picture of a pretty seagull I saw in San Francisco while traveling for Women’s Ambassadors.

2. When on campus- LEAVE YOUR DORM! Go to events.
Not just events that the organizations you joined (see tip 1) are hosting, but the ones that the campus hosts. The Avion, our school newspaper, will occasionally give out free donuts. Touch-N-Go, our entertainment division, gives out a lot of free stuff too! People will also play sports in the common area between New Res 1 and 2; from my experience, people are always looking for new players. Plus, leaving your dorm gets you a breath of fresh air.

3. If needed, go to tutoring.
It’s free and the tutors are great! I’ve gone to tutoring for math, physics, and chemistry when I needed help. Your grades will thank you. Freshman year is the time that you’ll learn the foundations of your major. Things will only build from there. In engineering, you’ll build on your freshman and sophomore year math and physics classes, so it’s important to have a strong foundation.

4. Apply for internships!
Internships are SO. MUCH. FUN!!! They will also teach you about the jobs in the industry that are available so you can find out what you like and don’t like. I’ve had three internships and they’ve all been very helpful. I’ve learned a lot about the industry while getting paid, which was awesome. The picture below is from my summer 2023 internship with Boeing in Oklahoma City. There was a free public airshow while I was there, which meant that I had to go! Plus, internships will give you an opportunity for networking…

5. Network and find a mentor!
Networking is different than mentoring. Mentoring is more focused, where you’re looking for advice or help on a specific situation. Networking is broad, where you’re meeting people who you can ask for help (and who can ask for help from you). Mentoring is usually available through career-based organizations like the Society of Women Engineers, whereas networking can be found and done with anyone. You can definitely network with people from organizations- this year’s seniors will likely be entering the workforce soon, so you could ask them about their jobs.

6. Start (and preferably finish) your homework early!
I know it seems odd coming from a student but I’ve stayed up until 11:59 PM hoping that my assignment gets done and… it’s not the greatest feeling in the world. I do, however, like finishing an assignment early and having time at the end of the night to fully relax. If you finish your homework, then you can also attend the pop-up events in the community! I was studying with a friend at a coffee shop in One Daytona once, and when we took a break, we discovered it was the middle of the NASCAR Hauler Showcase! So we took a two-hour study break to watch the band perform and take a look around the area.

7. And last but not least… have FUN in college!
College has been the best four years of my life, and I attribute that partially because I made myself get out and do things I thought were cool. I did things that I thought I’d never do that still sounded fun, and it really enhanced my college experience. Embry-Riddle is a very special place- there’s a lot to do in the Daytona Beach area and there’s new airplanes to see every month. I hope I’ll see you here one day- and if not, I’ll see you in the next post!

More Than Just a Student

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Chloe

You may wonder, what is my life like besides being a student? Maybe you don’t, but it seems to me that life as a student is probably pretty self-explanatory, and at times, pretty boring. So, allow me to write about everything but the classes.

*Me and a fellow RA & sorority sister and Ernie the Eagle!*

To start, I’ve been an RA since Fall 2022. I was in New Residence Hall 2 for Fall 2022 and Spring 2023, then moved to Doolittle for Summer 2023. After that, I went back to New Hall 2 for Fall ‘23 and Spring ‘24. I lived in New Residence Hall 1 as a freshman, so I’ve seen my fair share of different dorms on campus. I’ve also lived on campus for three years, obviously, and I will say, it’s certainly got its benefits. For example, if I wake up a little late, no worries! Class is a brisk 5 minute walk away. But if I didn’t live on campus, I’d be telling a different story. One thing I will say that I wish I had was a full kitchen, but hey, you win some, you lose some. Overall, life on campus is pretty nice, and I’m gonna miss it next semester when I’ve got an apartment somewhere in the area.

Besides being an RA, I get involved in pretty much anything I can. I am a member of SGA as a student senator for the College of Business! With the Student Senate, I am the Senate’s secretary, so I keep track of a lot of stuff from our weekly meetings, and I work very closely with the SGA Vice President. As College of Business Senator, I work to make the college a better place for fostering learning and connectivity. I also act as a liaison for the Center for Faith and Spirituality, and I help out there where help is needed. My time in this role has already taught me so much, from time management, to working better with others, Robert’s Rules and Parliamentary Procedure, and how much the SGA really does for the student body.

Speaking of SGA, I also spend a lot of time with one of the divisions of the SGA, The Avion! My favorite thing to do with The Avion is our weekly broadcasts. Every week, me and my co-anchor, Kyle, head to the weather studio in the College of Aviation and record for the upcoming episode. We talk about all sorts of things, from weather to campus life, to sports, and even sharks. I’ve had such a blast anchoring since the beginning of the fall, and I’m so excited to see the broadcast come to life in a new and improved form this semester. In addition to the broadcast, I’ve found some fun in writing articles for the monthly issues that The Avion produces. For Issue 1, which was distributed Wednesday, January 31, I wrote two articles titled “Being the Main Character” and “How Barbie Changed my Life.” To me, it doesn’t matter if no one reads those articles. It does matter that I was passionate about something and took the initiative to channel some creative energy into it. I love what I get to do with The Avion, and I do it purely because of that. I don’t get paid, I don’t get discounts. I just get to do something I love surrounded by people who have supported me from day one.

*Me and my co-anchor Kyle, at our anchor desk preparing to record for the broadcast.*

*Me and a Sigma Kappa sister in our jerseys for Jersey Friday!*

I am also a member of a sorority called Sigma Kappa. The sorority has allowed me to meet tons of new people and get involved in all sorts of things on and off campus. I’ve gotten to do all sorts of service projects and fundraising to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, gerontology research, the Inherit the Earth initiative, and the Maine Seacoast Mission. I also get the opportunity to help other Greek organizations in their fundraising and philanthropic efforts. I joined Sigma Kappa as a freshman in Fall 2021, a little less than two years after the founding date of Sigma Kappa here at Embry-Riddle. It’s been such a joy to watch the chapter grow and improve into so much more than we ever thought a “new” chapter could be.

This may sound like quite a lot to be doing while also taking classes full time. However, I would definitely recommend it! Sometimes class gets a little boring or not super demanding, or you just want to do something fun with your free time! This is just a few examples of things you can do here at ERAU, and there is so much more to get involved in too.

My February : SpaceCom 2024 + Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Christine

It has been so hectic already this year and it is only February. We found a leak underground at our house and needed plumbers to come in to dig up the floor, we had 2 family emergencies this year, and the Jaguars won’t be going to the Superbowl! Okay, that last one really isn’t terrible, but still! On the bright side, school has been going very well. I got the wonderful opportunity from our faculty advisor at Society of Women in Space Exploration (SWISE) to volunteer at a Space conference in Orlando, Florida called SpaceCom 2024 & The 50th Space Congress! I had such a great time both days of the conference. Some other SWISE members signed up to volunteer as well, and we all had a great experience!

The conference was held at the Orange County Convention Center. It was a huge place, but perfect for a conference! The walk from the parking lot to the convention hall was 15 minutes.

There was also an expo/ job fair going on there where I got to meet so many recruiters, companies, and officials. I even got a t-shirt from the Italian Trade Agency. It was nice to see my ancestor’s origin country so involved in the space industry!

I forgot how many benefits there are to getting up early: good lighting, fresh coffee, and best of all, a beautiful sunrise! I was up each morning at 5 a.m. to get ready, grab gas, grab coffee, and pick up some students from school to carpool. It was a clear, beautiful morning each day we went and seeing the sunrise alone was worth it!

The conference was a great time. This year, I will be attending at least 2 conferences, with the second coming up in March. I am so excited to be attending the Women in Aviation conference with Gaetz Aerospace Institute! This year must be my year of opportunities, because they just keep coming!

SWISE had the opportunity to feature Mrs. Samantha Bowyer as a guest speaker at our most recent general club meeting. She is a CFII and works at Embry-Riddle in the Aeronautical Sciences department teaching flight. I have known her for 9 years now: she used to be my teacher in high school when I was in the Technology Engineering Science and Aviation (TESA) Academy at Atlantic High School! It was so wonderful to see her again and catch up. I am glad I reached out to her to come speak at SWISE!

I love this time of year for its spring temperatures, beautiful flowers, spring break, Mardi Gras, and Girl Scout cookies! Cookie season has always been important to me: when I was a Girl Scout and even as an adult. I always supported my local troop and the girls by purchasing cookies! They now have gluten-free cookies for Celiacs like me – what a time to be alive. I always buy for family and friends too, especially if they don’t have access to any cookie booths.

Speaking of Girl Scouts, I am signed up to run the annual Trefoil 5K in Orlando next month! I will be going with some friends, and even some SWISE members if they want to sign up too! The 5K registration includes a t-shirt and a finisher medal (which I collect).

For Valentine’s Day this year, my fiance and I decided to celebrate the weekend before, since we both have things going on on the 14th. He surprised me with a steakhouse dinner on the water and some beautiful flowers. We celebrated in the city of Jacksonville and it was a wonderful time.

And finally I have some good news this year that is coming soon, so stay tuned!

Ciao for now!

My Favorite Classes I’ve Taken

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Carly

With love from a senior.

The aerospace engineering program here at ERAU allows you to pick from between four tracks: aeronautics (airplanes), astronautics (space vehicles), jet propulsion, and rocket propulsion. Currently I’m in the astronautics track, and here are a few of my favorite classes I’ve taken so far:

AE 313 (Space Mechanics)
This was my favorite class I’ve ever taken. It’s an introductory orbital mechanics class, so you get to learn about transfer orbits and creating trajectories. I also got to learn Systems Tool Kit (STK), which is a software that helps visualize the orbit. It’s a software I’m using right now in my senior design class. My professor was funny and engaging, so that was a plus too!

AE 427/425 (Senior Design)
I really like my senior design class- it’s broken into preliminary and detail design classes, but you’re supposed to stay with your team in the same class for a whole year. Our project deals with space situational awareness and we are designing a theoretical CubeSat to take pictures of objects in the geostationary orbit belt. I also have a great group that’s full of hard-working friends, which makes the class so much more fun.

AE 315 (Experimental Aerodynamics Lab)
Although I’m more of a space person, I loved my experimental aerodynamics lab. The professor who runs the lab requires a do-it-yourself group project, and my group chose to put a model 737 fuselage in the wind tunnel. This project takes place after you do five pre-designed experiments and you split each lab section of 10 students into 2 groups.

AE 426 (Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics)
I loved this class- even though people abbreviate it at SAD. My professor taught it in a real-world application method, letting us do a final project to put together what we’d learned. It was a fully theoretical do it yourself and like a miniature senior design class without all of the requirements. The class builds on AE 313 and talks more about an individual spacecraft’s attitude rather than an orbital dynamic.

AE 434 (Spacecraft Controls)
This class builds on AE 426, and my professor did a semester-long project to go along with the class. He gave us a scenario about a satellite and had us model controllers for it, starting with the attitude control and moving to basic controller design.

I am more of a project lover than a test lover as you can probably tell, but I find them less stressful and more applicable to the real world. People aren’t going to hide your textbooks, and engineering is a group effort, so you can ask other engineers if you need help. I hope you enjoyed this post, and I’ll see you in the next one… and hopefully at Riddle!

Simply Living Life

Posted on February 1, 2024 by Isabella

Hey there! Took some time away from blogging due to finals week, spending Winter break with family, and taking care of some health stuff. That being said, as a new semester begins, always remember to prioritize your mental and physical health! It may not seem efficient now but will help you operate better, faster, and more efficiently in the long run. This can include scheduling times to do things with friends but also scheduling time to relax, read a book, or, my favorite, take some leisurely textbook notes in a little coffee shop.

Speaking of fun things, I have done a few things recently around the area that I wanted to share! There are so many places around Florida that are GREAT for a day trip or even just an evening activity. Here are some places that I have gone the past week or so:

My Life @ Riddle

Daytona Beach Edition

Monthly Archives: February 2024