The next few weeks will be exciting. I booked my trip to Oklahoma City for the FAA Cabin Safety and Survival convention in the beginning of August. Research topics include: aircraft accident research, aircraft seat and restraint systems research, brace-for-impact positions, infant/child restraint systems, aircraft evacuation research and procedures, aircraft fire safety research and procedures, water survival research, emergency equipment and procedures, drug testing and toxicology, and fatigue countermeasures research. I am super excited and hopeful to meet my future co-workers.

With graduation nearing, I have started to write an essay called “From Lexington to Graduation” reminiscing about the times I had prior to getting to school, all the times at school and still open-ended to the possibilities that await in my final term of my undergraduate. I have been accepted into Riddle’s graduate program for Aeronautics and System safety but I applied to Cranfield University in the United Kingdom to pursue some Cabin Survival research opportunities in their full scale cabin simulators. That will be one of the toughest choices if it comes down to it because I know that it would provide the best opportunity for me to complete my investigations in the cabin environment but I know that Riddle will provide me a wonderful education as well.

Leaving my friends behind and having to go seasonal at monorails for a flexible schedule will put a damper on things for me as well. We will cross that bridge if we come to it. The summer has been challenging working 5 days a week and going to school the other two. I am hoping to actually take some personal time this summer and return back to New Jersey to spend more time with my family. I am still enjoying work and making new friends while keeping in touch with old ones. All in all my fortune cookie said it best the other day, “When work brings you joy, never leave.”