About Kealey

Senior

Aeronautics

**Campus Involvement:** Sister of Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority, Ambassador for the Women's Ambassador Program, Student Assistant for the Annual Giving Office, Studied Abroad (Italy this past summer)

Blue Skies and Tailwinds

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Kealey

Hey Everyone!

Sorry It has been a while since my last blog, summer has really been keeping me busy!

Classes and Flying

Summer B classes are in full swing already! It’s crazy how fast classes over the summer go by! Summer time is one of the best times to take classes in my opinion. I love the opportunity to get classes done in about half the time. Also campus is pretty quiet and peaceful. Parking is no hassle at all and you don’t have as much of the pressure and stress from clubs and organizations.I also enjoy the smaller classroom sizes, it allows for a better overall learning environment!

The summertime is also a great time to get a lot of flight training done (if you aren’t getting weathered by the afternoon Florida thunderstorms) I have been busy flying almost every evening and I have gotten so much more done! My dad came to visit earlier in the summer and I even had the opportunity to take him up on one of my flights with my instructor! It was a cool moment to finally show one of my biggest supporters all that I have accomplished down here at Riddle so far.

11406800_10206061185385047_6695297919776653536_n

Took my dad up flying when he came to visit!

One of the perks about going to Embry-Riddle, is having tons of friends that are pilots! A few friends and I rented a plane and flew up to Saint Simons Island, Georgia! This is a very popular destination among Riddle pilots because the flight is beautiful all the way up the coast and there is an excellent BBQ restaurant!!

10485034_10206197082022378_4383087099718245925_n

Flying up to KSSI in Georgia!

10404336_10206204530968597_6698351161363028763_n

There’s something about the satisfaction of flying to dinner that makes it so much more satisfying!

Summertime Fun

While I’m not in class or flying, I have spent the rest of my time hanging out with friends, traveling, and training for my upcoming races.

Like I said before, summer is a little bit more low key, which gives me more time to do things for myself! Just a few weeks ago my friend and I ran the River Racing Series 10k (6.2 miles!) It was so much fun! We woke up super early and even got to watch the sunrise over the inter-coastal. The race was a big loop that ran alongside the water. It was such a beautiful morning and I even beat my goal time by almost 10 minutes! I have set a goal to complete the Honolulu Marathon in December! Since I grew up in Hawaii I thought this would be the perfect first marathon. I have about 5 races lined up in the fall to train for the race including a 15K and half marathon.Wish me luck-this Florida heat is killer!

10390059_10207177814591534_4253277915703000729_n

Post 10K !

For Fourth of July weekend, I was invited to go down to Naples (where my boyfriend Kyle is from) and take a trip down to Key West on a yacht! We spent the long weekend, walking around Duval Street, snorkeling out on the reefs and watching fireworks from the pier! There’s so much fun stuff to do down here in Florida, and it was so neat to be able to go to the southern most point of the U.S!

11709538_10206333835481129_4606948852872177222_n

Fourth of July out on Sand Key Reef!

11011073_10207386876332402_4948098897146315733_n

Sand Key Lighthouse

11695479_10207331357104456_6291875448708071832_n

The reef was amazing! We saw all the different reef fish, a sea turtle, sting ray, and even a shark!

11071121_10206348073077060_648836463865353382_n

Attempting to be patriotic right before we watched the fireworks over the pier!

Life down here at Embry-Riddle has been really fun and pretty busy lately. I can’t believe that I am entering my final year of college! It really does go by so quickly and it is so important to soak up all the different opportunities that come your way, whether it’s academically or socially!

Until Next Time;Blue Skies and Tailwinds!

-Kealey

Doppler on Wheels

Posted on May 30, 2015 by Kealey

DOW-Doppler on Wheels Field Project

One of my favorite parts about attending Embry-Riddle, are the amazing opportunities that the school provides us to branch out and better our education.This summer semester I have been participating in a really cool field project involving the million dollar vehicle, the Doppler on Wheels. The Meteorology department worked in conjunction with the National Science Foundation and the Center for Severe Weather Research chasing storms across the state of Florida. We have been using a Doppler Radar on Wheels to study storms to help improve warning systems for public safety.

The group of us gathered around the DOW during Embry-Riddles Open House event

Here we are standing in front of the POD, a mobile device we can leave in the field to gather more information

During our field experiment not only were we chasing storms but also involved in different outreach programs throughout the community. We visited several different schools around the surrounding counties as well as the Museum of Science and the NOAA Hurricane Awareness Tour featuring two different Hurricane hunter aircraft.

I had so much fun learning about all of the different equipment inside the DOW and it was so exciting to transfer what I was seeing outside in the sky to what was being received on the RADAR

Here I am being trained by the representative from NOAA on how the DOW works

Picking up some storms on the RADAR!!

Not only did we see some amazing data from the RADAR but we were able to chase some pretty cool storms and take great pictures!

Shelf cloud in Port Orange, FL

Looking out at a huge anvil from Tampa Bay!

This was such an amazing opportunity and it created a lot of buzz around the Central Florida area. A couple of the days the DOW was followed around by some news crews and we were even featured on CBS!

Our time with the DOW has come to an end as it has to participate in some field experiments out in Kansas. For the remainder of the semester we will spend our time analyzing the data that that we had gathered over the past month and create research presentations. I am so grateful I was given this opportunity and it will be one I will surely never forget.

Until Next Time!

-Kealey

Say Hello to Summer

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Kealey

It’s summer time and the living is easy!

The end of the semester and the start of summer definitely felt like a whirlwind! The last few days of the spring semester flew by and before I knew it I was sitting in my first classes of the Summer A semester!

Sun ‘n Fun International Fly-In & Expo, Lakeland, Florida:

This was my first year attending the Sun’ n Fun airshow in Lakeland, Florida and boy was it fun! A large group of my friends and I made the drive down and spent the day surrounded by hundreds of different types of aircraft. My favorite planes to see were definitely the different types of war aircraft that they had displayed. I am a pretty big history buff, so these types of things fascinate me! We also spent time looking and talking to all the different vendors. I learned a lot about different aviation companies and we also sat in on an presentation about an aircraft accident given by AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association). My favorite part of the day was definitely watching the Thunderbirds fly in. They were not performing that day but gave us a mini show as they arrived in Lakeland which was exhilarating. I can remember as a little girl going to different airshows on the Navy bases that we were stationed at and nothing beats the sounds of the jets flying by. Now, every time I hear those noises I get chills and it takes me back to some wonderful memories.

The group of us at Sun ‘n Fun!

Loved learning all about the war planes

Great American Mud Race

One of the best things I have done so far this summer was complete the Great American Mud Race!! This was a mud filled run full of obstacles that were certainly challenging. One of my sorority sisters and I decided to take on the challenge and I must say, I don’t think I have ever been so muddy in my life. This was a great start to summer and I would definitely recommend this type of race for anyone up for getting a little dirty! I have set a goal for myself to complete a racing series throughout the summer and the fall and I thought this would be a fun way to kick off my training! My plan is to run a 10k in June, a 15k in September, and lastly a Half Marathon in mid October!

Crawling in the mud under barbed wire!

Excited as we are about to finish one of the last obstacles

Why not live life a little muddy?

Graduation

To truly wrap up the Spring Semester, It was time for graduation! I had lots of friends graduating this semester so it was lots of fun to go support and congratulate all of them! It’s crazy to think that in just a year or so this will be me! College has really flown by and it feels like so long ago that I was attending my own high school graduation. College has been some of the best years of my life so far; the independence that I have gained has been truly amazing. I have learned so much about myself and definitely pushed myself harder than I ever thought possible.

Sigmas at Graduation!

I feel like I just finished the Spring semester and summer is already in full swing! Check out my next blog post all about the DOW (Doppler on Wheels) field experiment that I will be participating in chasing storms in Florida!

Until Next Time!

-Kealey

Adventure is out there!

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Kealey

“By replacing fear of the unknown with curiosity, we open ourselves up to an infinite stream of possibility.”

I know it has been a while since I have been able to blog; but boy have things been busy as the school year comes to a close. Being involved in so many different organizations on campus has opened the doors to so many new and exciting opportunities and adventures and definitely kept me busy!

Women’s Ambassador Program:

The Women’s Ambassadors have had quite the busy semester! We have been calling prospective female students aiding them in their transition into college life. We had the opportunity to meet many of these students during preview day, where Embry-Riddle had record breaking number of incoming students! I was finally able to meet face-to-face some of the girls that I have been reaching out to all semester, and I am looking forward to meeting the remainder of my students in the Fall!

The ambassadors were able to attend the Celebrating Women in Aviation dinner this spring which was tons of fun. It’s a fun dinner with wonderful guest speakers, great food, and a chance to see our fellow female peers and faculty and staff members.

11026295_893326760719261_7490718676476208357_n

Women’s Ambassador Program at the Women’s Dinner Spring 2015

10450877_10153055458069123_1007037305210068639_n

Enjoying the Women’s Dinner with many of my sorority sisters

One of my biggest adventures of the semester was Women’s Ambassador Trip to Prescott Arizona! We were given this amazing opportunity my Mrs. Johnson and the admissions department to travel to Prescott and familiarize ourselves with the second Embry-Riddle campus. Arizona is certainly a different type of atmosphere, the air is much thinner and the heat is much dryer. The campus sits up on a hill and looks out over the Prescott terrain which was absolutely gorgeous.

1555467_10205602283752793_420484892423805025_n

Representing both Sigma Sigma Sigma as well as Alpha Xi Delta, sometimes best friends are not always sisters!

WAP Ambassadors on our way to Prescott

One of our days in Arizona we were able to travel to the Grand Canyon; something I have been waiting for years to cross off of by bucket list. Driving up and seeing the Canyon for the first time was absolutely breathtaking. It honestly looks like a mural, I almost could not even believe my eyes!!

11041674_10205612795735586_3474011452307252173_n

We came , We saw, We conquered

11063733_10203799514887598_298811741214180327_n

Both ERAU Daytona and Prescott Ambassadors at the Grand Canyon

My experiences in Arizona were amazing, and I am so grateful that as ambassadors we were given the opportunity to travel to new and exciting places. The ERAU Prescott Campus is beautiful and although it is very different than the campus here in Daytona, it still had a familiar feeling of home!

Sigma Sigma Sigma

Things were not only busy between school and the Women’s Ambassador Program, but also extremely busy with Sigma Sigma Sigma! First we celebrated our Spring Formal! The theme was Casino Royale and I had a wonderful time dressing up, eating great food, and having an amazing time with all of my sisters and our wonderful dates!

11018300_10205407987655512_9110546959126190300_n

My date Kyle and I before formal!

10511138_10205409230606585_5642772742422116419_n

My sisters Alissa, Kalina, and I before Tri Sigma Formal

One of my most favorite events of the spring semester is GREEK WEEK!!
This is a super jam packed week full of fun competitions between all the different Greek organizations. All of the Sororities will compete against each other as well as the different Fraternities. There are different competitions each day like, jousting, tug of war, boat races, cook offs and more!!

Sigma was in first place the entire week and we finished with the highest score among both sororities and fraternities! GREEK WEEK CHAMPIONS!! Delta Chi also did an amazing job and took home First Place for the gentleman!

11133836_10205594294233060_6044108964468669789_n

The sisters of Sigma Sigma Sigma during Greek Week!!

We also just initiated five new sisters into our chapter this semester including my little Kalina! The new member process is always an amazing experience and it feels so good to finally call these women my sisters!

13080_10205616622151244_947881945871919235_n

First Class Family after Initiation!! Congrats Kalina

Lastly, this past weekend we celebrated our Founders Day. We all gathered for brunch and celebrated 117 amazing years of sisterhood. I am so proud and happy to be a part of Sigma Sigma Sigma, these women have pushed me to become a stronger and better person and they constantly help me strive for excellence. I have been given so many more opportunities because of them and they have truly made my experience here at ERAU the best it could be.

10270514_10152726746986957_6565605932852162022_n

Celebrating Founders Day!

I almost can’t believe that this semester is coming to a close, it has been such a whirlwind but I can honestly say it was my best semester so far at ERAU. I am excited to close the chapter on Spring 2015, and jump right into Summer! I will be staying down here this summer to work, take classes, and begin flying again. I am taking a really cool “Doppler on Wheels” course, which will involve storm chasing and collecting data from the crazy Florida Thunderstorms!! I am also moving in a new apartment with two of my fellow Women’s Ambassadors!!

I’ll be back in a couple weeks to let you know how everything is going and how the summer has kicked off! Until then always remember that Adventure Is Out There!

Sigma Sigma Sigma

Posted on February 20, 2015 by Kealey

Hey Friends!

It’s that time of the year again! Recruitment for all of the Greek organizations here on campus! It was a year ago that I went through the recruitment process and it was one of the best decisions I have made since being here at school! Throughout the recruitment process we are able to meet lots of new girls around the Embry-Riddle community and express to them what being a part of Sigma Sigma Sigma is all about.

There are many different stereotypes affiliated with fraternities and sororities. Many people think that a sorority is just about “paying for your friends, partying, and hazing” but these things are far from the truth. For my sisters and I, being a part of Tri-Sigma, is about being a part of something bigger than ourselves.

Sisterhood: I have a group of women that push me to be a better version of myself. No matter where I am, I can reach out to any one of my sisters and I know that they will be there for me. We all joined Tri-Sigma for many different reasons but we stayed because we all found something that we loved in the organization and in each other.

Myself, my sisters Maddy, and Melanie, and our newest members Rachel and Lindsey!

Philanthropy: One of the most important aspects of our organization is how we give back. We host many different events on campus that give back to our philanthropy, The Sigma Sigma Sigma Foundation and the Robbie Page Memorial Fund. We also support our local philanthropy the Domestic Abuse Council, which is very near and dear to my heart. Not only do we serve the community but we serve each and every one of our sisters, by making them more outstanding members of this community.

Jordan, myself, and Alissa at our first recruitment event!

Academics: Currently we have the highest sorority GPA on campus which we are all very proud of! We understand that being a part of Sigma is important, but we also understand that above all we are here for our education, and that is the most important thing. Without education, we can not uphold the values that we stand for as Tri-Sigma women.

First Class family at Bid Day!

Fun: Lastly, Sigma Sigma Sigma has provided me with the most fun that I have had while being at college. I have met so many different people in and outside of the Greek community because of Sigma. We also are much more active in on campus events, and participate in different events like greek week! (a competition between all the different greek organizations)

My fellow Women’s Ambassador Lindsey and I at bid day! Welcome to the sisterhood 🙂

Sigmas having fun at yoga together!!

Recruitment every semester is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on why I joined the organization as well as share my experiences with other women around the Embry-Riddle community. Two of my fellow Women’s Ambassadors made the decision to come out for recruitment this semester and are now two of the newest members of Sigma! I couldn’t be happier to welcome these amazing women into our organizations and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them.

Ambassadors Kalina, myself and Lindsey at our first recruitment event!

While juggling all of the organizations that am involved in as well as my three jobs on campus and school, things can definitely get overwhelming! It important to remember first why we are all here at school.. its for school! My involvement with the Women’s Ambassador Program, and Sigma Sigma Sigma would not be possible without first making my academics a priority! We are just about half way through this semester and that means that classes are definitely beginning to pick up! It’s time to start cracking down and making sure that my work does not begin to suffer! I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to get involved on campus. For me, these organizations give me a lot of the motivation and support that I need to get through the stressful times of school! I’ll make sure to keep you updated on all the exciting experiences I have with everything I’m involved in while being down here at Embry-Riddle!

Until Next Time!

-Kealey

The Flight of a Lifetime!

Posted on February 20, 2015 by Kealey

Anyone who has known me for a long time, knows that I have a mild obsession with blimps. I’m not really sure why but since I was a little girl I have always been fascinated by them. I can remember seeing the MetLife Blimp over southern California and exclaiming “mommy a bimp” So when I received a call last week from Jill Meridith (she oversees all of the Riddle bloggers) asking if I wanted to ride in the Goodyear Blimp, I couldn’t have been more excited!! Dreams really do come true!!! Earlier in the year Embry-Riddle had teamed up with Goodyear and featured an ERAU alumnus and current Blimp pilot based out of Carson, California in different magazines! This partnership opened up the opportunity for a few select members of the Embry-Riddle family to get a once in a lifetime ride on the blimp! I was so lucky to be one of these selected students!

On Presidents Day I was accompanied by 10 fellow Embry-Riddle students as well as a few faculty members to the New Smyrna Airport just south of Daytona Beach. As we all gathered together in the waiting area we couldn’t have been more excited. Two of the pilots walked in and immediately all of our faces lit up! They began with a little bit a small talk and then went into speaking about the current winds and weather conditions, and suddenly it hit us. I got that immediate sinking feeling in my stomach when I realized they had to weather (cancel) the flight due to the unstable winds. You could hear a pin drop in the room! The look in everyones faces was such shock and disappointment. Although we were disappointed, as students, pilots, and professionals in the aviation industry we understood that safety always comes first.

Luckily the day was not all lost, the pilots and maintience crew compensated by taking us over to the landing field for the blimp! We were able to watch the blimp come down for a landing which was scary yet awesome! It was then tethered to a mast and stabilized by distributing sandbags throughout the gondola. We were able to meet three different pilots and speak with them about how the blimp flys and also what it takes to actually become a blimp pilot! We each took turns going inside the gondola and being able to sit in the pilots seat! Even though we were disappointed about the flight being cancelled; just the opportunity to be so close to the blimp and also really get to see and speak with the crew was an unreal experience!

Coming in to attach the nose to the tether!

Hanging out with the chief pilot for Goodyear

The following day I got a call saying that five spots had opened up on the blimp for the following morning, and that the Embry-Riddle students had made such a great impressions of the Goodyear staff that they decided to give the spots to us! I could not have been more thrilled; I now had yet another opportunity of a lifetime!!! We woke up early and headed over to the airport again, this time more nervous than excited! We didn’t want to be let down twice in a row. We get all the way to the blimp and are just about ready to board when the generator fails!! Yet another heart wrenching disappointment!! Except this time the amazing Goodyear crew fixed the problem and replaced the generator. Suddenly I found myself headset on, adrenaline running, sitting in the gondola of the Goodyear blimp ready for takeoff!! Finally!!!

We took off and headed east over Ponce Inlet and New Smyrna Beach!

Beautiful day to fly! And if you look really hard you can see the NASA Vehicle Assembly Building and launch pads all the way down the coast!

The coolest shadow I’ve ever seen flying!

We flew up and down the coast for about an hour, the pilot showed us the difference of flying a blimp in a headwind versus a tailwind. In a headwind the blimp practically hovers, making it ideal for shooting events like the Daytona 500! To my surprise the ride was extremely smooth, we were able to move around the gondola and take pictures of the beach, the inlet, the Embry-Riddle campus, and even the speedway!

Special thanks to Deb who made this all possible!

The last few days were definitely a roller coaster of emotions, but it was one of the most exciting and memorable experiences of my life. Not many people get the opportunity to get up so close and personal with the Goodyear blimp, the pilots, and the crew. And even less can say that they have actually taken a flight on one! I am so grateful to have been given this opportunity, and it is all thanks to the amazing reputation and connections that Embry- Riddle has.

ERAU Alumnus William Bayliss and current Goodyear pilot!

Dreams really do come true when you least expect it! Its official I can cross a blimp ride off my bucket list! I can’t wait to see what the future holds, and I can’t thank Embry-Riddle and Goodyear enough for this once in a lifetime opportunity!!

Until next time!

-Kealey

Getting Involved

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Kealey

Hey Everyone!!

Sorry it’s been a while things have just been so crazy lately! This semester has really been picking up and I feel like time is really flying by! There are so many opportunities involved with being a part of the Women’s Ambassador Program here on campus, and I am so honored to be a part of such a wonderful group of women. We had the privilege of hosting our fellow ambassadors from the Embry- Riddle Prescott Campus! It was so wonderful meeting these girls and being able to show them our campus as well as around the Daytona Beach area!

Prescott and Daytona Beach Ambassadors at Bahama Breeze!

The ambassadors first night in Daytona was spent at Bahama Breeze, which was loads of fun! We were able to really connect with the other girls and learn about how their lives are different at Prescott!

All the Ambassadors in front of the Flight Line on the Daytona Beach Campus

The following day we were able to give the ambassadors a tour around the Embry-Riddle Campus! They enjoyed seeing all of our different colleges as well as the flight ops and simulation buildings! The next day we all traveled to Universal Studios in Orlando. Because of course, if you come all the way to central Florida you have to go to a theme park! It turned out to be an absolutely gorgeous day and I really enjoyed seeing the new Harry Potter World!

Daytona Beach Ambassadors Kalina, Kealey (also a ERAU blogger), and I on the Jurassic Park Ride (Prior to getting soaked)!

Daytona Beach Ambassadors Kalina, myself, and Lindsey (my fellow ERAU blogger) on the Jurassic Park ride!

All of the Ambassadors at Universal Studios-Orlando’s Islands of Adventure Park

After a long but very fun filled weekend, we said goodbye to the Prescott Ambassadors over lunch at Panera! Luckily thanks to the university, the Daytona Beach Ambassadors have the opportunity to travel to Prescott this April! This will be such an amazing experience to see the other campus and I think we are also taking a trip to the Grand Canyon!

Saying goodbye to the Prescott Ambassadors!

Myself and Pia the coordinator for The Women’s Ambassador Program at Universal!

Along with the Women’s Ambassador Program, I am also involved in Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority here on campus! We have just begun our recruitment process for this semester which is always very fun and very busy! I love the opportunity to get to know so many women on campus! We just had “Meet the Greeks” which is an event where all the Fraternities and Sororities put up their tents on the quad and get to know all of the students interested in joining Greek Life. It’s a great opportunity to get to know all of the organizations and see what each one has to offer.

Sigmas at Meet the Greeks!

Holding up our newly painted letters!

One of my favorite parts about greek life here at Embry-Riddle, is how well all the different fraternities and sororities get along. I think because we have a small school we are able to get along much better and it seems like everyone works together as a team to build a strong greek community!

Fellow Women’s Ambassador Dakota and I at Meet the Greeks! No matter what the letters may say we are still best friends!

The Chick Fil’ A cow decided to come say hi to myself and fellow ambassadors Ayanna and Dakota!

Lastly, In other exciting news I received my nick-name on my Tri-Sigma Jersey! This is something that your “big sister” gives you once you have been a member for a while! It’s definitely a monumental moment and I am so excited to finally have it!

So happy to get my nickname!

One of my favorite parts about school down here at Embry-Riddle is all of the amazing organizations that I am involved in. My best advice to any incoming student is to get involved! My first semester here at Riddle I was not involved in too many different things on campus, but once I joined Sigma Sigma Sigma as well as the Women’s Ambassador Program; my college experience changed for the better! I have met so many new people and made so many great friends because of these organizations. Not only is it important to get involved because of the social aspect, but also because of networking! So many of my sisters have gotten internships or jobs through other sisters. And the opportunities and exposure that I am able to get through Women’s Ambassador is unbelievable! Get involved in what you love and I promise that your college experience will become that much greater! Until next time!

-Kealey

New Semester, Fresh Start!

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Kealey

My favorite part about starting a new semester is the chance to have a clean slate and a fresh start! There are so many new and exciting things to look forward to this semester and I can’t wait to share all my experiences with you!

Home for the holidays:

Thanksgiving is always a relaxing break right before the last week of school. I was lucky enough to spend it with my best friend and her family up in Flagler Beach. The beauty of being in college is that even if you don’t go home for Thanksgiving there’s always a place to go! Her family was so welcoming and it’s always nice to feel the warmth of being home even when you are hundreds of miles away. Something I have also learned while being in college is to never turn down a home cooked meal, they are few and hard to come by!

: Thanksgiving Festivities!

For Christmas break, I wrapped things up down here in Florida and I headed up to the cold and snowy New Hampshire! There’s nothing like leaving 80 degree weather and landing in a winter wonderland! One of my first stops when I landed in Boston was to Bob Lobster; by far the best lobstah and chowdah in New England!

Bob Lobsters Famous Lobster Rolls and Clam Chowder, Newburyport Massachusetts

My favorite part about being home for break is the chance to take a step back from the stress of school and finally get to relax. I was able to catch up with many of my old friends that I haven’t seen in years! On Christmas day my mom and I took a drive up the coast and went to watch the sunset on the beach. Although it was freezing, the view was absolutely breathtaking! I took my new puppy Siena (named after Siena Italy where I studied abroad) to the beach and she was running around in sand and it was by far the cutest thing ever!

My new puppy Siena!

For New Years Eve my best friend from high school and I went to the First Night Celebrations in Portsmouth, New Hampshire! The night was filled with people dancing in the streets, fireworks, and lots of great food!

New Years Eve

New Years Day is probably one of my most favorite days of the year. I love having the opportunity to close the chapter on a year and start a new one off fresh. Everyone makes mistakes in life and its our responsibility to learn from them and keep moving forward. For me this past year was definitely one of mistakes, but it was also one filled with lots of opportunities to learn. Here’s some things that I learned this past year and some advice I have for starting off this new semester:

1. Stay Organized: One of my main goals this semester is to stay organized and on top of all my work. I plan on doing this by writing down all my homework, upcoming tests, club meetings, ect. in my calendar so that I can stay on top of everything that I need to get done.

2. Prioritize: We only have so many hours in a day; therefore it is so important that you rank things in order of importance to insure that everything gets done on time.

3. Get Enough Sleep: This is one of the most important factors in order to succeed in college. I definitely did not get enough of this last year and I know that it negatively affected my ability to stay alert during lectures.

4. Stay Healthy: Eating well and staying active will give you more energy throughout the day, and will also allow you to focus better in class as well as increasing your ability to sleep better.

5. Be Happy: My number one goal this semester is to be happy. Sometimes with the stress of classes and work its hard to find time to be happy. My goal is to try to find something everyday that makes me happy, whether its going out with friends, going for a run, or even just playing with my puppy! This year is a new start and its time to fill the days with happiness and positivity!

Leaving home after break was definitely sad but it was exciting to head back to the sunny blue skies and warm weather! This semester I am finally getting into my upper level meteorology classes which I am really looking forward to. My sorority Sigma Sigma Sigma also has recruitment coming up which will give me the opportunity to meet lots of new girls around campus! I will keep you updated on all my new classes, Sigma Sigma Sigma, The Women’s Ambassador Program, and all the interesting things around campus!

For now I will leave you with a picture of my puppy and I on our last day in New Hampshire playing in the snow!

Happy New Year and until next time!

-Kealey

Up Up and Away!

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Kealey

Hello All!

It’s crazy how fast time goes by now a days! It feels like just yesterday that I first came to Embry-Riddle and visited the campus for the first time. It has been almost four years, two different changes of major, and countless life lessons since that day. But lets not get ahead of ourselves… Here’s a quick run down:

My names Kealey Cela and I grew up a Navy Brat; living all over the world and moving more than 13 times! I lived in places like Hawaii, Japan, Virginia, and California. Finally my family settled down in a small town in New Hampshire where I went to high school. I’m not the biggest fan of snow which is why going to school in Florida was such a nice change of pace!

I started my college career at a school in Northern Virginia, and then transferred to Embry Riddle for my sophomore year. Over the last three years of college I have learned just as much about my degree as I have about life.

Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them – that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like. -Lao Tzu

One of the most challenging life lessons that I learned during my time in college has been change. Change can present itself in many different ways. For example: The transition from home life to dorm life is a huge change, changing your mind about your major, changing clubs, or even changing your order at Starbucks. The hardest lesson that I have had to learn is overcoming change. Almost every college student at some point will question their major or their career path.

I came to Embry-Riddle with the mindset that I was going to be an Aerospace Engineer, and that I was going to work for a big company like Raytheon or Boeing one day. But it turns out that it just wasn’t for me. I thought about what I wanted to do with my life and after taking some different courses I ended up on Operational Meteorology, which I have more passion for now than I ever did with Engineering. The best advice I can give based on my experience is to ultimately do what makes you happy in life even if its something you never saw yourself doing originally. If something truly is not making you happy anymore, don’t do it! Once I realized this I felt like I was able to navigate the seas of college life much easier!

Something else that has made me very happy in life has been everything that I have gotten involved in here on campus!

This summer I was fortunate enough to study abroad in Siena, Italy. I received 3 upper level and 3 lower level humanities credits while I was abroad! I would highly suggest getting involved in the study abroad program, it gave me memories and friendships to last a life time, and its the same price as staying on campus and taking classes over the summer!

Representing the U.S. on a bridge in Venice

The Pisa tower really does lean!

Enjoying our last weekend in Italy in Rome at the Colosseum

Sigma Sigma Sigma

During the Spring semester I joined Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority here on campus, and it was certainly one of the best decisions I have made while being at school. Sigma has helped keep me more involved in my studies as well as around campus and in the community!

Initiation!

Hope For Hayley 5K with my sisters!

Sigma Sigma Sigma

I am also an Ambassador for the Women’s Ambassador Program here on campus, which is something that I am very proud of. We work with the admissions department to raise the female population here on campus! We also do lots of events to support women around our campus and in our community!

Ambassadors for the Women’s Ambassador Program at our Waiz Welcome Dinner

College is all about embracing changes and going with the flow. Try not to get too stressed about anything, its honestly not worth it! Worry about things that you can change, and then change them. And lastly always do what makes you happy in life even if its a little unexpected! If you can do your best to live by these principles you’ll be Up Up and Away before you know it!

My Life @ Riddle

Daytona Beach Edition

Author Archives: Kealey

About Kealey

Senior

Blue Skies and Tailwinds

Doppler on Wheels

Say Hello to Summer

Adventure is out there!

Sigma Sigma Sigma

The Flight of a Lifetime!

Getting Involved

New Semester, Fresh Start!

Up Up and Away!