Author Archives: Maddie

About Maddie

Sophomore

Aviation Business Administration

Hometown: Castle Rock, Colorado

Campus Involvement: O-Team, Resident Advisor, Honors Program, Women in Aviation, Womens Ambassador, Greek Life, Student Assistant, SGA Student Court

Why I chose Embry-Riddle: I chose Embry-Riddle because it felt like home. I had never, and still to this day have never, experienced a university so unique and truly special. There is no other place like our school - where you can fly up to Georgia for BBQ after class!

College Christmas Wish List

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Happy almost-holidays everyone!

I am so excited to post about the holidays soon – I cannot wait! Like many others, this is my favorite time of year. There are so many fun things to do here in Florida for Halloween (i.e. Halloween Horror Nights and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party), not to mention my birthday and fall break are in October too! But for Thanksgiving and Christmas, I head home, which is all sorts of exciting!

Although it is a bit early for Christmas talk in my opinion, I wanted to make a wish list so parents, friends, and other family members can get an idea of what to get their soon-to-be college student. Maybe some of these will be on sale for Black Friday, or maybe you’re better than me and get your shopping done early!

Twin XL Bedding Set – I think this is the centerpiece of your dorm, therefore I would recommend investing in a nice one. Florida is a bit tricky because you don’t want to get bedding that is thick, heavy, and ultimately too warm. If you want to splurge, I recommend Pottery Barn Teen and their dorm section. If you are on a budget, check out Target. I got my freshman bed spread from Macy’s and it was reversible and neutral, so I was able to flip it when I got bored yet it matched my roommates side! I opted for a gray/brown quilt (since duvets were too heavy in my opinion) and fun polka dot sheets. This made the style a little quirky yet grown-up, which is very me! If you wait to buy bedding upon arrival, there are options, but beware it may be slim pickings! Overall, be sure to buy Twin XL bedding to fit the dorm beds!

Organization Supplies – One of my favorite things in my dorm is this makeup organizer I got at Target. It was about $25 but it holds all my makeup. If I want to sit at my desk and do my makeup there for better lighting or simply comfort, it’s easy to grab the whole thing. I think it’s super nice looking and I will definitely be keeping this for my future apartment post-graduation.

Lights – I never had a string of lights in my room, but many people like it! I think this is a cute, inexpensive gift for your soon-to-be or current college student. They also come in different colors and shapes if you shop around!

Art – I like to find cute art on Etsy. I think that art makes your dorm feel less like a dorm and more like a home. You can order quotes or even get a painting of your beloved animals. My freshman roommate was a huge Hamilton fan, so her grandma got her a quote from the musical. It was a cute, sentimental idea.

Rolling Hamper – This was my mom’s ingenious idea. I got mine at the Container Store and it is most definitely meant for something other than laundry (maybe for teachers?) but I love it. It even has a pocket for my laundry pods! I got so many compliments on it freshman year lugging my laundry downstairs when I lived in Adams. Everyone wanted one! Now that I am in New Hall, laundry is a lot closer, but I appreciate not having to carry it down the hall. Mine is also a cute pattern and I know I will be able to re-purpose it after college. Not going to lie… I have used it to carry lots of things around when I have tabling for clubs or an event to help set up!

A Nice Backpack – I think you can find good deals on backpacks this time of year because it is “off-season” to be buying one. I love the brand Herschel because they are cute and well made. They have a great warranty as well. One of my Herschels had a broken zipper and they sent me a new one no questions asked! Your backpack is an investment since I have used mine all throughout college and even for trips as a carry-on. Make sure it is big enough to hold a lot of stuff like books and binders, an umbrella (it’s Florida), and a laptop if you plan on having one!

Space Savers – I like being organized, as you can see from the above items. When you live in a tiny area, especially when it is shared, I recommend investing in items that help save space. I have tiered hangers and a slim, hanging jewelry organizer. I prefer using tubs for shoes and having it under my bed. I also have a file organizer that is stacked on my desk. This keeps the clutter away. I also bought a desk organizer for my pens and note pads. Having cute bins to save space is stylish but practical. I used these bins to store my stuff over summer without worrying about dust or bugs. I can also use these in my future home.

A Plant – I have a plant in my room that I got at the beginning of freshman year. His name is Greg. I think he makes the room brighter and more refreshing with his green leaves! I love that I get to see him grow and I hope to pass him off to my kids one day. If you have a sentimental plant at home, consider passing it on or propagating it!

A Cute Pillow – I have a pillow I got on Etsy with my home’s coordinates on it. I love that it is comfy, cute, and sentimental. Things that have multi-purposes is nice in such a small space.

Sunscreen – A good stocking stuffer would be a nice facial sunscreen. We need it here in Florida. Even when it’s cloudy, we get tan. Save your skin!

Caddy – I use the term caddy very loosely. There is the typical caddy you take to the bathroom with you in the dorms (which is very helpful/useful), but I am thinking of a bigger caddy. I bought my large rolling caddy from Ikea and I use it to hold all my beauty stuff. It has multiple shelves so I can be more organized. I leave my makeup on the top, skin care in the middle, and hair supplies on the bottom. It looks cute but leaves the small room feeling less cluttered and full. I have also seen them at Sam’s Club for about $30. It’s so practical, I even made Chris get one for his apartment!

Laptop – A more obvious “Santa” gift could be a nice laptop. I use mine everyday in class, for homework, and to watch Netflix! Maybe consider waiting until the summer to benefit from the college student discount at Apple! May I recommend AirPods for now?

Pictures – I use the Super Snaps to print my photos. I like to get the big ones in matte with black corners. I use this to take up a good amount of wall space and make it look more modern/stylish. It can also be sentimental and help beat the homesickness when you look back on pictures of loved ones!

A Place to Relax – I think if you can swing it, find a tiny bean bag or cozy small chair! It is important to have a place to sleep, study, eat, and RELAX in your dorm. When you associate your room with just sleep or just work, it will never feel cozy and calm. Make it a point to get at least one item to help you relax! I have a body pillow I lay on when I watch Netflix!

Time-Saving Items – College is a constant battle of time management. You have to learn somewhere, right? I recommend investing in a nice blowdryer, steamer, and other time-saving items. If you can quickly steam your clothes, that’s an extra 5 minutes of snoozing your alarm. Your college student will love you for this.

So it might not be the most glamorous holiday season of gifting, but it surely is a practical one!

Have a happy Thanksgiving and Black Friday with all your friends and family! ~ Maddie Dietrich

 

Unique Opportunities @ Embry-Riddle

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Hi y’all!

Fall is in full swing and I am itching to get back to the cooler weather in Colorado for Thanksgiving! For those that are curious, I tend to fly out of Orlando for a better price. I can usually find a friend to drive me down to MCO so I don’t have to worry about paying for parking. In general, I can find a round-trip ticket to Denver for $250 during the holidays, and much less during the rest of the year! I do love campus a little extra this time of year for several reasons: seasonal drinks at Starbucks, not breaking a sweat when walking to class, the holiday-themed events across campus, and the general excitement buzzing around! Once we get back from Thanksgiving break, it’s practically finals and the end of the semester!

Now on to the good stuff… I wanted to talk a bit about some of the unique opportunities at Embry-Riddle! I know that this time of year can be interesting if you are in high school. You may be weighing the costs and benefits of your top schools – maybe that’s why you came to this blog! I hope to help showcase the unique opportunities we have here at Riddle. A lot of this stuff I have mentioned before, but I wanted to summarize it all together because I think this truly makes us unique.

Career Services: I don’t think having a department to help find jobs is very unique – I’m sure most college have such a thing. What I do think is very unique is that our department works so closely with the industry. My Career Services counselor is available to help tailor my resume to the needs of any company I am applying for, practice for the interview with questions used by *insert company name* before, and even help me find jobs/internships if that’s what I need. The counselors are divided up by major, so they know what you need to be doing to make yourself most-prepared for your specific career. They get to know you well and offer up advice that is truly helpful.

On-Campus Experiences: I love how many events we have on campus. Sometimes it’s a concert, a carnival, a magician or comedian, or any other sort of performance you can think of. We typically have performers who are quite well known too, such as Adam DeVine, All American Rejects, Dan and Shay, Rachel Platten, and Nick Offerman. Those are just in the past two years, so you can imagine we have a lot going on all the time! We also always have free food around campus… What more could you want? Krispy Kreme donuts, fresh lemonade, kettle corn, and much much more. I can confirm it is all AMAZING! There are also movies every Thursday – my favorite is when they’re outside!

On-Campus Jobs: I have multiple on-campus jobs. I realize this is not as unique as some of the other points, but I think it is worth mentioning. Many of us need to work, but in order to have a good work-life balance, the school offers many on-campus jobs. At most of these jobs, you can even do your homework! I think the fact that you go around campus and see students working everywhere, it really shows that we are the center here. Our input is in every department and everything. Most jobs are great to add to a resume, such as my job in the Office of Philanthropy. I utilize Excel, plan events, and work with many industry folks, so I can use this experience during interviews for examples. All my bosses are also very flexible with my school schedule. Schedules are chosen by you, based on your input. I actually just took two weeks off so I could study for my exams and my bosses were so kind and understanding about it!

Guest Speakers: We constantly have speakers on campus. They range from authors to media figure heads. I love the variety of speakers, but also the frequency. Every week it seems there is another speaker. This makes me feel better if I can’t attend one because of a project or studying. I love learning about such diverse topics, ones I never would have explored myself. This helps us students to become more well-rounded. In such a like-minded, aviation-focused environment, it’s nice to bring us back to the real world. Lately, we have heard about what Russia wants, the effects of healthy eating and brain activity, and etc. Did I mention they’re all free?

The Students: One thing that really made Embry-Riddle stand out against other schools I toured and considered was the students. I had never been in a place where there was so much passion. I knew this environment would encourage me to push myself and grow as a person and in my industry awareness. Not only did I see networking opportunities for the future, but I saw a chance to bond with many people just like me. When I heard people go on flights to get BBQ in Georgia, I was pretty much sold on the environment. If you think you know everything about aviation, wait until you get here. You learn something new every day!

The Professors: My professors are top notch. I have already written about how I think the professors are outstanding, but we forget how unique this is. Some colleges, the TA does all the teaching. Just today my professor tried connecting me with an old work partner who does the job that I am very interested in. Our professors go beyond being just a very capable and knowledgeable source, but are also truly interested in our well-being. Whether it be reminding us to get sleep or handing out extra-credit to attend career-advancing events, such as the Career Fair and special speakers, they push us to grow. I just know that with my learning style (which is very hands-on), I really appreciate the small classroom settings. My professor knows my name and offers great feedback on my work. I know I am getting my money’s worth out of this education, not just going to class because I have to!

Involvement: My ultimate favorite thing about Riddle is the level of involvement of the students. This is something I didn’t know about before becoming a full-time student on campus. Now, I love being around people who encourage me to join clubs and take advantage of all the opportunities on campus. This type of environment makes you challenge and push yourself to try new things and get out of your room. Not to mention it’s just really fun to be involved! You make a lot of friends and learn so much about yourself. Plus it doesn’t hurt that it looks stellar on a resume!

The Buildings: This one will be short. The buildings are gorgeous. The dorms are super fancy. The Mori Hosseini Student Union is so nice. It’s literally the most beautiful Starbucks ever. There’s live plants and the ceiling looks like stars. Also, the outdoor seating resembles a 5-star resort with the fanciest chairs and tables. And… There’s a video game lounge. Enough said!

Please make a note that these are things that I experience and think are great. There are many more opportunities available for students that I do not partake. It may be because of available time, relevance to my major, or just that I did not know about it! I also only wanted to speak to opportunities that make us very unique and different than other schools, because we do have many great things that are general to many other Universities, and I didn’t want to bog down the good stuff!

Stay tuned for a holiday wishlist for college!

Happy hunting folks! ~ Maddie Dietrich

Things To See on an ERAU Campus Visit

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Hi all!

It is fall break and I am currently in Alabama visiting Chris. This last fall break of mine, I find myself looking back on other fall breaks. Particularly, the one in high school when I came to tour Riddle. This got me thinking that there were things I wish I knew to go see or ask on my tour. Here they are:

To begin, let’s talk about things to see/do on campus…

  1. I wish I had sat in on a class. I did this at Preview Day in the spring, but I think if you are pondering which major to do, try to arrange to sit in on a class. Try to ask before arriving so Admissions can do their best to get you in!
  2. Join a flight! Many people do not know this, but if you are considering pursuing a flight major, try to observe a flight. Weather or aircraft availability may prevent you from being able to take an observer flight, but if you can, you will get a taste for how prestigious our program is and also have a blast with the scenic views. Dress code for observing flights requires long pants and closed toe shoes. Come dressed appropriately and ask about an observer flight when you visit campus!
  3. Try the food. I think many people don’t think to do this, but it gives you a taste of your future. I recommend Qdoba, our newest addition, or Propellers, a classic. Join a lunch table (they are set up as communal) and talk to students! They are happy to share their experiences and recommendations! What better way to know the university than talking to the people who eat, play, study, and even sleep there!
  4. Take pictures on the residence hall tours! This is BEYOND helpful when you are planning for move in. I wish I had done this, but you can go visit my packing list blog for some pictures as well in case you forget.
  5. Stop by financial aid if you’ve already been accepted and your FAFSA has been filed and reviewed. Your Admissions Counselor can help with general questions before your aid has been processed. If you have questions, they can help answer them. This saves you back-and-forth emails. I’m old-fashion though, I prefer face-to-face communication, especially on confusing, important matters.
  6. When planning a time to come, try to attend Open House (next weekend) or Preview Day in the spring. Open House welcomes to all prospective students and their families while Preview Day is only for accepted students and their families. These events make touring residence halls, attending classes, and observing flights a lot easier. What I like best though, is that there are opportunities to meet and learn about campus activities and organizations. There are typically general information sessions as well. And if you’re wondering the best time of year to visit, I prefer the fall. It’s not too hot out and that’s nice considering the tour requires walking outside. Ultimately, my best tip is try to come when there are students on campus. I came on my school breaks and they happened to line up with Riddle’s breaks. Therefore my perception of the campus was that it was always empty – which is completely false. I think it’s best to see the bustling campus because that is the most realistic image, in my opinion.

While you are in Daytona, I highly recommend Tia Cori’s Tacos or Rosie’s on Beach Street for some good eats. Chicken Salad Chick is also one of my favorites, with their wide array of chicken salads (it sounds weird but it’s delicious) and yummy grape salad! Touring the race track or hitting up the massive flea market are fun things to do. And if you’re like my family, Disney World and Universal Studios are only an hour away! If time allows, try to go 45 minutes north to see Saint Augustine – a real fun spot to spend your afternoon!

If you have any questions – write a comment! I’ll get back to you! ~ Maddie

Check Out the New Student Union!

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Hi all!

Happy fall! October begins the month of warm drinks and sweaters (yes, even in Florida because the classrooms can be chilly)! October also marks the opening of the new Student Union at the Daytona Beach campus! While I wanted to be one of the first 50 students in to get a Starbucks card or grab some free coffee and Krispy Kreme, I accidentally overslept. Hey hey now, classes at noon make it very hard to get up at 8 am these days.

Here are some pictures of the beauty!

Things I love about the new Student Union:

  1. It looks amazing and futuristic. I think this is an icon of the university. When I go home and show my friends my school, I will show them pictures of this big beauty.
  2. There is new food! Qdoba opened up and it is delicious! Chick-Fil-a now how a full menu. And the Starbucks is the prettiest one I have visited (and this says a lot since I’ve visited my fair share).
  3. The space was made for students. There are so many study spaces, computers, and socializing areas.
  4. The bookstore – please stop by! It is bigger and better than ever.
  5. There are areas specifically for space launch and airport viewing. Welcome to Embry-Riddle folks!
  6. I feel I am off-campus, which can be nice when you live on-campus. It makes me feel like I am at a fancy mall almost.
  7. There is outdoor space that looks and feels very nice. There are even speakers and lawn chairs out there!
  8. Event spaces from the future also reside on the first floor. Please excuse me while I try to find a reason to book one of those!

Outdoor dining spaces

Starbucks

Starry sky

Starbucks seating

More study/social space

Beautiful windows

Dining

Seating outside of Starbucks

Real plants!

Overall, are we finally getting that big school feeling but our small school feeling? I guess we can have it all!

P.S. Sorry for the picture quality. I will try to find a better way to upload them since they are clear on my phone and computer, just not once uploaded…

Thanks for bearing with me and enjoy!

Why I Chose Embry-Riddle

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Happy fall!

…

Maybe not officially, but to me fall is in full swing. My routine has settled a bit more and you can believe that lots of pumpkin chai (made in the dorm) and Starbucks Caramel Spice Lattes with extra caramel are always in hand. While I do love my afternoon courses, I try to get out of my room and grab a coffee to get some work done before class. All the while I still get to sleep in, so that’s nice.

As we settle into classes, I wanted to shift my blog focus from preparing the incoming freshman and other students to sharing more general information about the university. You may be seeing more about student life, academics, on-campus jobs, and etc. I want to be real with you about my life at Riddle… See what I did there?

To begin this new series, if you will, I want to discuss why I chose Embry-Riddle. I think I can summarize this into a few points to keep this nice and simple. In my opinion, the school really sells itself. I have said this before, but if you can come tour the campus, you will fall in love. It happens to everyone. Especially with our brand new Student Union (pictures and post to come soon)!

1. The Name

The Embry-Riddle name is quite prestigious. It’s easy to forget how widely-known our school is in the aviation industry until you work in it. At my internship with United Airlines, everyone was blown away that I was a Riddle student. Not to mention any time it came up, I typically could find an alum who was happy to come join the conversation and network with me. Aviation is a tight-knit community. Having the name Embry-Riddle attached to you, on the top of your resume holds more weight than we may think.

2. The Campus is Gorgeous

As I mentioned above, we have a new Student Union. More so, we have gorgeous new dorms (with even more being built right now for Fall 2019). There is the shiny COAS (College of Arts and Sciences) which is stunning with its dome encompassing the largest telescope in Florida. Anyways, *closes jaw* the new Student Union is beyond beautiful. Not only does it resemble an airplane/eagle, it has a new walkway surrounded by palm trees. Our tiny school is beginning to have big campus looks with the small feeling we all love. And I almost forgot… the beach is nearby and you literally walk to class watching planes take off from the airport right in front of your face. Enough said. Take a look for yourself on our Instagram.

3. The Professors are Top Notch

This is kind of nerdy, and I never really appreciated it until I was in class here, but the professors are the best in the industry. When you are reading the books written by your professor, really soaking in their years of experience, that is the stuff that helps you grow and become an industry expert too. My professors can bring their years of experience into the classroom and help me understand the ways of the business more than a regular, old PowerPoint ever could. One professor even offered internships at the end of the course since he owned an airport consulting company nearby.

4. I Wanted Something Different

This is more personal to me, but I just wanted change. I love home — do not get me wrong. I just felt everyone all purposely went to the same colleges and I wanted a fresh start. I enjoyed high school, but I wanted a unique college with students who could truly relate to me. Embry-Riddle is just this. When else do you find other young adults who stop walking and gawk at the airplanes in the sky or have a passion for rockets or drones or anything aerospace and aviation related really? This leads me to my next point…

5. It Felt Like Home

When my parents dropped me off, they were very comforted by the faculty, students, and staff repeatedly saying we are a family. This is true. Your professors genuinely care about you and how you are. Your bosses at your on-campus jobs care. Your peers care. Most of us are from areas far away from Daytona since we come for this specialty focus. This means we are all far from home, far from family. So we make our own. Normal state schools have many students who live nearby or at least in-state. Here we lean on each other a little more because in a sense, we all relate to one another.

Also, this point can be used to talk about the sense of community I felt when I walked onto the campus the first time. I felt like I belonged here and I cannot explain it. Every school I compared to Embry-Riddle’s environment. I knew I couldn’t miss out on all its opportunities and its quirkiness.

Until next time,

Maddie

Getting Back in the Swing of Things

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Hi all!

I feel I haven’t posted in a very long time and for that I apologize. This summer flew by! Let me begin by catching you up on the end of my summer and then sharing some news about this year.

First things first, my internship ended on a very high note! I got to give the introduction speech to our internship closing ceremony. My mom traveled from Colorado to come explore San Francisco with me and tour SFO. We had a blast visiting Fisherman’s Wharf and Union Square. Of course we visited In n’ Out and went to many of San Fran’s touristy areas. At the end of it all, I was very excited to head home for a week before returning for RA (Resident Adviser), SGA (Student Government Association), and O-Team training. You will understand once you go home for a break… Breaks = time to catch up on all your doctors appointments!

I came back three weeks before school began for RA, SGA, and Orientation Team training. These trainings were very fun because I got to see all my friends again! I also had the chance to slowly adjust back to living on campus and having a different type of busy schedule.

RA training with my old roommate, Delaney!

Orientation went amazing! This incoming class was so involved and eager to integrate into our Eagle family. I loved that all our events throughout Orientation Week were packed. It makes me happy to see that so many students were pushing themselves to go meet other new students. My residence hall wing is also fantastic! The residents are always asking questions about becoming involved and it is quite the social floor, which is not typical of the Honors LLC (Living Learning Community).

Working Orientation!

In other news, Chris came to visit this weekend! The agenda included Disney World Hollywood Studios, Tia Cori’s Tacos, Chicken Salad Chick, a photoshoot, car shopping, and Crazy Rich Asians at the nice local theater. We had such a great time that saying goodbye this morning was extra difficult. Long weekends are always great for friends and family to come, but it also makes me sad when they have to leave.

Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios

Driving around Daytona Beach eating all the yummy food!

My personal favorite – Tia Cori’s Tacos!

As for this semester’s courses, they are the most challenging yet. I have accepted that I am at the core of all my education. What I am learning now is very in-depth and difficult concepts, but I feel my focus in class will allow me to take this knowledge and apply it in interviews and on the job. I love having such professional professors who really know their stuff! For example, my Management of Operations and Production professor used to be quite high up in UPS. His knowledge makes the coursework even more applicable and understandable.

In honor of my last first day, here is my first first day!

While I am busier than ever, I am excited to share that my summer classes and high school credit have pushed my graduation to THIS MAY! I am beyond excited and the reality of it all hit yesterday when I received the email to apply for graduation. I feel that I am ready for this next step in life. I hope to show everyone through my career search and final semesters here at Embry-Riddle!

I will be going back to posting bi-weekly, so check back in soon! ~ Maddie

Summer Update #2

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Hi everyone!

This first week of my internship at United was really crazy! I got to work in service recovery – which is tracking passengers who will most likely miss their flight and re-booking them on a new one. They are then greeted at the gate with tickets for their new flights. How awesome is that?! I also got to work in the premier lobby helping passengers check-in and tag their luggage. Another day we worked the inaugural SFO-Zurich flight! It was super fun and everyone was very excited for their complimentary Swiss chocolate! Friday I worked at the gates helping people board their flight. So many people miss their flights, don’t want to check their carry-ons, want to get an upgrade, etc. I feel I get to see the worst in people with this internship since traveling makes people stressed. However, I’m really liking it! Tomorrow I meet my mentors for the first time! We truly are a family. Birthdays are celebrated with good cake and lots of laughs!

Living alone is nice. I cook a lot! My RA dorm on campus doesn’t have a kitchen so I’m loving the ability to cook. I also bring my lunch to work, so I make it the night before. Tonight I made pasta and garlic Parmesan roasted potatoes for tomorrow’s lunch. I really enjoy going to bed at 9 pm and waking up early. I feel so productive being out the door at 6 am. I do miss home a lot though, so I already have my flight booked to Denver on July 31st!

As for summer classes, I am doing a lot better than before! I finally got into the swing of things. Let me tell you, I really appreciate Canvas after having to use a different platform for these classes. I feel summer classes are a lot quicker paced (well they are since they finish quicker than normal courses in the fall/spring) and therefore I feel every day I am doing another assignment. I am now working ahead on the weekends because honestly, the last thing I want to do after a long day is homework and tests. I know I’ve grown as a person because I can admit I think I took a bit too much on with summer classes, living alone in a big city for the first time, and a 10-hour/day internship. I’ll stop complaining now because it does no good at this point. I will just be SUPER grateful at the end of this summer. Never have I ever wanted summer to end, haha!

I hope you all are excited for school to start in just two months! Soon you will be finding out who your roommate is, buying dorm necessities, and getting ready to move! Please make sure to check your ERAU email often. Important things need to be done like accepting awards (scholarships)/making sure they came through to Embry-Riddle, having all placement exams complete, current shots mandatory to start, insurance figured out, and more! Be diligent and don’t be afraid to ask for help by calling the correct department!

Some more tips as summer is in full swing:

Spend time with your family – while your time with your friends is also precious, I promise you will be missing your family a lot at school!

Eat at home – on the same note, eat home cooked meals while you can!

Read the ERAU Housing’s packing list – I made a post with a very thorough packing list for school, but be sure to reference Housing’s list for what is allowed. As an RA, we do inspections to make sure people don’t bring thinks like cook-tops or candles. If they are found, the student must get rid of it within 24 hours. Save yourself the trouble.

Start investing in Florida products and testing them out – Find a good sunscreen, foundation, bug spray, hairspray, etc. I recommend Supergoop sunscreen products, Estee Lauder Double-Wear Foundation, and Avon’s Skin So Soft for bug spray! I may be listing more body/beauty products for Florida, so stay tuned!

Save money – I didn’t work my first semester (most students don’t). Thankfully, I could still go out to the movies or to eat because I worked a summer job before college and saved up! Try to do the same – 10/10 would recommend!

Print pictures – you will want photos in your room to liven it up and remember your loved ones! I got mine from Super Snaps and had a great experience!

Have fun out there! – Maddie

 

Summer Update #1

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Summer Update #1

Well, summer is in full swing and I feel it’s already flying by! Here are some pictures from my Las Vegas rod trip and second Disney trip! My internship AND summer classes started last week so it’s been very busy around here.

At Dutch Bros Coffee in Las Vegas

Guardians of the Galaxy ride at Disneyland (our favorite ride – we rode it about 10 times)

At the pool in Vegas! (Fun fact: unless you are 21, you cannot check-in to a hotel with a casino attached. It made for a difficult time finding a hotel with no casino, on the Strip, but with a nice pool)

We were stuck in Memorial Day traffic

I moved into my apartment early and thankfully that was pretty stress-free! I am renting with Zeus, which is a business that rents out fully furnished short-term housing. I liked the ease of just walking in, but city life is a little difficult to adjust to. It’ll take awhile to get used to for sure!

My internship is great! Our normal work day is 7:30 am to 4 pm. I catch the BART (subway) at 6 am though since where I clock in is way back in the terminals. The BART goes straight to the airport, so that’s super nice. I walk about 15 minutes to the BART then ride it for 30 minutes to get dropped off at the gates. My day-to-day schedule consists of meeting at 7:30 am to get my schedule for the day. Each day it’s different! I requested to mainly work in the international terminal and in premium areas (think first class check-in and clubs)! These are two areas I am most interested in for a career so they will let me spend most of my days here. However, I will also get to explore areas such as check-in, flight operations, in-flight services, cargo, rescheduling, customer service, and tower! Every Wednesday we meet with our mentors and on Fridays we go volunteer! We do a summer book club here reading Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek. We will also complete a final project – which is evaluating United Airlines’ artificial intelligence (like their app).

So far, all the other interns are very nice and we all get along! Most are from the Bay Area. I think I’m the only one who moved for this. It’s crazy to be alone… in a big city… cooking my own meals and packing lunches. When did I grow up so much? Even commuting nearly 2 hours each day is crazy since I’m used to my 10-minute walk to classes. Waking up at 5 am is not my favorite.

Chris is leaving for Mississippi this week to start his training in cyber systems programming! We’re super excited, but since we spent all of May together, saying goodbye was extra hard. I’ll tell you, the hardest part of growing up for me has been learning to be ok with moving on from some things. I like comfort but that’s not how you grow as a person. For instance, I wish I could be at home working my high school job, cooking dinner with my mom, and spending weekends running around town with Chris, but… These classes and this internship are so beyond helpful for my future. Chris and I always say it’s 4 years of stomaching some not-so-ideal things in return for a great rest of our lives.

So here I am writing on a subway in a huge city on the way to my dream internship, which still scares me at times, but that’s life. Some days I’m beyond excited but others I feel too young to be doing all these big things. And as for summer classes, just be sure you don’t forget their start date… Oops!

On a totally random note: Be sure to start buying some dorm stuff now (like bedding). It’ll help you feel less stressed, find the best deals, and hopefully get excited!

Hope you’re all having fun!

Maddie

Summer!

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Hello everyone!

It’s been about two weeks since finals, can you believe that?! I’m happy to report I finished with all A’s and I was never too stressed while studying! I tried mixing it up this finals season and studied in groups (I usually prefer to study alone) and it actually helped me stay laser focused. I guess the moral of the story here is try new things!

On a side note, I’ve been obsessed with using GrubHub. It’s a food delivery service where you order via an app and someone delivers it to you! This was AMAZING during finals when I didn’t want to drive anywhere and interrupt studying. Tropical Smoothie and Buffalo Wild Wings were on routine repeat for me! The trick is to get your friends to order with you and the delivery fee and tip can be split so it’s not as much. You can easily order to the dorms, so those of you planning on not having a car next semester, do not fret! This is for you!

Anyways, back to summer! After finals finished (I had the last final at 9 pm on Wednesday), I went and packed up my dorm. After I did my RA walkthrough of all the resident’s rooms, I went to the airport. This is a crazy story – I had my friend take me to the wrong airport and then almost missed my flight. How does that even happen?! The flight was supposed to be delayed but then got changed to no delay and I ended up having to throw away all my liquids in order to carry on my bag. Then I had to beg to be allowed to not double pay for my bag since I had originally paid for it to be checked. Long story short, I made the flight (barely) and didn’t have to pay for my bag twice.

I then landed in Las Vegas and caught a flight to Oakland. Once I landed in Oakland I went to my hotel and woke up early to catch the Bart to San Francisco Airport. Here I finished my badging process by taking a safety class. This was my third weekend back-to-back in San Francisco. Crazy right? That’s a lot of 6-hour flights coast to coast. After getting my badge I rented a car. How am I old enough to rent a car?! Well, the answer is I paid a premium for the 20-year-old insurance. I dropped off my badge and drove down to Monterey to visit Chris, which was a 3-hour drive with traffic. I don’t consider myself the best driver so I was very scared to drive in crazy California traffic with unfamiliar roads. All was fine though! I picked him up and we got dinner then continued to drive to LA. We then spent Saturday at Disneyland and Sunday in Los Angeles! Now I am currently hanging out in Monterey spending time with Chris. He works during the day so I usually try out coffee shops and find cute stores to kill time! Last weekend we went to the Taylor Swift concert in Santa Clara, Apple Park in Cupertino, and strawberry picking in Watsonville. Tomorrow we are heading to Las Vegas!

Disneyland!

Apple Park with iPads as menus

Apple Park!

Taylor Swift’s Reputation Tour – Santa Clara

Strawberry Picking

But… The best news is my internship starts in two weeks! I am so excited to live in a big city and work with my dream airline! Finding an apartment has been stressful since there are a lot of scams and I need a short-term, furnished apartment. I’ll keep you updated! This is my first full-time internship! I like that it is a rotational one where I will be able to work in multiple areas. I think this will make time fly. Also, SFO is BEAUTIFUL! What an amazing airport!

I will be doing my internship for credit as well as some online summer classes. If any of you are curious about the process of registering for either, let me know! I’d be happy to share my experience with setting it up and why I choose to do both!

Enjoy the beginning of summer! – Maddie

The Ultimate Packing List for Each Dorm (with pictures)

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All Dorms: All come with a mini fridge, vanity, microwave, desk, and dresser (and a bed too obviously). The bathrooms come with a shower curtain too. You can order items like bedding through housing or order to-store at Bed Bath and Beyond. There is a Target down the street, across from the Speedway for last minute needs, but a “secret” Super Target is 15 minutes south in Port Orange. We also have a Hobby Lobby, World Market, Pier One Imports, and Michaels if you like decorating! There is a Kohls and Sam’s Club not too far for mattress toppers and bulk-snacks. You can mail stuff to the university after you get your mailbox, but you won’t have your mailbox number until after move in. To send things before you are assigned a mailbox, you can address packages with your name, New Student Embry-Riddle, 600 South Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach FL 32114. Then just pick it up at the mail room when you arrive.

I have a printer but I do not need one. You can print from the 24-hour lab in the College of Business. As for packing clothes, bring lots of t-shirts with jeans/shorts. Also, bring some light sweaters/rain jackets for classrooms and “winter”. I normally wear Keds, flats, or sandals to get across campus. Make sure to bring nice clothes (business casual and at least one business professional outfit) no matter your major. We have our career fair and interviewers coming to campus constantly. Sororities and fraternities also require you to dress nicely once a week as do some on-campus jobs.

For laundry, Adams, Woods, and Doolittle have laundry rooms downstairs. New Hall has two laundry rooms per floor (one per wing). All laundry facilities have an associated app to see which are available. While they are free, you must bring your own detergent.

  • Tubs (for summer storage too)
  • Command Strips (tons, but the velcro ones work best)
  • Hangers
  • Desk Lamp
  • Mattress Topper
  • Bed Covers (Twin XL) – Pottery Barn, Target, and Macy’s has cute ones!
  • Pillows
  • Full-length mirror
  • Trashcan
  • Bathroom Mat
  • Toilet Paper
  • Towels
  • Food Organizers
  • Cleaning Wipes
  • Water Filter
  • School Supplies
  • Desk Organizer
  • Air Freshener
  • Laundry Basket
  • TV (but most students use a laptop – I do!)
  • Pictures!!!

New Hall: New Hall has a tiny kitchen area, so I recommend not bringing a lot of kitchen gadgets. You also don’t have a designated kitchen sink, so cleaning dishes and such gets a little challenging. You will have bathroom cubbies in the shower room and individual closets in your room. Most students raise their beds and put the desk under their bed. Some prefer to bunk their bed with their roommate and put the desks on the other side. My friend was kind enough to let us see her room!

Adams/Woods: Adams/Woods bathrooms are shared with 3 other people, so I recommend a caddy to keep the shower uncluttered. Since the floor is wood, I also recommend a rug. We bought curtains and lots of bins for food and bathroom storage. The photos below are from my freshman dorm!

Doolittle: I have not lived in Doolittle, but I would recommend a bathroom caddy/other bathroom organizers since you will be sharing a bathroom with 7 other people. You will have a large desk as well, so desk organizers could be beneficial if you like to be orderly. A closet is shared too, so consider a closet divider since that could be helpful if you like to keep your belongings separate. Like Adams/Woods, I want to recommend a rug to cover the wood floor! These photos are from a friend!

Personal tip: I like plants in my room since they brighten the space and make it feel more homey!

Move-in gets crazy so bring water! Be patient! It’s overwhelming but everyone does it and your RA should be helpful. Orientation is meant to be fun, so don’t stress! You will have huge moving bins to help! Assignments come out this summer so get excited!

Happy almost summer! – Maddie!