Hello to all the journal readers. The time has come for me to say goodbye. I have had such an enjoyable school year filled with a little of everything. When I look back on what I have accomplished, I am proud and content, but then I look forward and know that there is much more to come in this game of life.

I would like to start off by saying that I have finally become a licensed Private Pilot. I cannot tell you how happy I was the day I finally received my license. It has been a long road to get to that point, but I did it! So flying for this year is done; I will come back next year to start and finish my Multi-Engine rating.

Academically, I have one final left to take today. It is for my Aircraft Engines & Turbines class. I have not received as good grades as I thought I would, but they will suffice. Unfortunately, not all my finals have turned out that well, so it was no surprise I got some of the grades I did.

I will finish this year with 49 credits though, just about 10 shy of being in junior standing. I will take six credits back home and will be on track for a graduation in spring of 2007. I will probably look into internships and co-ops though, so my graduation in 2007 is still a big question mark. All that will be figured out and decided as my time here at Riddle goes by.

For the Summer, I will be lounging back in California and will enjoy time with my family, girlfriend, and friends. I look forward to hitting the waves on the beaches, going Jet Skiing in the lakes, and visiting some nice places like Yosemite (I love to camp) and Catalina Island (a nice place to just get away). It’s going to be nice to have a car again, as well as a nice big bed and a whole house to just kick-back in. I’m looking forward to having fun, mixed in with some school and some work.

Lastly, next year, I will come back and be taking mostly core classes which are needed for the Aeronautical Science degree. I am living in McKay once again. I chose McKay, obviously, not for its appearance, but for the space that you get. It was the cheapest option for me that provided me space and convenience. I can still wake up 15 minutes before class and be on time every now and then. Many of my friends have made arrangements to live off campus, so I figure I’ll be on and off campus depending on which day of the week it is.

Well, some final (and very random) words to all of you journal readers. Enjoy your college life wherever you go. I had a different experience than most of my other friends because I was doing different things than they were. I remember getting a call on a Friday night from a friend of mine who asked whether I was partying or just kicking back that night. I responded by saying that I had a two-hour cross-country to plan and was in need of sleep due to a 7 AM flight the next day (yes, you fly 7 days a week here).

Well, sometimes, I made sacrifices in order to make ends meet – as some would say. New things popped up all the time: money became an issue, time became an issue, scheduling my life, my weekends, my days, my nights all became an issue. I now had to buy all my own stuff (never, ever forget toilet paper!), I had to remember to wash my clothes before I run out of undergarments (sometimes the last clean pair of boxers I have are the ones I wear while I’m washing clothes), to eat correctly because no one stopped me from eating anything (Propellers’ burgers and Caesar Salad are great!), even waking up became an issue (set two alarms, the first one will never work…trust me).

Don’t forget to set your alarm, no one will wake you up. Office hours aren’t there for your professor, they are there for you, so make use of them (especially if you missed the class because you slept through it). Make use of all your resources, many are always made available (tutoring is always free!).

Lastly, enjoy college. It is a time of life where you should be having fun and enjoying your time. If you ever don’t feel right where you are at or just feel like things aren’t working out, step back and take a look at your life, sometimes that is all we need.

Enjoy the college life and good luck to all of you. Whether you are going on for another year in high school or going on to college, follow your dreams and never lose sight of your goals.

If you are coming to Embry-Riddle next year, feel free to stop me if you see me to say hello. It would be nice to see who exactly read my journals and what you guys really thought.

Well, I have to get going. Got a final today, then a flight, then the summer! Have a great summer everybody!
Sergio M.

Hello again to all my journal readers. As the year comes down to an end, I find myself having the same thing I did in all the end of my previous school years, a bad case of laziness and procrastination. This is the worst time to have such a thing, but I hope to get out of it for a week or so, so I can do well on my finals. I have one full week of classes, then about a half-week of finals and I am officially done with my first year of college.

For those of you who have not finalized your choice for college, I do want to say one thing. I waited until May 1 to submit my deposit to Embry-Riddle. I had a hard time choosing whether or not I really wanted to fly for my career. It’s a hard choice for many, but most, if not all, look back on that decision with no regrets. This also goes to all you engineer majors, ATC majors, engineering physics majors, space physics majors, etc. Just remember that some people will make the wrong choice and be forced to transfer schools. But remember that you want to be happy knowing you tried instead of remorseful and regretful that you never attempted. I am not vouching for Riddle here, I am saying in general. I was in your spot last year and it wasn’t easy, but I am happy with the choice I made. Good Luck to all of you who are still deciding on where to go and wherever your plans take you, good luck in the future!

On another note, life around here has been laid-back lately. The weather has been much better with the temperature getting warmer and the rain leaving, it makes for some great flying weather. Speaking of which, I think I am finally going to get my Private Pilot License this week, if I pass the check ride! It’s kind of weird to be thinking that it is already late April and I still have not been able to attain the license. I originally planned to have it before Spring Break, but some delays changed that, then when I came back, I finished flying, turned in my paperwork, and waited for my check ride. Well, I was told that I had missed a certain flight which was required so I promptly made it up. I then completed the paperwork, but someone at the flight department forgot to tell my instructor that my paperwork was completed, so I waited even longer for my final oral. Since two weeks had passed from my last maneuvers flight, I, just today, went flying again and practiced those maneuvers which I need to know for my check ride. I was told today that I WILL be scheduled for my check ride sometime this week, so I am keeping my fingers crossed so that I can get the dang thing scheduled and, hopefully, passed.

This weekend we had a concert here sponsored by Embry-Riddle which was pretty cool. I am not a big fan of the bands that played, but I am not going to complain. I got in for free and enjoyed my time there. One lesson was learned though: standing next to the speaker doesn’t necessarily enhance the concert experience. Well, I am just kidding, I knew what I was doing by standing near a speaker, but I didn’t realize how long it would take me to get rid of that ringing and hissing in my ear (I am still fighting it as I write this journal). It was fun nonetheless. The bands that played were ‘Riddlin’ Kids, ‘American Hi-Fi,’ and ‘Bowling For Soup.’ When I go back to California this summer, I will be going to the Warped Tour and I am looking forward to that one. Music has always been one of my main interests. Most people are surprised when I tell them the type of music I like. It ranges from Rock to Rap to Acoustic to Classical. If it’s good music, I’ll listen to it!

Well, putting my music rant to an end, I just want to thank all those of you who have complimented me for my journals. I can’t say how good it makes me feel to know that at least a few people, if not many, are actually enjoying what I write. Thank you once again for your attention, comments, suggestions, and support. I will be writing one last journal entry around this time next week, and will have a recap of the whole year for you all. I would just like to ask that if you are reading this and would like me to include anything in particular, post a message on the message board and I’ll make sure to include it. Anything from Aeronautical Science, flying, even campus and dorm life. If there is anything I may help or assist you with, let me know. Until next time!

Sergio

Hello again to all my journal readers. It has been quite interesting receiving so many e-mails from many of you who are interested in learning more about Riddle’s flight program. This is why this journal will be very oriented towards the flight program here. Life is still the same here, just turned 19 this last weekend, I am about four weeks away from finishing off my first year of college, and I am doing well in general. I went down to Tampa for Airfest 2005 and had a great time; unfortunately, choosing not to wear sun block proved to be bad choice. Life here has been laid-back lately, but it has been nice to get some time to relax.

We will soon be registering for Fall 2005 classes and I have set my schedule to be much like this semester’s schedule in order to continue a bit of the academic success I have been able to attain. Next year, I will be taking Meteorology II, Technical Report Writing, Aircraft Systems and Components, Flight Physiology, Aircraft Performance, and the Multi-Engine Flight course. A looks to be a very full schedule, but quite interesting also in that I will be taking many Aeronautical Science courses. I am also going to be taking 2 general education courses back home. It was quite a deal, 6 credits for $170. As a California resident, I got quite a discount on my tuition back home. Next year looks to be very promising; I am looking forward to it.

Aeronautical Science here at Riddle is unlike your average flight program. You will be introduced to the basics of flight, from Newton’s Laws and how they relate to flight, to Bernoulli’s Principle and how it directly relates to flight. You will start off by taking AS 132, also known as Basic Aeronautics I. In this class, I built my knowledge of Aeronautics in general and was then taught the specifics of Private Pilot flight. Many aspects were covered ranging from Performance problems, Weight & Balance problems, Maneuvers, Emergencies, Cross-Country flight, etc. It basically prepares you to fly for the rest of your life by teaching you basic principles that apply to most, if not all, airplanes in everyday flight.

For the rest of your stay here, you will take AS 133, AS 232, and AS 272 which take you from your Private Pilot certification all the way to your commercial certification. All these courses are ground-instruction courses and they go together with your FA courses which are your actual flight labs. Around this basic knowledge, you will also be introduced to classes ranging from Aerodynamics, to Aircraft Engines & Turbines, all the way to Domestic and International Navigation and Crew Resource Management. The Aeronautical Science program has been tailored in a way that the airlines have asked it to be. Though all that is required of Aeronautical Science students is a “Commercial Multi-Engine Instrument” certificate, many go on to complete their CFI and CFII and even become flight instructors here at the school; this becomes a great option for those students who are interested in building flight time.

In your last year here, you will be put in a Canadair Regional Jet simulator course which teaches you the ins and outs of airline/regional carriers. By the time you graduate Riddle, you will have attained a broad, yet very well prepared curriculum that enables you to become knowledgeable enough to fly for an FBO and in many cases, the major airlines. It takes time to get to a major, especially in this day and age, and most use regionals as a stepping stone or as a way of getting their foot in the door. If you love to fly, you will attain your dream of becoming whatever you want to be if you want it enough. Flying at Embry-Riddle is expensive, but many will tell you that flying here is an experience of its own in that you are provided with many resources and much assistance in your flight course. I have never had any problems with flying here nor on the academic side of my education here neither, but flying here will prove to be expensive to most. I recommend looking into private external scholarships as well as grants and loans to provide money for your stay here at Riddle. It has become a problem for me in that I will be unable to attain my Multi-Engine rating before the summer as I wanted to, but I will come back in the fall with money in pocket so that I can finish it off.

Overall, it has been a fun and rewarding experience to fly, one that has been enjoyable since the first day. If you have any specific questions about the flight program here at Riddle, the Aeronautical Science department, or Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in general, feel free to post a message on the message board. I will answer as soon as possible and make sure that your question gets answered. Thanks for your time and will write again soon.

Sergio

Hello to all you journal readers. I am writing this journal after quite an eventful day that took me from Los Angeles to Daytona Beach in a span of 12 hours (a mixture of cancelled and delayed flights). Spring Break was a well deserved break for many of us and as I previously stated, I went against what most would have done —  stayed here — and opted to go home instead for Spring Break. I was given the opportunity to see my family and friends. After being away from home for a while, it was a welcome sight for sore eyes.

Well, as I write this journal, I find myself stuck in a situation which most of us hate to be in. I have a lot of homework and would rather pretend that such a thing doesn’t exist. Lucky for us, we have about 5 full weeks of school remaining until we all are given the opportunity to go home for the summer.

I did not have the time to finish flying and get my private before I left to go back home, but with 5 weeks remaining, I have more than enough time to complete my last 2 flights. Once I complete the last two flights, I will then go up for my Oral and Checkride. I have been studying for that oral and somehow many details are still slipping my mind at times.

When I went home a friend of mine who still happens to be in high school asked me how college truly is. Well, as I told her and will tell all of you, it is all about knowing how to read, understand, and comprehend books of different subject matter. One thing that has always been a weakness of mine is my inability to comprehend what it is I read. I will find myself sitting there asking myself what it is that I have just finished reading. To my dismay, I seldom remember what it is I read even after just browsing over it.

I strongly recommend for those of you going to any college next year to really learn how to read well. I wish someone could have stressed how important reading truly is in a college education. Don’t get me wrong, I still pass my classes with a weakness in reading, but I tend to learn well from lectures and notes, so I am still able to learn what is taught.

Spring Break back home was fun but most of you are probably interested in what Daytona Beach has to offer. From what I have seen and heard, the beaches have had some great turnouts and there are events all along the beach that allow for spring breakers to relax and have some fun. Hopefully other journal writers can offer a perspective as to how it was last week.

Well, off I go to finish homework and get ready to restart classes ( I already missed a day). Keep the questions coming on the message board. I, as well as the other journal writers, will be more than willing to offer you our assistance.

Hello again all you journal readers. It’s been a long time coming, but one more week remains until all of us go off to different locations for spring break. Some people I know are going to remain here in Daytona and welcome their friends, while others like me, will be returning home to meet up with old friends and loved ones. I look forward to spending a lot of time with my family, girlfriend, and friends.

School here is the same as usual. I am somewhat pleased with how this semester has been going for me thus far. My professors are excellent, my classes are nicely planned out, and my flying has not interfered with my academics. I will soon be planning out my classes for the upcoming Fall 2005 semester. I am hoping to go home and attain 6 credits for my general education requirements so that when I come back for the fall semester, I could be in junior standing. What has been keeping me from going crazy this semester is that I have not yet had one big project as I did last semester. Maybe I have, I just didn’t notice it or didn’t think it was that big. I am really enjoying the Aeronautical Science courses because I know that for once, I am learning about something I will most likely be using in real-life. I know that when I was in high school, I asked myself when in life I would be applying what I had learned in that class to a real-life scenario. Well, luckily, I am doing something where I don’t have to ask that question anymore. I also decided to stay and live on campus because of the lack of a car. I would definitely love to have my own apartment or share one with a friend, but without a car, I am not sure how I would get to school for a 6 AM flight, 8AM class, etc. I am still talking to my parents about a car, but I’m almost certain that the final answer will be a no.

As Daytona’s Speedweeks ended, Bike Week began. It was a crazy week with many Bikes all across Daytona. It was quite noisy, compared to the quiet Daytona that I was used to, but it was a welcome sign. I remember seeing many different types of Motorcycles from Harley’s to Honda’s. It was also very interesting to watch some of the bikers with some amazing looking bikes. Some of them were designed to look like a car, of course a smaller version of one, while others were made to look like they came out of the 50s. Motorcycles have never interested me much, but some of the ones that I saw around were pretty nice.

Spring Break! Well, Daytona has seen a fluctuation of people come in for the upcoming spring break season. I have noticed many people not only in the area, but even on campus. Since we are located here in Daytona, many friends come to visit those who attend Riddle. I will hopefully be able to check out all the events before the spring break season here in Daytona is over.

Well, if you have any questions/comments/suggestions regarding anything I can assist you with, leave a message on the message board. Until next time, laters!

Hello again. It has come to my attention that many people are beginning to think and make their final decisions as to where they will be going to college. I have received many e-mails asking many questions and I am actually having problems staying caught up. Keep on sending them, but if there is a delay, be patient, I will reply as soon as possible.

Well, not much has changed since my last time writing a journal. The weather here in the Daytona area has really deteriorated and has led to my flight activities being cancelled for about the last week and a half. I did pass my Private Pilot written exam this last Friday! I missed a perfect 100% score by one question. I was laughing at the one I had gotten wrong because it was one that I was very familiar with. It was a V speed question, which for most people would have been easy, but I guess I just got confused. Oh well, I passed and the studying for weeks was well worth it. About four more flights remain until I can take my check ride. So hopefully, by my next journal, I will have my Private Pilot license!

As for Academics and other stuff, everything is still going well. After the Daytona 500, it got quiet around here. It was kind of crazy to see so much going on so close by Riddle. It was fun to watch the 500, I saw it on TV. My favorite driver won the Daytona 500, Jeff Gordon! I really don’t follow NASCAR that much, but I do know most of the drivers and their cars. Gordon has been my favorite since I started watching NASCAR. It’s fun to see the high speed crashes, especially from the “Dash Cams.” Spring Break should be coming in soon; that will be quite interesting.

Well, I know many of you are in the midst of making your decision as to where to go to college, if I can assist you in any way, feel free to leave a message on the message board.

Sergio

Well, as luck may have it, I have, since my last journal, mustered up enough money in my effort to complete my Private Pilot License. Though I now know I will not be able to start my Multi-Engine Rating course, I will at least finish off flying to get my Private License. Flight has been going pretty well around here lately; minus the long wait for an airplane and a few issues with proper procedures, I feel confident that I will be able to pass my test soon. I just went on 3 back-to-back cross country flights: one to just north of Jacksonville, one down into Central Florida, and lastly, one to Melbourne, Florida. All of my flights have been quite fun lately because it isn’t filled with the bickering of an instructor by your side, nor the review of proper procedures for a certain maneuver. I just fly to a destination, arrive there safely, and find my way home. It has been fun, and I can honestly say that flying is truly my passion. I love to fly and know that when I one day make it my career, I will truly enjoy flying as a job and for fun.

On the other hand, we got ‘school.’ School has been laid back this semester for me because of my convenient schedule. I was smart in avoiding early classes and I loaded up my Tuesdays and Thursdays with most of my classes (4 of the 6). This allows me some free time on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for doing some personal chores. From trying to fix my laptop which I think might have spyware (who doesn’t nowadays), to catching up on some reading. So for all of you incoming freshmen, you won’t have a choice as to what you receive ‘schedule wise’, but you will have a chance to make your own schedule once your second semester rolls around. Make sure to notice what it is that works for you and in which classes you are most awake. Surprisingly, I haven’t felt that sleepy in most of my classes this semester. First, I am not waking up at 4-5 AM to go flying at 6-7 AM. Also, I don’t start my earliest class all week until 11:15 AM. It has been beneficial to both my grades and me, so make sure you make wise decisions when it comes to scheduling, it really does make a difference.

As for other business, it has been quite busy around Daytona lately. With the ‘Speed-weeks’ now leading into the main event, the Daytona 500, more and more people are flooding into the city (even the airspace is full). The traffic I saw this weekend after the ‘Bud Shootout’ reminded me of traffic back home. It was funny to see it here because, for once, I wasn’t a part of it. Traffic in L.A. is as bad as most say it is, trust me, it could be 2 PM or 2 AM, but if you are on the freeways, there is no difference. Traffic is a daily part of life. It’s a good day when you only encounter traffic on two of the three freeways you get on. Anyways, unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get to any of the races. I was there during a few practice sessions, but haven’t seen an official race yet. I wish I had a car; I could go out and about as I pleased. Unfortunately, car equals need for money, and right now, even without the car, I am in need of money.

Well, as all the racing events down at the speedway wind down to an end, Spring Break is next to hit Daytona. That is bound to be an experience. I think my next journal won’t have much about it, but the one after should. Well, I’ll catch all of you later in my next journal. For any of you that may have questions about the school or specifically flight, go ahead and add a message on our message board. I’ll reply ASAP. Til next time, Laters!

Sergio M.

Hey everybody. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving break. Though I spent my Thanksgiving break at Riddle, it was quite boring since no one was here, I did get lots of work accomplished as well as some flying. I have acquired over 20 flight hours here and am 2 flights away from my solo.

Flying has been fun so far. Daytona is a great place to fly because I have had the opportunity to fly along the beach, up the coast, in the fields, over lakes, and just over some great scenery. Flying is one of those professions where you know, by some instinctive feeling, that this is the job and profession for you. Luckily, my flying hasn’t been filled with many problems or delays, I have been lucky to go through my flying quite rapidly.

As the semester is slowly winding towards an end, as is my total amount of work. I have had to do so many research papers and group projects that were quite overwhelming, but luckily, all but one are completed. I was looking through our message board and came up with a few answers for some frequently asked questions.

Weather: The weather in Daytona is quite moderate. Temperatures here have been quite warm lately with cool, but not necessarily cold nights. Honestly, the only day I have worn a sweater in the day was last Saturday. The first and only day I actually felt like I needed to wear a sweater. It is very rainy no matter what season, but the rain here goes by quickly. In the summer it is very hot and humid, so bring shorts and t-shirts because they are necessary and vital.

AE and Flight Training: I know someone who is doing that right now, so it is a possibility. It would actually be a plus because not only do you understand systems from an engineering level, but also from a pilot’s perspectives. I’ll let you in on a little secret, you can actually get your ratings and certifications, all of them, off campus and get credit for a minor in flight if you take the only required ground courses here. I think there is only one or two of them, so if you can take those here, go home and fly in the summer, being in AE and having a minor in Flight would be viable and an option.

Bike on Campus: It isn’t necessary to have a car while on campus here at Riddle, but since the surrounding areas have a lot to offer (Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami), I would recommend a car. I don’t think you would want to ride your bike to Miami. You could hitch a ride with a group of friends while you’re here, but remember, driver chooses the destination, and if his thought of fun is Orlando, while yours is Miami, you’re going to be missing your car.

Flight: It is expensive. Bring lots of money, don’t spend it, put into the flight account you will have when you have your Eagle Card and be prepared to be paying close to $400 at times for flights.

That covered some of the latest topics that have been popping up in the message board lately. As for some random stuff, while you are here look into the “Touch N Go” movie showings every Thursday. It is nice to have a movie to watch every Thursday that hasn’t even been released on DVD. For example, this Thursday, TNG will be showing “Collateral.” I also learned that “Firehouse Subs” makes some good subs. If you’re from the West Coast, there is nothing here that compares to In N Out Burgers. No matter how much you may hate home-cooked food at times, you’ll miss it when you have to eat away from home for months at a time. The morning flight block, 5:30-10:30AM can cause you to miss classes in the morning, not because it overlaps, just because you end up coming back to your dorm and sleeping. If you are one who needs his or her sleep, I recommend you fly in the evening hours.

Lastly, there is a guy who lives about 4 rooms down in the dorms here who was telling me about why he looked at these journals while he was in high school. As he said, he just wanted to know that he wasn’t going to a school where no one resembled him in any way. Well, I hope I haven’t scared any of you from coming here, trust me, I don’t resemble many of the people here. I don’t know if it is a good thing or a bad thing, but if any of you have any specific questions, post them on the message board and you can get opinions other than mine.

Well, have a good one everybody, Later!

Hello to all the journal readers out there. Well, I guess you can say my journal hasn’t been the most exciting lately, if ever, but the truth is that, more often than not, I tend to devote more time to school and studies rather than fun. I’ll try to remember all that I did because I’ll be honest, there is a lot of stuff that happens around here that I just forget to talk about; but on with the journal, exciting, boring, or what not, I’ll try to tend to your interests as best I can.

For the boring school stuff first, it continues to take its toll. I’m not doing too well in the same classes I was struggling in before and it might be lack of interest or something, but I just can’t find the way to raise my grade. We got a few more weeks, three and a half to be exact, so I’m going into overdrive to try and finish up on a strong note. I’ve had five research papers to do and two group projects, so the professors around here really know how to keep us busy. I’ll be honest, I never did like group projects because it puts you at the helm of others, if I could say, it leaves you to either follow or lead. Honestly, group projects are something I always hated because those who were willing to work actually did, while those who never did anything were given the same grade as the rest of the group due to it being a ‘group’ project. I guess that probably didn’t make much sense, but yeah, point is, I hate group projects.

On another note, I am happy that there are only about three and a half weeks left. Slowly but surely, I will get to go back home to California, hang out with friends, family, and others. I will not be going back home for Thanksgiving due to a lack of money. Believe me, lack of money is something I’ve experienced more than ever here at Riddle. If I was to make a recommendation, it would be to buy all airline tickets early. I actually got a good deal to fly back before next semester: One way ticket from Los Angeles to Daytona Beach for $120. I don’t know about you guys, but that to me was a hell of a deal. The longer you are at Riddle, the more frugal you will get. I remember when I would be willing to pay the $300 for a nice flight in a 767 from Los Angeles to Orlando. Well, those days are quickly fading away, now I am forced to look for cheaper things as I realize money ‘doesn’t grow on trees.’ There will be a tuition increase for Riddle next year, as most of the US colleges are doing, but from what I saw it wasn’t going to be too large. We already pay a lot to begin with so most were not happy with the change. I’ll be honest with you in saying that much that is either incurred upon us here and even certain rules and regulations, such as fines for certain things that one does, I don’t really agree with. I think some of the stuff that goes on around here is unnecessary, but I’m here for an education and that is pretty much all I’m doing here.

Flight time has been increasing for me. I will be finishing up within the next few weeks with my first part of the Private Pilot course, and in doing so, I will be pushing my schedule and wallet to the limit. I haven’t had too many problems with flying, minus my horrible crosswind landings, but everything else has been a piece of cake. I look forward to getting my Private Pilot License when I return in the spring. I will then go into the multi-engine course and get my multi-engine rating.

I haven’t been to many parties while I’ve been here. I was never too much of a party guy to begin with, but most of the stuff that goes on around here, ‘party-wise,’ I tend not to attend. I have been out by and to the beach, which is fairly fun, but since I don’t have a car, I feel deprived. Back home I had a car and a car makes life much simpler. I could actually go anywhere at anytime without worrying about others. Now I have to tag along and go along with others, believe me, at times it makes it much harder to even go to the store for something you need. If you have a car, try to bring it, parking isn’t the greatest here, but you’ll be thankful you have a car. You’ll be able to get away when you need to. Like I’ve said before, I look forward to heading to Orlando, Jacksonville, etc. when I can. We also fly on the weekends here, so at times it’s impossible to go somewhere because we have to go flying. With life going on around you, sometimes it is hard to go out, have fun, even relax, but I’ll have that all back again once December 17 rolls around (day I go back home).

Well, as I bring this journal to an end and if you are still reading, have a happy Thanksgiving and what not. Someone did write in the forums that we needed to talk about parties more and the college life. Well, as for me, I am getting my you know what kicked in a few of my classes, if you were in my spot, would you go out and party? I know some people would answer yes without hesitation, but I’m on the other side of that one. Unfortunately, this has been my worst semester academically since I could ever remember. The last thing on my mind is partying. Sorry for not being able to share that with you, but I am sure other journal writers could give you some aspect on that. If anyone has any other types of questions or concerns, feel free to write in the forums. Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, first of all, let me start off by explaining to you that this week I may not be the best source for help, especially if you came to Embry-Riddle’s open house on November 6 or to any of the homecoming events throughout this last weekend, or if you are looking for any information about the events. I went back home to Southern California this weekend and had a ton of fun. For those of you that came to Riddle to visit, I hope you liked your experience here and hope that it has answered most of the many questions that surround us when we are trying to choose a school.

First of all, let me begin by saying that my classes are really starting to dish out the work now. I got quite a few papers to write, some of which I intend to start soon this week and others that I’ll be forced to start soon enough due to lack of time. My grades in most of my classes are acceptable, but I am hoping that within the next few weeks my grades will show a significant jump. I guess if I was to offer any advice to incoming students that are new to college, it would be to learn how to read and comprehend. Comprehension will be tested over and over again, and for some classes, reading a book is all the homework you will receive, so read and remember!

Lastly, for activities, I’ve been doing the usual stuff, which is just hanging out and going to places here and there. I guess I can say I haven’t been anywhere too exciting. I do want to go down to Orlando and Miami soon though, definitely before the spring break rush, to visit and see these places. Life here so far has been filled with surprises. You never truly know what you are going to see throughout the course of a day, but I’m sure, after time, that one becomes accustomed to seeing many of the “weird” things I’ve seen. Biketoberfest was in Daytona Beach a few weeks ago and man was that crazy. I even heard the attendance wasn’t as high as other years, but it didn’t seem like it. With bikers everywhere, the roads were congested, it was quite hectic, but it was fun seeing many bikes and motorcycles I had never even known existed.

Daytona has been quite an experience for me. It is definitely different, rather different, from California style and culture. Food, music, and culture differs greatly from one coast to the other, but I have no complaints. It’s been great here at Riddle so far. I will be flying twice this upcoming week and I got a SIM (Simulator) tomorrow morning at 6 AM. For all of you high school students who are preparing to make your choice for college, go with what you feel suits you best. Don’t let anything hold you back from pursuing what it is you’ve always wanted to do. Weigh the pros and cons of each of the schools you are looking for and choose the one that is the most beneficial. Trust me, you’ll find yourself finding more pros for the one you truly want to attend. Most of all, good luck on making your choice and hope that your choice for college is the right one for you.