About Dominic

Junior

Communication and Broadcast Meteorology

Hometown: Warren, New Jersey
Campus Involvement: The Avion Newspaper, American Meteorological Society, Weather Lab Tutor
Why I chose Embry-Riddle: I chose Embry-Riddle because of the unique opportunities it offers for STEM majors (including our broadcast studio). The current major and track I am on is unique to Embry-Riddle, and is something that will help me succeed in my future endeavors. The faculty are amazing at what they do here, and being in a smaller major allows me to form deeper connections with them. And who doesn't love the Florida weather and beautiful campus that Riddle also provides!

Spring Break is Here!

Posted on March 13, 2026 by Dominic

Hey everyone! If you are reading this, that means SPRING BREAK IS HERE!!! It’s always nice to be able to have a break from class, relax, and get the opportunity to take a trip or visit home. My past few spring breaks I have gone back home to New Jersey, but this year I am going to Idaho to visit my best friend who recently moved out there!

In preparation for this year’s break, my Advanced Broadcast Meteorology class did a live show this morning, where we each forecasted the weather for our spring break destinations. Some of the destinations that were presented in our show today included the Bahamas, Nashville, Arizona, and even Shanghai. We also had two anchors to help bring that spring break excitement to the show and guide the viewers through all the different locations!

Our class does these shows every month in our class, each with a different focus based on what time of year it is. These shows are great opportunities for everyone in the class to get live experience presenting the weather in front of the green screen. This is just one of the many uses of the weather broadcast studio, which anyone student can reserve time for to work on projects.

Well, I hope everyone has a great spring break! I will be sure to let you know how my trip goes.

Thanks for stopping by,
Dominic ☀️

How I Chose My Minor and Degree Track

Posted on March 10, 2026 by Dominic

Hey everyone! I’m back for another week blogging. If you’ve followed along for a while, you might know that I am a Communication major, with a track in Broadcast Meteorology and a minor in Emergency Management. It’s honestly a mouthful whenever someone asks me what I’m studying at school, but a lot of thought and planning went into planning everything out. Here is how I chose my minor and degree track:

I originally came into Embry-Riddle as a Meteorology major, but switched to Communication when I learned about the unique program that is offered at Riddle. Communication students are required to have a minor, but in place of this they can choose a track in Broadcast Meteorology, taking all the broadcast and weather electives with the communication classes still required by the degree. This degree seemed perfect to me, and the track was a no brainer for me to take.

The decision to add my Emergency Management minor was a little different. I added that minor during my sophomore year after meeting with my advisor. I had realized that I had 2 open elective spots opened to fill in my degree plan, and based on the weather and communication courses I had or was planning on taking, the 2 additional required courses for the minor would fit perfectly. It also will help post graduation when I am in my career. Once I declared the minor, I was all set to go.

Depending on what it is, a minor can help complement your degree. If you have a minor in mind you want to add, I recommend talking with your academic advisor to see if it is feasible in your degree plan. I hope this guide was helpful if you’re considering adding a minor to your degree!

Thanks for stopping by,
Dominic ☀️

Day in the Life: Spring Edition

Posted on February 17, 2026 by Dominic

Hey everyone! Since everyone has finally settled into their routines for the semester, I figured I would bring you all on another day in my life, on one of the busier days of the semester. If you were an avid reader last semester, you may remember my 4 classes, tutoring, and many meetings on my last day in the life. This semester isn’t quite as busy, but I will let you all be the judge of that:

9:00 AM – I start my Tuesdays and Thursdays a little later this semester. However, on this particular day, I arrived to school early to get ready for our live show in my Advanced Broadcast Meteorology class.

9:45 AM – This is when I have my Advanced Broadcast Meteorology class, and on this day we did a live show about the Daytona 500, Valentine’s Day, the Olympics, and more! Everyone in my class got the opportunity to do a presentation in front of the green screen, and my friend Bella and I were the anchors. This is one of my favorite classes, and I would say that our show was a success

11:15 AM – Next, I had my Public Relations class, where we had a mini Valentine’s Day party and completed a project where we were randomly given an item and had to map out a commercial for it.

12:30 PM – For the next hour and a half, I had my lunch break. On this particular day, I got Starbucks for lunch. I love their Egg, Pesto, and Mozzarella Sandwich, and I paired that with a Hot Chocolate.

2:15 PM – I have my third and final class at this time, Studies in Music. This is an upper level humanities course where we have been discussing different genres of music and their characteristics. On this particular day, we were learning about the origins of Blues music, and also heard some class presentations on different instruments.

3:30 PM – At this time, I head to the Weather Lab for my afternoon closing shift. While a relatively short and quiet shift, it is always a nice way to finish off my day with a great view of the clouds.

5:00 PM – On this day, I recorded a video about the upcoming forecast for the Daytona 500 for the Embry-Riddle Weather Facebook page. I was able to use the computer in the Weather Lab to make my own graphics, and then record myself presenting the forecast from our computer corner. Recording in the broadcast studio is always so much fun, and I definitely plan on making more videos throughout the semester.

6:45 PM – Finally, my day on campus came to an end. While it was longer than my average Thursday, it was still a super fun and fulfilling day. After this, I got dinner off campus and did a Target run with one of my best friends while trying to avoid the race weekend traffic.

I hope this gave you another glimpse into a super busy day on campus for me. What’s your typical day in the life on campus like?

A Day at Magic Kingdom!

Posted on February 4, 2026 by Dominic

Happy February everyone! It’s certainly been an unusually cold few weeks in Daytona. I don’t know about you, but I am ready for the warmth to return like we had just a few weeks ago. On our super warm Sunday, I had the chance to go to the Magic Kingdom for a day trip! Now, sit back and come along as I tell you about my magical day:

My day started bright and early at 7 AM, as I left Daytona Beach in the dense early morning fog to beat the I-4 traffic. I was able to get parked and onto one of the Ferry Boats right as the park opened at 9 AM, and meet my family from New Jersey that was visiting for the week.

In our day at the park, we were able to ride most of the rides, including the tea cups, It’s a Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, Dumbo, and more! It was my nephew’s first time at Disney World, so we also took him to meet Mickey Mouse and the Winnie the Pooh characters at lunch, and watched the afternoon parade!

Overall, it was a magical January day with perfect weather! The proximity to the theme parks is one of the perks of Embry-Riddle. I find myself at the parks or Disney Springs at least a few times a semester, even if it’s just for an afternoon to evening. Students and faculty can get discounted theme park tickets for Disney, Universal, Sea World, and more at the ICI Center! Have you been to the parks at all?

First Week of the New Semester

Posted on January 16, 2026 by Dominic

Welcome to the Spring semester everyone! We’re back in the Florida warmth (kind of) and ready to take on a new semester as we go throughout our Riddle experience. This spring semester is especially significant for me because it is my first semester as a senior, and will be my last spring semester before I graduate in December (which is crazy to think that it’s already this year). But for now, here’s some of the highlights of the past week I spent settling back into the routine of the semester.

FDOC: The First Day of Class was on Wednesday but I really only had one class, Mass Media Law and Ethics. Still, it was nice getting to see all my friends, go back to work in the Weather Lab, and start planning out our first issue of The Avion for the semester. My other classes this semester include Advanced Broadcast Meteorology, Satellite and Radar Interpretation, Studies in Music, and Public Relations. I am really excited for all of my classes this semester, and I think it is a great group of classes where some will help build on each other.

Let’s Go to the Beach: The first Saturday of the semester brought temperatures that were in the low 80s, and I took the opportunity to go to the beach. After a winter break full of snow, it was great to finally be able to get in the sun for a bit and relax after a crazy first week of class. I drove up to Flagler Beach, my favorite beach in all of Central Florida. I also got breakfast and an amazing donut at a local coffee shop called Swillerbees. Overall, the day felt like a perfect Florida Saturday, and made me even more excited for the warm weather in the coming months.

Disney Day: On the first Sunday of the semester, I went to Disney to go visit my friend who is participating in the college program. Despite the rainy and overcast day, we still made the most of our time at Disney. We got lunch in Disney Springs, did some shopping, and then Monorail hopped between the different resorts! It was such a fun day to end the first weekend of the semester.

I hope your semester is off to a great start! Keep following along to see how all our blogger’s semesters are going over the next few months! 🙂

Winter Break in New Jersey

Posted on January 16, 2026 by Dominic

Happy New Year everyone! I can’t believe that it’s already 2026, and the start of the spring semester. I hope everyone had a restful and amazing break, whether you were back home or still in Daytona!

For winter break this year, I drove back to New Jersey, and was promptly greeted by freezing temperatures and multiple snow and ice storms during my three weeks at home. I definitely did not have shoveling snow on my winter break wish list, but it did provide some pretty views.

The snow also helped me get into the holiday spirit as I saw my friends and family.

After a crazy fall semester, it was nice to have a few weeks to relax

A couple days ago

DAB to MCO: My experience taking the SGA Shuttle

Posted on January 14, 2026 by Dominic

If you’ve been an avid reader of the My Life @ Riddle blog (yay, thank you!), you may recall a blog from over the summer where I discussed ways for students to get from the ERAU campus in Daytona Beach to Orlando International Airport (MCO), the closest major airport. There are many ways to get to the airport from campus, but one of the most popular that I mentioned is the SGA sponsored shuttle bus to the airport, a service that I have used every break since my freshman year! With the beginning of the spring semester, tickets have gone on sale for the Spring Break shuttles to MCO, so I figured I would detail my experience on this process for you all!

Purchasing the Tickets: Tickets usually go on sale at the beginning of the fall semester for Thanksgiving Break and Winter Break, and the beginning of the spring semester for Spring Break. It’s usually about $15 in each direction (which is way cheaper than an Uber), and there are always many times throughout the day available to choose from. The window to purchase tickets usually closes a few weeks before the respective break.

Boarding the Bus: The bus at ERAU parks at the Student Union pick up circle. You should plan to get there about a half hour before the bus departs in order to have ample time to check in, place your bag under the bus, and find a seat. Once you’re on the bus, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the hour and a half ride to MCO. For the pickup location at the airport, be sure to check the confirmation email on your tickets for the specific pickup location.

Some Helpful Tips: This is a super easy way to get to the airport, but here are some helpful tips. My biggest advice is to not book your flight too close to the shuttle departure time at MCO. There have been a couple times where my flight has landed but been delayed getting to the gate by a half hour, and I have been forced to run through the airport to make the shuttle in time. Always try to leave a least an hour and a half between your scheduled landing time and the shuttle departure time. Also note that if you are at not at the shuttle, they will leave without you. So make sure you make it to the shuttle early in both directions. Finally, note that there are not shuttles for fall break, so if you have a scheduled flight during that time you must find alternative transportation options to the airport.

Final Thoughts: Overall, I recommend this shuttle for all students. It is a super easy way to get to MCO for a very cheap price compared to the alternative options. Let me know your thoughts down below in the comments, and if you’ve tried the SGA MCO Shuttles.

Riddle Wrapped 2025

Posted on December 23, 2025 by Dominic

2025 was a super eventful year in my time at Embry-Riddle. From completing my Sophomore and Junior years, to moving from my dorm to my first apartment, and my involvement in campus organizations, it has surely been a full year. I figured I would cap off my year by going back through memory lane at some of the best moments of my year at Riddle:

Spring Semester Begins: This picture is the first I took on campus back for Spring 2025, and the first of many Union pictures I took in this crazy year. We really do have such a beautiful campus!

Pool Days: This is from one of the many pool days I had throughout both the spring and fall semesters. The pool is one of my favorite spots on campus to just unwind and soak up some sun between the stresses of class and schoolwork!

The Avion: It is never a dull moment in The Avion, our school’s award winning student lifestyle magazine and news website. However, I wouldn’t ask for a better group of people to undertake this with me every semester!

Dorm Move Out: This picture caps off two years of dorm living in the Student Village for me before I moved into an off-campus apartment in the Fall. It was a little nostalgic leaving, but I was ready for what was next!

Spring Commencement: I got to watch some of my best friends graduate from Embry-Riddle in the Spring. While it was sad to see them leave, I was so happy to celebrate all their accomplishments and what their future had in store fort all of them!

What’s the Forecast?: This past semester, I started making weather videos in the broadcast studio to help practice my broadcasting skills and to post on Instagram. One day super soon I hope to be a broadcast meteorologist, and this great resource Embry-Riddle has will help me reach that goal.

Beach Days!: I LOVE the beach, and there were plenty beach days throughout 2025. This particular picture is from September in Flagler Beach, where I hope to visit even more in 2026!

Disney Springs: I love to go to Disney Springs with my friends to explore and have a good time. Some of my best memories were there, like this picture from my 20th birthday back in March!

Friends, Old and New: Even as a third year student, I am constantly meeting new people and making new friends. I have cherished all the memories I made with my friends both old and new this year, and am looking forward to even more next year! This picture is from the Halloween Spooktacular in October at our Avion photobooth with some of my friends!

Fall Semester Comes to an End: This was the last picture I took on campus this semester, with probably one of the brightest moons I saw all year. It capped off a year even crazier than any of these pictures could have shown. While there were ups and downs throughout my year, these are the moments that I am going to remember from my 2025 at Embry-Riddle well after I graduate!

What were some of your favorite moments from your time at Embry-Riddle? Let me know in the comments, and I’ll see you in 2026!

Decking the Halls on a Budget

Posted on December 23, 2025 by Dominic

Christmas has got to be my favorite time of year! Seeing the holiday lights, putting up the tree, and drinking a warm sip of hot chocolate (with extra marshmallows, of course) all help to get me in the holiday spirit. While my family usually decorates our home back in New Jersey over Thanksgiving break, this year I decided to inject some holiday magic into my first apartment as well. This ended up being a great morale booster as I braved a tough finals week, and can be a fun way to mark the last few weeks of the semester for anyone no matter what holiday they celebrate. Being a college student, I also had to ensure that I was able to decorate on a budget (which is not always easy to be honest). However it can be done! Here are some tips for different elements of decking your halls on a budget:

The Tree Itself: This was probably the single most expensive item that I bought for decking my halls. I knew the second I moved into my apartment that I wanted to decorate for Christmas, so I bought my tree in mid-October. Yes, you read that right. The strategy here was to buy my tree early to get a good deal on the price, which paid off. I was able to get my 6.5 foot tree for about $50 at Home Depot, which was the height I wanted at a pretty reasonable price!

On the Tree: For the ornaments on the tree, I opted to go with a color set from Target. This was only about $20, and included about 50 glitter, shiny, and matte ornaments all with hooks. I also bought some cheap garland to wrap around my tree, and found a light up angel on sale!

Under the Tree: For under my tree, I bought a tree skirt and light up presents to help fill the space. I chose relatively economical options, and was able to use a gift card for these. I also found a super cute gold reindeer at Target to go under my tree, completing that space.

The rest of the Apartment: For the remainder of my apartment, I went to the dollar store, where they had a whole section of the store with super festive and economical decorations. Here, I was able to decorations such as a tabletop tree, a tablecloth, a “merry” outdoor sign, and more for a great deal!

Overall, when finding the items to decorate my apartment, I looked for items that were on sale, used gift cards that I already had, and shopped where I could find great deals! The beauty about decorating your space is that you can decide what to include or not. If you are working with a smaller budget, you could just choose to focus on the tree, for example. I ended up buying these decorations over the course of a month a little at a time, making it easy for me to budget a little each week for some decorations. I also knew that I would be able to use them next year in my apartment, and in the future as well.

This is why it helps to start early with budgeting and buying if you know decorating your dorm or apartment is something you want to do. It doesn’t have to be anything huge or grand, as long as you are happy with the way your space looks, you have successfully decked your halls!

Let me know down in the comments if you have any tips for decorating your dorm or apartment. Wishing everyone a very happy holidays!

Fall Comes to a Close

Posted on December 16, 2025 by Dominic

Where did all the time go? If you’ve been following along on my journey, it seems like just yesterday that I started as a blogger with my first post detailing the end of my sophomore year. Well, my fall semester has come to a close, and with that, I am now a senior, which feels crazy. Let me recap my last week of my fall semester and junior year for you all:

This week included a LOT of studying for me. This semester I had 4 finals, as well as a few finals projects and presentations that were also completed throughout the last week of classes. My projects included a multimedia pop culture website that contained an audio podcast and blog posts, and a crisis communication case study of the FEMA response to Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. My respective group mates and I had been working on these projects for weeks leading up to the end of the semester, and it was very rewarding to present them to cap off the semester.

One of the more fun parts of my week was our annual Avion staff holiday party! This tradition always takes place at our last meeting of the fall semester, where we do a staff secret Santa, play Jackbox games, eat Christmas cookies, and celebrate our successful semester that we had! As an avid mac and cheese and Target fan, I loved the Trader Joe’s Mac and Cheese (from the brand new store in Daytona!!!) and Target Gift Card that I got in secret Santa.

Another fun way to destress from finals week was in the weather lab, where the student chapter of the American Meteorological Society and National Weather Association (AMS/NWA) on campus provided Raising Cane’s as a study snack! I loved getting to help organize this for everyone, and it was a resounding success!

Finals week just flew by this year, and come January 1, it will be my graduation year. But for now, you’ve still got a year more of blogs coming your way! I hope your end of the semester went smoothly, and that you are settling into a relaxing winter break.

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