What’s going on guys.

My Name is Dinko and I have lived in the USA for 8 years. I am originally from Bosnia, but I moved to Germany at the age of four because of the war in Bosnia.

My Parents came to this country only because of one reason, me. They want me to get an education. They received theirs in Bosnia but that was all destroyed. So here we are with nothing, just as we were when we entered Germany. You can contact me if you want more information about me.

Ok….so I read this Journal thingy just as you did, my year prior to entering College. How is it? I’d say its freedom. You really think its so hard and all day studying…etc….But no no no . That’s when exams are around. When classes are present, you might want to just review your stuff so you don’t lose track of that. But since ERAU is a private college, it is not like the public ones where you would have over 100 kids in a classroom. Right now my biggest is about 60. The rest about 30. Some 15. You choose your classes when you come with a person that helps you throughout your four-year program, which is called (AD – Academic Advisor). Now in the Fall, you will have about five to six classes. All of those classes will be broken up which means you will have maybe three on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. The other three or two on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So its unique and you won’t get tired. You have so much freedom after your classes that you don’t know what to do with it. But just don’t be a clown and do nothing.

Attendance is pretty much taken by all instructors, but there are a few that do not. So it is mandatory to attend since it represents about 20% of your grade. Most students here lack sleep and therefore sleep in. They go to bed around 4 and have class the next morning. That is no good because I do it and did it ( But never skipped a class). The dorms are OKAY here. Some Universitys are worse where bugs are all over the place. I haven’t seen one here since maintenance is really good around the campus.

I am a guy and of course I expect to see GIRLS GIRLS, but no. Embry-Riddle’s ratio guys to girls is pretty high so not many girls are around here as you would expect in a Public University. But there are of course many that you can talk to and hook up (smiley). Getting into the College, I would say to get recommendation letters, especially if you are Flying, from Instructors or any Retired Pilots because that is one of the key entries also. But if you have a really low low GPA than it will play too. Now Embry-Riddle is easy to get into, but one of the hardest schools to stay. Now the school has created this class called University 101. It teaches you how to prepare your life here and how to study effectively. They will give you the history about ERAU and its current status, pretty interesting, a 1 credit class that is very easy.

My major Air Traffic Control has been decided by me at the beginning of my Sophmore year in High School. I graduated from a Medical Magnet High School in St.Petersburg,FL and I wanted to become a Cardiologist but realized that I don’t want to be in school for 10+ years. So I heard ATCs talk over the internet and was amazed by their communication. So I got into it and started to listen more. Soon I started to practice it via Flight Simulation over the Internet with real people on Multiplayer. I learned all the Approach Plates phraseology..etc that was essential to Air Traffic Control. I decided that this will be my major.

Now for you guys who want to reach me and ask me questions feel free to do it anytime, I do not mind, I would love to help you guys out. My E-mail is DinkoResidovic@hotmail.com and my AIM screen name is Mafia6663. Feel free anytime to drop me a message. It was a pleasure to write my first journal and I appreciate whoever read the ENTIRE Journal, it was very kind of you.

P.S For those who say I don’t have enough money for education, I don’t believe you.

A big hello and welcome to Junior’s Jiving Journals, everybody! Join me as I take you through life here at Embry Riddle – and hopefully the ride won’t be too bumpy!

So let me introduce myself, take my bows. My name is Veda, aka VJ, and to those unfortunate people who feel like making a ‘Darth Vader’ joke (you know who you are), do yourselves a favor and don’t. That said, I am originally from Torrance, California, though I have lived for several years in India, near Bangalore, so I guess you could say I’m from either place. I’m in aerospace engineering (if you haven’t already gathered that). So far my activities include Air Force ROTC, the Honors Society and Student Association, the Indian Students Association, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, working at the Annual Fund, learning to swim, skate and keep ahead of the workload here at Riddle.

Now, onto the main event…

Well, where to begin? I feel overwhelmed just thinking about it. That first week of college rates as one of the most disorienting yet exciting times of my life. It’s all about how many roads you travel down before you admit that you are lost! It was especially so for me, cause I couldn’t attend most of the preliminary introductory stuff that happens over orientation, which began on the 24th for US citizens. I had a problem with my exit permit while leaving India, so I couldn’t fly on the 21st as planned and I missed Orientation ( Maybe that’s why they call airports Terminals). But I managed to get a flight to Chicago a week later, and landed up in Daytona Beach on the 27th local time, jet lagged to hell and back, but very excited at my first real taste of American life all on my own.

Well, because I arrived late I found I was behind on quite a few things, most of all on ROTC. So that meant running around…then running around some more…

Anyway, I got my Eagle card, checked into housing, met my roommate Cameron (who’s from Canada), and ran around campus like a headless chicken chasing down one thing or the other. But the fun began on my very first night at ERAU – we went to a show by a hypnotist, Tom DeLuca. I didn’t think I’d really see much that would impress me, cause I knew and I still know that it’s all one big trick, but what I saw there was so good it made me wonder just how much the hypnotist had paid his volunteers to make them do the crazy stuff that they did. It was the best hoax I have ever seen in my life – and if you weren’t as cynical as I am you’d have believed it, it was that good.

He sort of hummed to them (with a lot of flamboyant hand gestures for theatric effect), then for almost 75 minutes made them do and say and act out the nuttiest stuff.

He made one girl unable to say her name, another believe she was the ‘Chief of the Fun Police’ (she screamed obscenities at the crowd for laughing) and another to forget the number six. She knew she had ten fingers, and kept counting them, but got eleven, because she skipped from five to seven -and if it was an act, her perplexed face was pretty well rehearsed. Loads of other hilarious stuff too…in any case, trick or not, I laughed pretty hard, which made it an entertaining evening for me.

Well, the next big event was AFROTC. The others had started training and drill and gotten uniforms – there were loads of rules and protocols to be learnt. But I guess I was lucky – we’re all divided into groups called flights; my Flight Commander called me up and gave me a rundown of all the rules, and helped me out with the drill.

There’s still a lot I don’t know and a hell of a lot to remember or you get your hair yelled off (whatever’s left of it after the regulation haircut), but I think I’ve gotten the hang of it. And I donno about you, but I find a weird pleasure in yelling GOODMORNING, SIR! at the top of my lungs. And when you watch us practice, all the flights together, it does look impressively military.

Okay. So the first week, I was exhausted. I mean bone tired. I had been getting up at 4 AM to be at drill by 5:15, and going to bed at midnight so I could catch up on all my homework and studies. I had been going on all cylinders. I had put my head together only to find the rest of me had fallen apart. Monday was Labor Day, so I was looking forward to the extended weekend. But on Saturday I got an email saying that the Detachment was organizing relief for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. They would be filling up a 53 foot tractor trailer with supplies – mostly water – for the victims, and they needed Cadet Volunteers to drive around town from 1100 on Sunday and request local businesses to contribute money or supplies to help those poor people.

I got up at 10:00 AM (after my first eight hour straight sleep in a week) and read the email at 10:30. I gotta tell ya, I felt like ignoring it. What the heck, I might never have read it. Besides, it’s voluntary, right? And I’m weary, I haven’t eaten, and I just don’t feel like trudging around town in the stifling humid weather and asking people for money. But then I thought of all those people in New Orleans – I think we all have – and who knows – some day a hurricane could strike Florida and I may be stranded without help. So with a few others I drove around a part of town, and solicited local businesses help. There’s a lot of community spirit, and I think people really are helping the best they can.

A quick word about my classes – I’m taking Honors Humanities, which is good because Prof Kain’s classes are discussion based and really stimulating. Also I don’t have to take COM, a basic writing course – instead I’ll be focusing on Transhumanism and humanism with reference to Frankenstein, Goethe, Bacon and Sophocles. I’m also taking Calc I with Spradlin, Intro to Engineering (EGR 101), Intro to Computing (EGR 115) with Kindy, ROTC, Physics 150 and UNIV 101 – which is a class about making it through college, attending classes, that kind of stuff. I don’t think I really need to be told that – I’ll be spending almost a quarter of a million for that unique ERAU education, and since I’m not made of money (like some lucky folks), I don’t think attendance will be an issue with me!

Embry also has some awesome equipment in the Lehman Building and I can’t wait to get in there and try it out. I also learnt to swim! Yeah, I know it’s unbelievable that I didn’t know before, but Cameron’s a champ swimmer, he competed at the Junior National Level in Canada, so I learnt pretty quick. I also intend to learn skating, cause it’s just such a pain walking across campus from class to class.

I also went to the Student Activities Fair last week. All the clubs and sororities and fraternities set up booths along a long walkway, and you can walk down, see what you’re interested in and sign up! They have clubs for everything – from flying to Japanese sword fighting, from space payload design teams to a model UN…and everything in between.

I joined the AIAA, the Indian Students Association, the Motorcycle Club, Arnold Air Society…and…the radio station! That’s right – if my application is accepted I will be on the Eagles Radio waves as VJ the DJ! Everyone here at Riddle is so busy, but if enough people call in I’m thinking of doing a request show or something. So you all better tune in and jive to my music and tell me if I suck or not (Statutory Warning: If you think I suck I reserve the right to tell you to stuff it in a possibly graphic manner).

Recently I went with the Honors guys to the beach – we had some fun, swam in the waves, surfed, played beach volleyball, pigged out and stuff like that. I wanted to go along with some pals to watch LORD OF WAR but couldn’t…because I had to take the AFOQT the next day. That’s the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test, which you have to take if you wanna be a fighter jockey or wizzo…or graduate as an officer, for that matter.

Despite the crazy schedule, the humidity, the lack of sleep and the irregular meals – I’m enjoying myself, I’m happy, and hey, what more can you ask for!

Well, that’s it from me for now – I’ll be back in two weeks with more! You can catch me by email at vedajr@gmail.com or nayak48c@erau.edu. My AIM is vedanayakjr, although I’m not on AIM very often. So if you have any questions, comments or insane ravings to share, do feel free to get in touch, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!

Till next time, keep jiving, dudes!

MOTTO FOR THE FORTNIGHT: Beware of the toes you step on today…they may be attached to butt you’ll have to kiss tomorrow.

Wow! It’s so hard to believe the third week of school is almost over. I feel like I just got here. At the same time, though, I feel like I’ve been here forever. I’ve already made so many new friends, and they’re amazing. I absolutely love it here. I can’t imagine what it’d be like anywhere else. Embry-Riddle is my home 🙂

Before I get into my experiences here, I should introduce myself. My name is Maria. I am a 17-year-old Applied Meteorology major, here, at the Daytona Beach campus of Embry-Riddle. I’m from Ohio, born and raised, about 14 hours away from here by car. I am the oldest of four. I have two great sisters, Alexa and Phillipa, and a brother, Nicholas. I also have the best parents (don’t we all?!) who have been there for me through everything. Without them, this college experience would be IMPOSSIBLE. Oh.. can’t forget to talk about my BoYFRieND. His name is Monty.. well, it’s Eric, but we won’t be calling him that anytime in the near future. He’s 21-years-old and living back in the OH. I miss him a lot, but we’re doing great. We don’t really have a date on which we became an “official” couple as most other long-term/long-distance couples do. We’ve been hanging out for a little over a year, now.. and things started to get serious around SeNioR PRoM. So, that’s the scoop on the Monty.

My favorite color is pink.. in fact, my entire side of the dorm room (as well as a bit of my roomie’s) is a B-e-a-uTiFuL shade of pink. And I LOVE to eat. I have a lovely stash of junk food in my closet, and it’s getting lower by the day.

Other than that, I’m just your average 17-year-old female.. living in DAYTONA BEACH, FLoRiDa!! Gosh.. I still can’t believe that I can say that. I know I’m here.. trust me, you can feel it when you walk outside (HOT!!).. but it doesn’t seem real. I’m seriously living like four miles away from the Atlantic Ocean. How lucky did I get?!

Anyway, back to the school bit. I got here a week before the first day of orientation. I stayed with my family and boyfriend in a hotel on the beach. The Wednesday of orientation, we got to the school around 10. The students and faculty who took charge of the ordeal were so great. They were full of information and more than ready to do anything they could to help you out. The entire soccer team helped me move into my room 🙂

With my family still being in town, I didn’t spend too much time at school the first few days. When they left, Friday, though, I got my first real taste of what college life was all about. After crying for about 10 minutes (gotta miss the crew!!), I went back to my room and spent some time getting to know my roomie and suitemates. My roomie is from Korea. She already had a few friends, here, since she’d been here an additional day. So, I got to spend some quality time with them before going to the PoOoL PaRTie with my suitemates. It was so much fun. I got to meet a TON of other people, including upperclassmen. And the games were so much fun.

That Saturday or Sunday, I went to the beach with a few people I met around campus. We had dinner and just watched the waves for a bit. It was nice and relaxing.

On Sunday morning, I went to the 11-am church service. It was a good time. I didn’t really know anyone as I walked in, but that changed in a matter of seconds. And, now, we’re all great friends. I haven’t been back yet, because I spent the following weekend with my boyfriend and was sick with a NaSTy cold this past weekend. But.. I do plan on going back. I wish I could make it, this Sunday, but I’m leaving for a wedding in Tennessee, tomorrow.

Sometime over the weekend, I went to the mall. I met a cool upperclassman who gave me a lift because I don’t have my license, right now. Do not speed in Ohio!!

When classes started, Monday, I was so nervous. Most of my teachers were great, though. The same is true for Tuesday.. since classes aren’t the same each day, anymore!

Now, three weeks into the school year, I feel as though I’ve been here forever. I love it. My classes are going well.. I’m struggling a bit with Calculus 1, but my friend, Beth, who is in all but two of my classes with me, has been helping me. She’s already taken the course. So, the material isn’t as new to her. I’m considering a tutor, actually. I’m still undecided.

Yesterday was the Activities Fair. I found EVERYTHING I could ever imagine wanting to do. I found the Meteorology club.. which I’d already attended a meeting for, Young-life, Surf club.. another one I’d already attended a meeting for, Swimming & Diving, and OOO so much more. I cannot wait to get involved.

Last night, Beth and I went to her friends’ pool to try scuba diving at night. It was so much fun, but still being a little sick from that cold I’m getting over, I didn’t stay in long. Her friend, Herbie, made me some chicken and noodle soup, though. It was so sweet. The people here are just perfect. I couldn’t imagine having any better friends.

Well, it’s going on 7:00. I have to get started on an English paper. I look forward to the next time I get to share with ya’ll.

Hey, everybody! What’s up? I’m an Aviation Maintenance Science major from Issaquah, WA but originally Virginia. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Northwest, which I’m sure many of you are, Issaquah is about 20 miles east of downtown Seattle, and one of the homes of the band Modest Mouse, if you know them. I’m seventeen because I graduated early to make a long story short. I live on the second floor of McKay Hall and am participating in Air Force ROTC. Now that my little intro is done, I’ll get onto the stuff you might want to know.

First up is move-in day. Move-in day for me wasn’t very traditional. My flight left Seattle at 5AM, and I got in to Daytona at 9PM. It was nothing short of exhausting because I had two stops, one in Salt Lake City and the other in Atlanta, and since I flew down by myself I had to be keeping track of all my stuff the whole time even though I never had a chance to go to bed the night before. The trip down was a blast though, and all of you who would be flying down next semester or next year, I definitely recommend coming down by yourself, as that is the way to go. It’s actually a lot less stressful too, because ‘rents tend to freak out last minute about whether or not you have everything. Anyway, when I finally got here, one of my roommates, Tifany, came out to help me get my stuff into our dorm. Since I got here so late I basically missed everything we were supposed to do like residence hall meetings and setting up student accounts and stuff, but that’s basically all that goes on the first day, besides meeting the people on your floor and making friends, obviously. The rest of orientation week, I spent figuring out where everything is (which really isn’t too hard since the campus isn’t very big), and getting adjusted to the new environment. Nothing was really mandatory, so I just went to whatever I felt like going to.

Since I’m in AMS, my deal with classes are pretty different from everyone else’s. I’m doing the A&P part first, so I can get my A&P license, and then finish up all my academics afterwards. I start my AMS classes at 0730 and finish at 1530 every day, but for those of you who think that’s too much class for college, don’t worry because nobody besides us AMS/ROTC people spend that much time in class. For example, when I come back to my dorm to eat at like 1230, my roommate Kerrie hasn’t even left for class yet. In addition, on Mondays I have Lead Lab from 1530-1730 and Wednesdays I have my Air Force class 1530-1630. PT (physical training) for Air Force is Wednesday and Friday 0615-0715, but I’ll get to all that in a bit. Even though my schedule is pretty long, it’s really not that bad at all. I have three AMS classes, 2 of them are 2 hours long and the other is 3 hours long. Since they’re FAA regulated, you can’t be late unless you feel like making class up later, and if you miss more than two days, you automatically fail the course. Skipping class in AMS really isn’t something you want to do. Even though my classes are long, I really don’t mind at all, because 1) I know I’m learning things I am actually gonna need to know, and 2) we get to DO stuff, like go to the hangar and work in lab. We also don’t really have homework, just studying, so basically your performance in class depends on how much time you want to spend studying in your spare time. It sounds stupid coming from me because I have the hardest time sitting myself down to study these days. It’s all good though, I really like what I’m doing.

For the girls, you might think being one of four girls in your classes would be distracting, what with a bunch of guys around all the time, but it really isn’t. I actually think its much more distracting when you’re in classes where the ratio is about half and half, because then you’re all trying to figure what guys you like and all that. But being surrounded by dudes all day, I don’t really even notice them because I’m already really used to them being there that I don’t really even think about it. So that much you don’t have to worry about, I don’t think. Studying on the other hand, like I said, can be difficult when it’s up to you to get your work done and your friends are doing other stuff.

Social life. That was definitely a big concern of mine before I got here. Honestly, I’m still getting used to my schedule so I’ve been too tired or busy to go out much since I’ve gotten here. One of the perks of living on campus, though, is that most of your friends are close by, so hanging out at all hours is no trouble. My second night here, I went to this party with my roommates, and I get at least 3 party invitations a weekend, so this place is by no means dead, especially if you like to have fun. Life is really just what you make it. If you want to have fun, no one’s holding you back. If you are interested in a frat or a sorority… well, let me just put it this way: they won’t give you the opportunity to say you didn’t join because you didn’t know. You’ll know about them, alright. Personally, the whole sorority thing doesn’t interest me at all. One of the nice things about college is that popularity is not at all the hype it was in high school, so you can just be yourself and make really good friends that you have a lot of fun with.

About the area, I haven’t been around Daytona that much since I got here. When I visited last year (Halloween until election day, an ugly time to be in Florida) I went to the beach and stuff with my mom and saw the main touristy stuff, and that was pretty fun. I walked to K-mart about two weekends ago, and I’ll just say Daytona Beach is one of the most pedestrian unfriendly places I have ever heard of, but I made it.

Saving the best for last, ROTC. The first week, I had to get up at 0400 to get to NSOP, but let me tell you, it was worth every second of it. ROTC is one of those things that if you aren’t that into it now, chances are you won’t be later, but I’m absolutely loving it. It’s the highlight of my day. Since my high school didn’t have JROTC and I was too young to ever enlist, I came with minimal knowledge of drill, other than what I learned from watching war movies 24/7, and some pretty bad coordination. Luckily, though, it’s starting to come along alright. Back home when I was thinking about college and ROTC, I thought if one thing was going to turn me off about ROTC, it was going to be the PT. Somehow I couldn’t really imagine waking up at five to run and do calisthenics would be fun, but it so is. The best part is seeing how much farther you can get than you probably thought you could have. Plus, you’re doing it all with your friends, so that can give you a bit of a boost as well. I got Graves’ Disease when I was 11, and one of my many symptoms was that I couldn’t run more than 100 feet to save my life. After I got my medication and everything was straightened out for the most part, I started working on my endurance and running is a lot easier these days. So if you’re thinking you might want to do ROTC but you aren’t looking forward to morning PT, just start running and working out and you’ll be fine. If I can do it, you can do it. For us girls I’d say it’s a pretty good accomplishment to finish, since we have smaller hearts and lungs and everything, and we still do the same stuff as the guys, so we know we’re working harder. The fact that we do the same PT but have different minimum PFT scores is an inconsistency I still haven’t figured out yet, but whatever. PT is a party and a half. I took the AFOQT this morning (by that I mean yesterday because is 0500 and I have yet to go to bed) and it was way too long. It wasn’t all that bad, for the most part it was a lot like the SAT with an easier verbal section. It just kinda sucked because we were told we were going to be taking the new version that was short by comparison but we ended up getting the old one, including sections we were told not to study because they said we wouldn’t be taking them. I don’t know if you’ve experienced this before, but when you’re on a plane after a couple hours, maybe 2, you know how everyone starts coughing all the time and then by the time you’re off the plane you’re feeling all sick? That’s sort of how I felt, so I’m a little congested right now. Other than being longer than I would have liked, it wasn’t too bad.

It is definitely time for bed now, I don’t want to mess myself up too bad for the rest of the week. If any of you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me at kenyonj@erau.edu.

Hello everyone, I am now a student at the school of my dreams!! YEAH!!, and this is my first on-line student journal entry, so you should feel lucky to read it!! hehe. . lets see, what to write about. . umm, college is just as I suspected, it’s tough at times and at other times it’s just having lots and lots and lots of fun with your new friends. .there’s lots to do around here in Daytona, not just on campus, , DUH! so far, it feels as if there hasn’t been a dull moment yet, it’s the best, . . I didn’t think Embry-Riddle would be like this, I figured it would be a study study study study school . . although you do study, .. people like to have fun too. just like everyone else, . .. the only hard thing for me is that I’m from wwwaaaayyyyy up north, and I get homesick sometimes, but hey, people miss the place they grew up at. . ya know? but the fact that I am in DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA, overrides that most of the times. . umm. . some things that I have done since I’ve been here, .. well, my first night at Riddle, some sigma chi brothers took me and my suitemates to one of their parties, met some cool people, went to the beaches, movies.(movies theaters down here are humungous!!), putt putt golf is insane, huge entertainment buildings everywhere w/ go carts, lasertag, games, etc. . . the pool is here on campus, hang out w/ friends till the early morn. . .I’ve been to molly browns a few times. if you don’t know what that is look it up .. : ). . umm wow. there’s just so much,. .. if you have any questions on what there is to do , just email me at gibso35f@erau.edu.. k? cool

I am an Aero Sci major, which means, I’M A PILOT!! I have no flight experience what so ever, but that’s the best way to go here at riddle cuz you’re learning the RIDDLE way of flying, cuz pilots who already have their private, have to learn new things the riddle way. . but yup . . I do have 2 hrs in the simulator though, which is so real, you might as well be up there. . . I caught my self leanin’ a couple of times in the sim. . it felt so real, it’s the greatest feeling to sit in a cockpit of any kind, .. I got goosebumps. . people are a lil behind on their flight time due to tropical storm Ophelia.. it lasted about 4 days and swept the beaches away and they had to import sand so we could have a beach again. . I’ve been laying low and hitchin rides from everyone else cuz the gas prices are ridiculous, although they are going down, they are still high.. umm. . to wrap things up .. the main point I’m trying to get across to all you guys who plan on attending riddle, it’s a great environment , it really is .. the upperclassmen will make sure you have a good time if you meet the right ones. . the teachers are nice ( well, mine are) . . ummm. ( I’m really scatterbrained if you can’t tell ). . the annoying thing about riddle, is that most of the classes are on-line, which gets pretty weird sometimes. . I still not really used to it. .. well ladies and gents, .. I have to get ready for work, I hope I gave you a decent impression of what you might expect form riddle, if anyone has ANY questions, email me or msg me on AIM my screen name on AOL is gibso2j …. . .I don’t have my laptop yet cuz I spent the money fixing my car I wrecked before I came down so I would have a car, but I’m gettin one for my b-day which is September 30th and my Abercrombie&Fitch co-workers are throwing a big party for me!! should be great, .. buy ya, any questions? feel free to get back at me. . buh bye!

Hey all you journal readers, I cannot begin to explain how exciting this is for me. Less than a year ago I was in your position. Sitting at home on my computer reading about people who were living the life I wanted, down in Daytona Beach, learning to fly, making new friends in a new environment. Now I am here, meeting some of the people who I read so much about and felt like I knew, although they didn’t know me. One journal writer from last year is my resident advisor; another is my peer mentor in my College Skills class, BA 101. I know how much these journal entries meant to me last year so I will do my best to make it meaningful for all of you.

Well, now that the formalities are out of the way, HI!!! My name is Carlos; I’m 18 and a freshman here at ERAU. Yes, I know it says that on top, but I like you to hear it from me. The first thing I can tell you about ERAU is that it was a HUGE culture shock for me when I arrived. I live in the biggest city in this country, where everything is packed together, large building everywhere. Landing in Orlando, all I saw was grass, trees, water and houses. Here in Daytona, that gets multiplied. There are wide open spaces, fountains everywhere, wide roads. It took me a while to get used to that. Another thing that I had to get used to was that in New York City, there are so many things to do. Here, you have the movies, a club, and the beach. Everything fun takes place in an area called Beachside, about 10 minutes from school over a bridge.

The first week here was the most exciting time in my life. I got to move into my new ‘apartment’ also known as a dorm room. I met new people from all over the world. I really got into the college spirit. It felt like summer camp for the first week, because we didn’t have classes. We played games that you would find in a camp setting. We learned the rules and our new structure. Then the weekend before classes started, a new feeling set in. I was on my own. There was no one to force me to go to bed, to come home at a certain time. I think this is the most dangerous feeling one can experience. Don’t fall into the trap to go crazy. I went out to parties but I didn’t go crazy with it. Responsibility is a big part of being ‘grown’ and it should not be taken lightly.

Classes started August 29th, which is another adjustment, because school in NYC doesn’t start until after Labor Day, so looking at the calendar while I was doing schoolwork was very different. My classes are very cool, because for once I am not doing the general education things I did in high school, now classes are more concentrated. My classes are BA 101, Intro to Management (BA 201) Accounting (BA 210) Business Calculus (MA 220) Intro to Computers (IT 109) and World History (SS 110). Some of my classes are really challenging, but others are things I already know, but I cannot prove to the school that I know it without taking the class. The moral of the story is TAKE AS MANY AP’s AS YOU CAN! If you are a senior now in AP classes and decide not to focus after you get accepted to college and to skip on taking an AP, think again. It will save you so much money in the long run if you earn the credits now. And you can get a boatload of credits by doing just that.

Time to move on to, in my opinion, one of the coolest things in college. Dorm life is interesting, fun and exciting. Living with a complete stranger is a completely different thing than anything in life. I live in Adams Hall, one of the newer dormitories in the student village. I have one roommate and the living is tight. In Adams, I live in the Penthouse (5th floor). It is absolutely the coolest floor in the whole school. We go crazy here, with respect to the rules of course. Our resident advisors are cool, it is different for us because we have two, Marquitta and Kristina, who is an Associate R.A. Their main job is to keep us safe, and respecting that is important. They are not your parents, they give you all the freedom you want and all the help you want. It is a very, very cool experience.

When I’m not in my room, I am getting involved in school. This is very important to me because I was very involved in the activities of my high school. So far, I have joined EaglesFM, our campus radio station. (You can listen on the web @ EaglesFM.com.) This is very cool because eventually I will have my own show and be able to talk about what I want to talk about and play the music I like and share that with the other students here at Embry-Riddle. I also plan on getting involved in our freshman government, Task Force One, whose first meeting is actually tomorrow. The biggest thing I have decided to do is pledge a fraternity. This was a big decision for me because I was not sure if I would pledge this or next semester being that I wanted to be settled into the college environment. After talking to the brothers at Pi Kappa Alpha I felt that my studies would not suffer because of the fraternity involvement. So if I am offered a bid to pledge in this coming week, I plan on accepting it. I will keep you updated on my student involvements throughout the year.

Before I end my first journal entry, I would like to tell you about your high school years. Don’t take them for granted, don’t wish to grow up quickly. No matter what your situation is and believe me, I do know about tough situations, make the best of it. Enjoy your childhood; your adult years will come soon enough. Be responsible, you do know right from wrong. You are an amazing person in your own way. You don’t need to change yourself to please others. Be yourself and make sure you focus on your education. If your studies suffer, you can’t get to be what you want to be, here at Riddle. So work hard, and then play hard.

You’ll be hearing a lot more from me soon.
Good Luck in your school year,
Carlos