Category Archives: 2008 – 2009

September 22, 2008

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It’s amazing the difference two weeks can make. Since my last entry, so much has changed. Classes started becoming more intense, the work load became greater, but at the same time there was enough time to relax and have fun around campus. It suddenly went from hey, we’re at college to work, clubs, a job and finding time to relax. It isn’t bad, the work is still manageable and exciting but there is still a lot expected from you so there is no time for slacking off. I have already taken 3 major tests in 3 of my classes and I got a B on all 3. Each teacher has a different method of teaching and that was what made studying a little challenging. I am a flight student so I have begun my flight training on Thursday, September 18th. Students usually start flying the first day of their scheduled flight block, but my TSA clearance took longer than expected and put me back a little in my training. I really like my flight instructor. He has been in the industry for a long time and is giving me a lot of advice on the best way to be successful in the aviation industry and is training me in a way that would help me become a very successful airline pilot.

There is so much to do here on campus. So far, I am involved with the campus newspaper as the Campus Editor, I am also on TFO (which is a student government group for freshmen and transfer students), and I am also in First Generation, which is a club for students who are the first of their family to attend college. All of the clubs offer a chance to express one’s self, and become an active member of the campus population. Being on the newspaper staff allows you to be a part of the process of informing campus students with information that affects them. Our campus has an excellent readership and the staff has, in the past years, received multiple awards for the hard work that they have done. TFO, which stands for Task Force One, is a student government group for freshmen and transfer students, allows you to become involved with student government and be a part of many activities that builds leadership skills. First Generation is also a great opportunity to get involved on campus. They provide many trips, workshops, and meetings in which you can earn points that counts towards a scholarship program. I also tried out for the track and field team. Even though I tried my best I didn’t make the team because I had an injury, and my plans to play intramural volleyball didn’t come through either because it would become very demanding in my schedule. But even though those plans didn’t work out, there are still a lot of ways that I can keep up with my fitness.

My roommate is also involved on campus. He is currently trying out for the flight team. Things are going well and he is very excited and working hard to get on the team.

Even though I am having so much fun on and off campus, there are times where I still feel a little homesick. It takes a while getting used to being away from home, but I am slowly but surely getting used to it, and being involved on campus helps you to make a new home here. There are a lot of programs here on campus that is geared to making your transition to college life a success.

Well its now my 5th week here at Riddle and it’s a blast, I’m trying to keep my head in the books as well as have a little fun. I’m glad I chose ERAU!

September 22, 2008

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Hello everyone, it feels so good to be back at school and getting into the swing of things. This year is going to be filled with fun and excitement, as well as knowledge that will help me succeed in many years to come. I am finishing up my last year in college and teaching young students the wonderful world of flight, what more can I ask for? I love my life!

As a senior here at Embry-Riddle, I have already taken all of my general education classes, as well as most of my Aeronautical Science/Flight courses. Because of the fact that I received my private pilot license before I came to Embry-Riddle, I was able to obtain all of my pilot’s licenses by my junior year. This has allowed me to focus on my class work and gain an abundance of knowledge from teaching others how to fly. What an experience! This past year has been very rewarding, and I look forward to what my senior year will unfold.

This semester, I am taking my last five Aeronautical Science classes. It’s going to be a blast! These are the capstone classes of the program and they will provide me with the knowledge I will need to succeed in the professional aviation environment. These classes include Airline Dispatch, Aviation Safety, Flight Management Systems, Crew Resource Management, and Flight Technique and Analysis.

Airline Dispatch is the capstone course for a program we have at Embry-Riddle known as the dispatcher program. A dispatcher is someone that works for an airline who prepares all of the paperwork for a flight. Some of the paperwork includes the route of flight, a review of the weather along the flight, and filling out a flight plan. This is something great for a pilot to have, because if he/she is working for an airline and is suddenly unable to fly, you can turn to your dispatcher certificate. This is a great back-up plan to have in your pocket in the aviation industry. I have really enjoyed this program and it is very enlightening. Most of the required courses are already built into the Aeronautical Science program. You only have to take a few required electives to qualify to take the dispatcher exam. If any you are interested, see your academic advisor for details.

My next class is Aviation Safety. All I can say is WOW! Our professor was a Marine and Naval aviator with thousands of hours of fighter experience. He also flew F-4 phantoms in Top Gun! The stories he shares with the class are truly amazing, especially how he can relate it back to the subject matter. This is definitely one of my favorite classes here at Riddle. In Aviation Safety, we investigate previous accidents and talk about how to prevent them in the future. I look forward to what I will learn this semester from others mistakes.

Flight Management Systems is also a very interesting class. Here we learn how to operate all of the computer systems and autopilot in a Boeing 747-400. It is truly amazing how accurate the Aerosim program is to programming a real 747-400’s computers. We practice loading routes of flight into the system and flying simulated flights using the autopilot. Since most of the airline and corporate world is operated using autopilot, this is a very valuable skill to have.

Another useful skill I will learn this semester is how to fly an aircraft in a two pilot cockpit. Crew Resource Management teaches us the special skill of how to work together and provide the passengers with a safe flying environment. General aviation pilots need this training because we are used to operating an aircraft that requires one pilot. This skill works great in small aircraft, but once you begin flying large transport category aircraft, the workload in the cockpit increases tremendously. Therefore, you need to know how to divide up the duties in the cockpit in a safe, yet efficient manner. This class is going to provide me with this skill.

Finally, the last course I am taking this semester is Flight Technique and Analysis. This course is the capstone course of the entire Aeronautical Science program. It takes everything I have learned over the past 3 years and ties it together into one. We use the Aerosim program just like FMS, except we perform actual flight scenarios in a crew environment. We learn how to deal with emergencies, weather, and passenger problems. The flights that we will fly are identical to scenarios an airline would present to their new hire pilots. I am very excited to see how this course will tie everything together, and provide me with a means to succeed in the real world.

As the semester continues I will give you an update on each class and talk more about the wonderful world of flight instructing. Until then, stay motivated, work hard, and fly safe!

September 22, 2008

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Things are really starting to pick up around here! It seems like I have no spare time. It’s funny how involved you can become so quickly. I am a member of Task Force One (TFO), and this week we elected our new officers. TFO is a group of first year students who work with Student Government to help get the younger voices on campus heard. We also plan social events and do group community service projects. I have a lot of confidence in the new officers, and I am excited to begin planning some of these activities.

My roommate is a member of the Embry-Riddle club Rugby team, and today a group of us went to see one of the games. I don’t know much about rugby, but it is a lot of fun to watch. The girls played first against South Florida and then the guys played Florida State. Although both teams lost, they played really hard and it was VERY intense. My roommate hit an FSU player so hard his left contact fell out! I now understand why my roommate comes back from the matches so sore!!!

Classes have become a lot more demanding recently. The work load is becoming larger and larger, and I have begun taking some pretty important exams. I had a large exam in HU140 this week, and I have exams scheduled in the next few days in SS120, IT109, and MA111. It is very difficult to study for the first test in each class, because each professor has their own format. With all this required studying, time management is becoming crucial, and I am starting to appreciate the weekends a lot more!

Throughout this first month, I have certainly found many pros and cons about campus. The thing I love about Riddle is how relaxed it is. Although we do a lot of work, it is still a great place to chill and hang with friends. Whether you’re reading by the pool, joining a random volleyball game, or hanging out in one of the student lounges, it is always nice to kick back for a few minutes and take a break. The main annoyance I have found thus far is just a personal issue. The toilet in our room has broken down three times in two weeks and has left myself and my suite mates without bathroom facilities for more than 90 hours. However as I always say, there are two ways to look at every situation, and the broken toilet has brought many laughs and a lot of priceless memories. (And our next door neighbors have been very gracious about allowing us to use their facilities!!)

I hope in these next days I do well on my exams and allow myself ample time to study. I am optimistic that our toilet is fixed for good (although I am not convinced) and this week goes by with few distractions.

Until next time,
Mack

September 21, 2008

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Happy fall! My favorite season of the year would probably be fall because it’s when the leaves start to change colors, combines are out in full force harvesting corn and beans, and the weather starts to cool off. Unfortunately, here in Florida the seasons don’t really change and there is no corn to be harvested. Thankfully, my mom realizes how much I miss the seasons so she sent me a bunch of fake leaves to make my dorm room feel like fall! In case you didn’t already know, I’m from the Midwest—Illinois—and my hometown is surrounded by cornfields for miles. I am so glad to be in Florida come winter time because I don’t have to walk across campus in below zero weather with snow blowing in my face.

Silver Wings has gotten off to a good start this semester. After the Activities Fair, we had several nights of fun so potential members could get to know members and ask any questions they might have. We went cosmic bowling and I enjoyed bowling, even though I’m not very good at it. On Saturday and Sunday, four Silver Wings members participated in the Second Annual Great Eagle Hunt sponsored by the Embry-Riddle Resident Student Association. The Great Eagle Hunt was a scavenger hunt that took place all over Daytona Beach and lasted for twenty-four hours. There were 208 clues and after figuring out the clue you had to find the item or location and take a picture with half your team in it. I had a lot of fun but towards morning I was pretty worn out. Our team didn’t place in the top three; however, I did get to know the people on my team really well!

For September 11th, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University hosted a remembrance ceremony. I wasn’t able to attend because I had class at the exact same time, but I heard about it from my friends that went. There were replicas of the twin towers raised at the same time that they were hit and the towers were constructed out of plywood boards that clubs had decorated. Each club on campus could pay $25 to decorate a section however they wanted to, which I thought was a really good idea. The best part was all the boards were sold before the decorating even started! I was able to go by the field later on that day after classes and see the two towers standing, so check out my pictures.

The United States Air Force celebrated its birthday on September 18th and to celebrate the Detachment hosted Airpower Day on the following Saturday. Airpower Day is where every flight comes and competes against one another in various competitions. Some of the competitions were a 1.5 mile run, relay races, knowledge questions, Ultimate Frisbee, and tug-of-war. My flight didn’t win but we had fun and got sunburned! Physical training is going well and I think our beach run is coming up soon—I’m looking forward to that!

My classes are going well and this past week I had quite a few tests, so it will be nice to see how well I’m doing. My math class is getting a little more challenging and the last homework assignment took several hours which made me realize I shouldn’t put it off till the night before. My group for Management of Production and Operations class is still waiting for the professor to okay our company for the research project. Hopefully, we will find out this week because I want to get started on it soon. In my Human Resource Management class, my group decided to compare labor laws in the United States to those in China. I think it is a really good idea and I hope to learn a lot, but the research isn’t going too good, so I hope the library will have more information or we might have to pick another topic.

Lastly, I have decided that my classes and Silver Wings weren’t keeping me busy enough so I joined the Relay for Life planning committee. Last year was my first year to participate in Relay for Life and I was a little disappointed that more people didn’t show up for such a good cause. This year I think that will change because everyone on the committee seems super motivated and excited. Also, I decided to be the Luminaria chair and I’m looking forward to getting started. I’ll keep you all updated on what’s happening and our ideas.

Send me an e-mail if you have any questions at all!

Until next time,
Kaleigh

Natalie

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Editor’s Note:

Natalie came to Embry-Riddle as a freshman in 2007. She shared her first year experience with us then in her online journal. You can view it here.

We’re pleased to congratulate Natalie on her internship at NASA. She’s blogging her experience there and we invite you to follow Natalie as she embarks on this exciting and prestigious adventure. Visit her blog at nas-at-nasa.blogspot.com.

September 15, 2008

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I love the first day of class. First, there is the excitement of school supply shopping, printing off new schedules that you quickly misplaced after registering and spending the evening before picking out that envious outfit. After that, there is placing the decal on the window of your not always reliable car from high school graduation and planning your mid-morning attack on the negative five parking spots intended to accommodate the growing student population. And then you encounter the plastered smiles and inevitable questioning on the first day. “How are you?” “When did you get that tattoo?” “When did you two start dating?” But, “How was your summer vacation” is always the go-to question from your best friends, sorority sisters, lab partners, and people you didn’t even remember from freshman year. No one really listens. They just wait their turn to outdo your vacation.

Since most people already know my summer of mini-vacations from China to Canada, I won’t reiterate. Besides, I beat anyone on summer vacation fun. But, the question I got most was, “Weren’t you supposed to graduate.”

Sure, I was supposed to, but what fun is that? I was off climbing the Great Wall. I was off climbing the Grand Canyon. I was off climbing back up the GPA ladder. I admit it. I am around for one more semester to salvage my freshman year grades. Between Alpha Xi Delta, cheerleading and all my after-hour festivities, I bombed. I had no trajectory, no realization of the outside world. I found a responsibility freshman year that I did not know how to handle.

But, I found my responsibility midway through my junior year. I found a career goal. I found a life goal. I found a new way to enjoy college. While all this is dandy, don’t get me wrong. Academics should always come first. However, I had a killer time in college, one I am paying for right now. But, let me give you a few tips for having loads of fun, while still keeping that GPA afloat.

So, let me welcome you to College. No parents. No curfew. So many opportunities. At 22 years old, I am not fully qualified for Social Security or have the right to give you a “back in my day” snooze fest, though walking through the Oozeball pit to the church parking lot every day does technically count as walking uphill both ways to school. I just want to lend some advice I have acquired during my four (ok, four and a half) years at Riddle. I am sure you have heard the collegiate spiel from Admissions, Records and Registration, Financial Aid and even Safety (it scared me my first time girls, so don’t worry). But, my freshman year no one stopped to tell me other important tidbits of information. I had lived in Port Orange for two years before I came to Riddle, so I knew the best restaurants, hair salons and locals-only beaches. But, I didn’t really know the campus that well.

So here are my Freshman 15 Do’s and Don’ts of Riddle because everyone has to gain it and it might as well be advice than extra poundage.

  1. Do learn Riddle’s jargon. Whether you are a pilot, engineer, or part of my minute Communications department, a few more acronyms can’t hurt. Though the University is called Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, no one wants to say all that in one sentence. Chances are your audience won’t know what you just said anyway. But, in shorting the name, don’t call it Embry. We get confused with Emory. Instead, refer to the University as Riddle. As for when you are away from Riddle, International Speedway Boulevard is simply ISB. Try to avoid it at all costs. Ponce refers to Ponce Inlet. As a local I don’t want to tell you about the white sand and lowly populated jetty. As a fellow classmate, this is the cleanest you will get of Daytona-area beaches.
  2. Don’t wear uncomfortable shoes the day you need to get something done on campus. Once you have become acquainted with Riddle acronyms, it is time for another Riddle pastime. Following the Christmas tornado, offices were moved all over campus and to odd places. Even the veteran Riddlers need maps to find the ever-changing offices. But, then even when you do find the offices, chances are you have stumbled into the wrong office and the one you want is across campus. When you do find the right office, there are always thousands of signatures, first born children and blood samples needed just to drop a class. This is a phenomenon known to fellow Riddle students as the Riddle Runaround. While the staff does not do this intentionally, just expect it. Be courteous though I know you want to call home and cry or throw your expensive textbooks.
  3. Do buy your books online. Speaking of textbooks, they don’t have to always be expensive. I usually have to buy multiple books for one class and understand how quickly $500 disappears. Instead, look on sites like Campus Books which can save you a lot of money. That extra money could go towards tuition, housing or all those “necessary” Mocha Cappucinos before Math class.
  4. Don’t go to class in your beachwear or sleepwear. I know it is so tough to go to an 11:00 a.m. class when you went to bed at 4:00 a.m., but PJs or bikinis are not classroom wear.
  5. Don’t forget your umbrella. We go to an open air campus and Florida weather is fickle. Heck it was Christmas day and we had a tornado. Typically, it rains at about 2 p.m. everyday until mid-winter. If you can’t tell if it is winter yet, refer to a calendar.
  6. Do get to know your faculty. They are your lifeline to the industry, so make a good impression. Turn in assignments on time. Show up prepared. Don’t sleep in class. It is a really REALLY expensive nap. This is college and if you want to be treated like the adult you think you are, act that way. Professors expect adults. When you are done impressing the professors this semester, use Rate My Professors to help pick out classes for spring.
  7. Do expand your eating, not your waistline. Speaking of Freshman 15, go off campus. I know the lights of Chik-Fil-A call you like bugs, but don’t eat that day in and day out. Same goes for the all-you-can-eat buffet. It may be called that, but doctors don’t recommend it. There are healthy choices for students in the cafeteria, but they are not ready-to-eat and I understand the rush to get to class. So instead, take your time, make a salad or order a wrap. Your waistline will thank you.
  8. Do get involved. The experiences I had as a cheerleader, a sister in Alpha Xi Delta, sweetheart of Sigma Chi and on study abroad have filled my scrapbook and my resume. Whether you enjoy skydiving, Anime, flag-football, German or Greek life, join others who share your same likes. Head out to the Activities Fair. Scroll through the clubs at Clubs and Organizations. You won’t regret it.
  9. Don’t miss free food at the Athletics BBQ. We have amazing sports so go support them. A list of activities can be found on embryriddlesports.com. The games usually have great giveaways while playing great rivalries. If for nothing else, pick up a free t-shirt.
  10. Don’t do over 35 mph on A1A and watch the speed trap on Richard Petty. Despite popular belief, Riddle students are not God’s gift to Daytona Beach and the police are more than happy to pull over a green or yellow decal. Remember that tuition is already steep. You don’t want to explain a ticket to your loan company.
  11. Do visit Florida’s many attractions. Ponce Inlet is 15 minutes east. Miami is 4 hours south. Orlando is an hour west. Jacksonville is an hour north. No matter which direction you go, there is something to do. Fill up your car with friends. I will give a few reviews on places to go later in my journal.
  12. Do buy a year-round pass for the beaches. If you don’t have the gas money to get to Orlando or Miami, take the ISB Bridge to our beaches. This pass allows you to park on the beach and visit the local state parks for a full year. It saves you money and from dragging all your beach stuff. I choose to drive the beach because I am lazy. Take full advantage of the World’s Most Famous Beach.
  13. Do sign up for study abroad. As a freshman, you likely won’t get an internship, so instead of going home to your parents for the summer or spending your time developing skin cancer on Daytona’s beaches, head to Italy, Japan or France. I went to China this summer for five weeks and it was the best excuse for me to not graduate. If nothing else, it half price tuition. Get more information on Study Abroad .
  14. Don’t go out during BikeWeek, Biketoberfest, or Race Weeks. Spring Break may only be a week for us, but for Daytona it lasts a little over four weeks during March. During this time, use Beville and not ISB.
  15. Don’t put questionable photos on Facebook. It is not the place to paste photos of you gallivanting during that weekend’s festivities. Remember those security checks we will all get in our field of work? All of those photos will make us wish we had forgotten.

On a final note, DO have fun. Don’t let upper classmen tell you there is nothing to do here. Embry-Riddle has so much to offer. Daytona Beach has so much to offer. Take all the opportunities with all the responsibility.

September 12, 2008

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Hello everyone, my name is Dodd Bailey Allen Jr. and I am from Dallas, TX. Many of you may remember me from the journals I wrote this past summer about my Continental Airlines internship. My dream of flying began when I was in second grade. I knew I wanted to be a professional pilot the moment I flew on my first airliner. From then on, I built models and studied pictures of every airplane I could get my hands on. When middle school came around, I continued my journey towards the wonderful world of flight when I began my hobby of remote controlled aircraft. I began with the simple stuff, and now I own 9 r/c aircraft and I have flown anything from a small electric airplane to an r/c jet that flies at over 280 mph! My favorite personal aircraft is a 1/3 scale sukhoi. This aircraft has a 10 hp engine on it and has a wingspan of 8 ft. I perform extensive aerobatic demos for students and enthusiasts around Dallas, TX. Finally, flying r/c aircraft was one of the many things that piqued my interest in teaching. I worked at my local hobby shop for 7 years and I was the chief flight instructor all throughout high school. I was teaching people 3 times my age how to fly r/c aircraft.

DoddThe real success story began in my senior year of high school. This is where I flew a real airplane for the first time. I began my private pilot training at a local airport by my high school. I received my private pilot license the summer after my senior year and I was hooked! I then began my fall semester at one of the best aviation schools in the world, Embry-Riddle. Here I finished all of my licenses in my first two years. I am now a fully certified commercial, multi-engine, single-engine, instrument rated pilot. I am also a certified flight instructor, certified flight instructor instrument, advanced ground instructor, and instrument ground instructor. I continued my dream of teaching junior year when I became a part-time flight instructor in the flight department at Embry-Riddle. I still can’t believe I am getting paid to fly! Finally, last summer, I received the privilege to work with Continental Airlines during a summer internship. Here I learned what it was like to fly $80 million jets and how an airline truly operated. I received 30 hrs of flight training in a Level D 737-800 simulator. Wow, what an experience! Now, I sit here today beginning my senior year of college! Wow, time flies when you are having fun. I look forward to telling you about all of my classes and what a normal day at Embry-Riddle is like. I will also enlighten you about the joys of being a flight instructor at one of the top flight schools in the world. Until then, I hope everyone is having a wonderful start to the fall semester. Time to start my homework for the night.

September 8, 2008

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I never thought that I would be in college so soon. Even though in high school I was dying to get out and experience college life, here I am at Embry-Riddle, the best school for aviation in the world, and I am in such awe. I didn’t think I would like it, going away from home for the first time and being on my own, I thought I would hate it but I was wrong. The day I met my roommate was the day I knew that I would be able to let go of the people that I knew in high school and build new friendships and memories. It started with a few messages on facebook and grew to a group of 15 guys, who I can now call my college buddies. Things are really beginning to fall into place. Hi, my name is Andre’ McIntosh and I am a freshman here at Embry-Riddle majoring in Aeronautical Science.

My life has been filled with changes; growing up with my dad in the army, losing my grandfather, moving to America at the age of 14 from Jamaica W.I. to New York City, and finally, graduating high school and attending college. But the transition wasn’t what I expected. I thought I was going to cry my eyes out and beg not to get on the plane to Daytona, but I didn’t. I was calm and collected and was excited to leave New York, but in the back of my mind I was still a little scared to come to ERAU. But as soon as I stepped on campus, I immediately knew that I was going to have fun, the school has so much to offer and there are so many opportunities to get involved.

My first week here at ERAU has been the most exciting week of my life. Me and my new friends hung out a lot and had so much fun and we also experienced our first college classes. Classes here at ERAU are so much fun, the professors aren’t too strict but they are very friendly and easy to talk to. The work load isn’t too much, it’s bearable and they don’t assign 10 page papers on the first day! As each day went by I learned so much stuff, met a lot of people and most of all, began to get used to being away from home.

My second week here at Embry-Riddle I started looking at ways that I can become involved and I was really surprised at the many clubs and organizations that Embry-Riddle has to offer its student population. From skydiving to student government, you name it we have it! There are also a lot of sports teams that you can get involved with. Even though there are a lot of things you can do, you can only do a few and the decision process is a hard, especially if you want to try a lot of things. I decided that I was going to get involved with student government, and Embry-Riddle has a special club called Task Force One, which is a club run by freshmen students and is a liaison with the Student Government Association. I am also getting involved with the newspaper, as I was on both the newspaper staff and yearbook staff in high school. There is also track and field try-outs coming up this week which I am going to attend and I am also signing up to do intramural volleyball. As I am beginning my third week here I am keeping my mind open and staying focused on my studies. I love Embry-Riddle so far!

September 8, 2008

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Hey all! It is great to have you interested in Embry-Riddle! It is an awesome school and I love it! My name is Elizabeth, I’m a meteorology major and I transferred to ERAU as a sophomore this fall. I was born and raised in Florida, so I am used to the state. I will give you all a fair warning, it is HOT! I love it though; I am from Cape Coral which is about 4 hours south-west of Daytona. I have a 12-year-old sister at home and a little yorkie named Toto! I miss home a little; I definitely miss my parents and my dog a lot, but I am getting used to it. Embry-Riddle has been great so far and I know there are a lot more things to come. I am living on campus, in O’Connor hall which in the student village. My room has 8 girls total so as you can imagine it gets a little hectic at times, but for the most part we all get along and it is a ton of fun! With the way the room is set up we have a living room/kitchen area, 4 rooms (each with 2 girls), 2 bathrooms, and 4 sinks. There is a picture of my room, the living room, and our sink area for you to see. Of the 8 of us, 5 girls are Aeronautical Science majors (flight), which I have been seriously considering, it seems like so much fun! We will see where that goes though. One of the girls is from Paris! She’s really funny and has great fashion sense!!! Now about my classes… I tried not to pile the classes on so hard this semester because it’s a new school with new professors and everything so I am taking 5 classes, PS-103 which is physics, PS-103L- physics lab, MA-111-Pre-calc, WX-201- Intro to Weather, and COM-221- Technical report writing. My physics class is crazy! It isn’t that hard, it’s just that my professor goes on rants and gets off subject very fast, but there is always someone around to help me if I don’t understand something. THANK GOODNESS! Otherwise I don’t know what I would do. The rest of the classes are going pretty well though. It is Saturday and sadly I am loaded with homework and Ohio State is playing so I need to balance my afternoon well J I am also a Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Yankees Fan. I know, I am very scattered but that’s just how it is!

There is a lot to do on campus also because you don’t just study all the time. This past week has been fraternity rush week and my resident advisor (RA) is the V.P. of a fraternity, so we got to play volleyball and hang out at some of the barbeques with the guys next door. There was a Monte Carlo night some organizations put on last weekend and they gave away free stuff, had food, and had casino tables, so that was fun too. As girls on campus, we all got really lucky because we live next to a group of really nice guys, they are so sweet and treat us the complete opposite of how we all thought that we would be treated going to school at a mostly male school. Oh, and about that, being a girl on campus isn’t that bad here, although we are out numbered by like 7:1 or something like that it has its advantages. Guys open doors for you, your professors will learn your name faster, and although you do get the occasional typical college boy that is very excited to see a girl, they don’t mess with you if you stand your ground. Just in case you all were wondering, I do have a boyfriend, his name is Joe and he is an Aerospace Engineering major. Crazy if you ask me, it is a lot of work but he loves it! We have been dating since my sophomore year of high school. He is a sophomore here and no, I didn’t come here because of him, ironically we both love the school. I should probably start the tons of work I have to do so thank you all for reading and if you have any question about the school or dorm life, or anything! Just e-mail me at hunte@erau.edu. So goodbye for now, I look forward to writing more and hopefully hearing from some of you!

September 8, 2008

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Wow! What a transition this has been! I never thought college would become part of my life so soon. It seems like just yesterday I was walking the halls of my small Missouri high school as a new freshman. And now I am a college student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. It seems so unreal, but I am very excited about my new life.

Living in the dorms on campus is a lot of fun. I am in Wood Hall (the BEST freshman dorm) in the Student Village, and there is always something happening. I have kept myself busy with the Comedy Show (hilarious), a Task Force One Meeting, the Orientation Luau, a few tennis matches, and a countless number of sand volleyball showdowns. When I can’t be found on campus, I am usually down at the beach. I use every minute of every day.

When I am not busy socializing and playing games, I am in class or doing homework. This semester I am in Principles of Aeronautical Science (AS120), College Math for Aviation I (MA111), American History (SS120), Intro Computers & Apps (IT109), Western Humanities I: Antiquities –Middle Ages (HU140), and College Success (UNIV101). I am in a wide variety of classes, but I am generally enjoying the class work. Let me tell you about a few in detail.

AS120- This class is a general class for students not majoring in AS. I have only been in this class for 4 days, but I have already learned so much. We’ve talked about the history of aviation, the Daytona Beach Airport, parts of the airplane, and different types of aircraft and licenses. This is very interesting to me, and I have never had the opportunity to enroll in a class like this. The class work and my Professor’s deep love for aviation make this one of my favorite classes.

SS120- I never knew American History could be so interesting. My Professor gives such great lectures; I find it almost hard to take notes. The way he presents history is almost like an action movie: full of suspense, twist and turns, and hair-raising scenes. Who knew the Pullman Strike could be so fun? Attending the class is always an adventure, but I am very nervous about the first test. We have already learned SO much.

I look forward to continuing my classes and meeting new people. I am sure these next four years will be the best of my life, and I am excited to share my story. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask (meansm@erau.edu). I would love to hear from prospective students, and I am willing to answer ANY questions you need answered.

Until next time,
Mack