Category Archives: 2008 – 2009

February 22

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Hello everyone! I hope February finds you all well. Although I must say this all the time, my semester has been getting busier and busier. About two weeks ago, I was presented an opportunity to become a founding father for Delta Upsilon at Embry-Riddle. Delta Upsilon (DU) seemed to match my values and priorities, and I had to take advantage of this unique experience. The last two weeks have been packed with DU information sessions, recruitment events, and even a retreat. I have already made many new friends and learned a lot about what it means to be DU. This week, a slew of activities are planned, including the official colonization ceremony. I am excited to be a founding member of something I know will be great at ERAU.

Last weekend I had to make a trip back to Missouri. Although I had much to do back home, I did get to have some fun. I got to see my high school friends and also had some quality family time. Another thing I did was join in the excitement of Missouri Tiger basketball. All Mizzou fans are excited beyond belief (including me), as the team has broke into the top ten in the nation!!! Unfortunately, the one thing I didn’t have in Missouri was my luggage. Somehow, Southwest Airlines found a way to lose my luggage on a direct flight. Conveniently (sarcasm), it arrived one hour before I had to go back to the airport to fly to Florida. It was very annoying, but luckily I was able to make do with what I had left at my house. When I first decided on ERAU I was worried about the distance and not being able to go home often. I have quickly learned this is not the case, and I got to have a productive and fun trip.

Task Force One has been discussing and planning many things in our meetings. On Tuesday, we voted on an incentive activity as a reward for our hard work throughout the academic year. We have decided to go to a Japanese Steakhouse, followed by bowling, which I am really looking forward to. Also we have registered for the Relay for Life in late March. These activities will be here before I know it.

My classes are still going well. This afternoon I met with my company in BA201, and we went around town to interview people about our fictional product. We got some pretty funny footage, and had a lot of fun together. I think we will have a great presentation at the end of the semester, and I know I will have a lot of fun working with my group members in the coming days. In PS142 and WX201, I have more tests this week, which I am going to study hard for. And in COM221, I have begun researching for my big project, and I have already learned so much. Thanks for reading my journal, and please let me know if you have any questions!

Until Next Time,
Mack

February 22, 2009

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Hey guys! Hope you are all doing well. I am so excited that February is done. Next month is March which means Spring Break! I am so excited because I will be going to my friend Derrick’s house in Rhode Island for a few days before going to my house in New York City. I am looking forward to going there and just relaxing and having fun. So far classes are going great. Took a few tests the past week and did very well on them. Classes can be tough at times but it’s not something that can’t be done.

Last weekend, Derrick and I went to his grandparent’s house in Fort Myers for the long weekend. It was so much fun and we really enjoyed it!

I am sorry to report that I have changed my major from Aeronautical Science to Air Traffic Management. It was a tough decision, but after thinking everything through, I decided that I would rather not be in too much debt with better job security than to pay a lot of money for flight training and not know whether or not I can get a good paying job or a job at all. I am taking flight as a minor as soon as I am financially stable.

I am still active with TFO, First Gen, and ERRSA. Also, I am pledging Delta Upsilon in the fall. I want to take some time to build my GPA up higher so I have a cushion in the event my work load gets too much. This Wednesday is the colonization ceremony. I will not be a part of that, but my bid still stands and when I am ready I will be initiated in. We held elections as to who will be the exec board for the Fraternity and my friends Derrick, Darryl and Mack all got elected as VP’s!!! YAY!!! I am proud of them and give them all my support and blessing.

There isn’t much going on this time around, but if you guys have any questions, please feel free to email me. Thanks to those of you guys that did, I am behind schedule so do not think I am ignoring you if I haven’t gotten back to you as yet, I promise I will. Until next time…

February 9, 2009

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Hello! I hope everyone had a wonderful January, I sure did! January was a good relaxing month for me. However, February is going to be extremely busy. It started off last week with two big tests, followed by a paper that is due today. Whew! I’m finally starting to feel the pressures of this semester.

My first test last week was in my humanities class. It went extremely well! When I first started studying I was not interested at all. I mean, how can a Humanities class be interesting? But, as I studied, I realized that the information was extremely interesting and useful. I learned how the advancement of technology affects different jobs, cultures, and even sports! The test consisted of multiple choice questions, as well as an essay at the end. I was glad it was over, however, I actually enjoyed studying and learning all about the advancement of technology. That is the beauty of Embry-Riddle. Even though I am taking a humanities class, it still relates to aviation.

My second test was in my weather for aircrews class. I love weather! For this test, the professor gave us a bunch of weather information and an international flight. She asked a bunch of application questions on how the weather affected the route of flight. She also had us predict the weather over Italy using only a weather depiction chart, a chart only giving you the basics of the atmospheric weather patterns. What a learning experience! I’ll be able to take all of this information I learned for this test and enlighten my flight students on the wonderful world of weather. I can’t wait!

Finally, I just finished my history paper that is due today. My assignment was to write a five page paper on a book we read during the month of January. The Jungle was a book about a family that moved to Chicago to experience the American dream. However, what they experienced was a life of death and defeat in the filthy meat packing town of Packingtown. It was an interesting book depicting just how life was for immigrants in the United States.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine’s Day this weekend! I’m off to class. Again, if you ever have any questions about Aeronautical Science or the flight program, feel free to email me at allen624@erau.edu.

February 8

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January is over, even though it feels like it just began. My first round of midterms is about over, as I have already taken big tests the past week in PS142, MA112, and WX201. I have gotten the scores back for two of the three, and I am pleased with the outcome. This week I will be continuing the round of tests as I take my first BA201 exam. I also received my semester-long assignment in COM221 last week: a 15-20 page research paper. Luckily, we have a group of 4 people who work together to complete the assignment, so I will not be doing it alone. I am still enjoying my classes and professors this semester, which is a good sign.

Last weekend was the Task Force One Super Bowl party in the Student Center. We teamed up with ERRSA to offer free food and drinks for anyone on campus, and Touch-N-Go provided their projector to view the game on the big screen. The event turned out to be extremely successful. We went through 40 pizzas in less than 20 minutes and had to order 38 more which arrived at halftime. The food was good, the crowd was large, and the game was very exciting. Although the Cardinals lost, I still had a lot of fun with my fellow TFO-ers at this event.

Last time I wrote, I spoke about the process in which I was partaking to earn a seat on the Student Representative Board. After making the final three I was invited to go to an SRB meeting and give a short bio on myself. Unfortunately, I did not do my best in the final stage, and I was not surprised to learn I did not get the open spot on the board. Although I was disappointed, I felt it was an honor to make it that far, and I learned quite a bit from the experience. The girl who received the position was very deserving of the award, and I support their decision in choosing the other candidate. With that said, I will still be involved with SGA and will hopefully get the position in the future.

On Saturday I drove a friend to the Orlando Airport, and since I was already there, I made a day out of it. Two friends and I hung around the airport, and got a few good pictures of the traffic coming in and out of MCO. After we left the airport, we headed to the Cheesecake Factory (my favorite restaurant) where we had an amazing lunch. The Mall at Millennia was our last stop before we headed back to Daytona. It was a great to spend a day away from campus and out of Daytona, and Orlando is the perfect place to do it.

These next few weeks will be quite hectic, but I am looking forward to having a lot of fun. The crowds are starting to pick up as we are only one week away from the Daytona 500. Also, I have expressed some interest in the new fraternity being brought to ERAU (Delta Upsilon), and I am excited to take the next step towards learning more about the organization and being involved with Greek Life. Among all of this craziness, I will also be taking a few days to fly back to Missouri, as I have a few duties at home. Remember if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. Thanks for reading.

Until Next Time,
Mack

February 8th

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Hello again to all you readers out there! Let me just start this journal by saying thank you to all of the people who have sent emails with questions, and friends and family who are always chomping at the bit, waiting for me to post another journal. Things here in Daytona have been flying, and I couldn’t be happier with this semester’s turnout so far. Classes are still going fairly well and I am beginning to feel a little more at ease with the workload and overall expectations of what’s to come. I had two tests this last week, in Calculus and Physics, which I felt thoroughly prepared for and my performance was reflected in that. I scored very well on both tests and it was very pleasing to see the work I’d put in so far pay off. It has been freezing cold all this last week, but the good news is that it is supposed to be in the seventies during this entire upcoming week. I can definitely dig that! Walking to classes in the cold, especially at eight in the morning, is a real bummer – particularly when you are late so running through it is your only option. Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to warmer weather.

As far as student activities are concerned, I just have one thing to say about last week. Rush Week was a blast! All of the events were planned and organized very well, so it was nice to just be able to attend, have a great time, and get to know all of the brothers in Pike. I was able to attend all of the rush events, which included an “Invitation Only” dinner on Friday night, which was essentially for all of the men who received a bid to join Pike. We had a blast, and I am very happy with my decision to rush Pike. Besides Rush Week, there have been quite a few things going on in Daytona. We had the Rolex 24 race last weekend, then yesterday was the Budweiser Shootout, and all this coming up week is the Daytona 500 celebration leading up to the race on Sunday. It should be a lot of fun, but it will certainly be crowded. I headed across the street to the Volusia Mall yesterday, and was informed that I was being charged forty dollars for parking. I told the woman I just simply wanted to go to the mall, and she waived the fee. That seems like the start of a crowded and overwhelming week. I’ll try to stay on campus to avoid it all.

As I said before, my classes are at their stage where tests are beginning to start flying at me from all angles. I had two tests last week, and I have three tests this week. I feel fairly confident, but it is a little much all at once. Regardless, I’ll keep you updated as to how I perform. I am also looking into doing an internship in West Palm Beach working at the ATC Tower and TRACON (Terminal Radar Approach Control – basically the guys who handle all the departures after takeoff and arrivals before landing) facilities. I have completed all of the paperwork and have met all of the requirements to apply for the position, but I am required to wait until the first of March to go any further. However, I am excited about the opportunity nonetheless.

I hope you all enjoyed the Super Bowl. I am a Jacksonville Jaguars fan, so I really didn’t care who won the game. The Pikes had a get-together at one of the brother’s houses, so some of my pledge-brothers and I went and hung out. It was a great time, and an excellent opportunity for me to continue to meet more of the fraternity. Anyway, that’s all for now. I have an Air Traffic Management test tomorrow at eight o’clock in the morning. What was I thinking taking a class that early? At any rate, shoot me an email if any questions arise about Riddle or college in general. You can also find me on Facebook.

See ya!

February 8, 2009

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Happy Valentine’s Day!! I am pretty excited for Valentine’s because it is a three-day weekend and I am leaving Daytona Beach for a road trip. The Daytona 500 is that weekend, so I’m going to miss out on all the crazy traffic. I found out some good news last week-my sister is coming to visit me during Spring Break! I am pretty excited about it and we have already started making plans for all the adventures we are going to have. She has never seen the school, so I plan to take her on a personalized tour of campus. I can’t wait to see her!

This Saturday was the Bud Shootout (a race) and Silver Wings sold pizza on the corner of the street. We sell the pizza for $2 a slice but we always meet people who want to drive the price down. Some people would buy it and complain about how cold pizza is so terrible, but they always ended up finishing off the slice and sometimes coming back for more. Last year, Silver Wings sold the pizza in a parking lot but this year we ran into some problems with the race track management and had to move to another location. I sold pizzas for about 8 hours and was pretty exhausted from walking back and forth down the street.

Last weekend, I went to the basketball game on Friday night and it was Coaches vs. Cancer which means everyone is supposed to dress up and wear sneakers. One of my friends and I wore dresses, blue jean jackets, and Converses. We didn’t plan it and when I saw what she was wearing I was like, “What a coincidence!” I posted a picture of us on my site. On Saturday, I attended the Relay for Life Team Captains University which was basically a gathering of people from the area to share ideas on fundraising, how to get members on your team, and how to spread the word. I had a good time and we got some really good ideas.

I had Round One of tests last week-a test in Organizational Behavior and one in Corporate Finance. I think I did pretty well on both of them, but I will for sure do better on the next one because I now know what to expect. Round Two is this week with a test in Principles of Aeronautical Science and one in International Business. I really need to study for my International Business test because it contains an essay question and the test is worth 30 percent of my grade. I have a few study tips to share with you that seem to help me: highlight in the book, check out the practice quizzes on the book’s website, read the chapter, form study groups, and study ahead of time. Highlighting helps me remember key phrases and when I only have ten minutes to study, I study the highlighted stuff for a quick review. I also write out the key definitions because if I write them then I have to read them several times, so it sticks in my memory better. The practice quizzes can help because a teacher may pull some of their questions from there. I just go online fill out the quizzes and print them off, and then I go back through them and highlight the answer. Buy several highlighters and multiple colors because if you lose one you have another on hand! I read the chapter at least once so I can get a grasp of the whole picture. Study groups are essential because telling someone else helps you remember it more and if you don’t understand something they might be able to help you. Lastly, study ahead of time because there is too much material to cram at the end. If you study along the way, you will not feel so overwhelmed at the end. As you read the chapter, highlight and write out definitions; therefore, the days before the test just go back and review that material. I hope these tips help somewhat!

Some upcoming events that are on my calendar are a possible Beach Bonfire, Charity House (more on that in the next entry), and the Physical Fitness Assessment for ROTC. Still as busy as ever, but I am finding time to enjoy myself, have a good time and still get things accomplished. Right now, I am off to an Arnold Air and Silver Wings picnic! I hope everyone is enjoying school!

Until next time,
Kaleigh

February 8th

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Hey all! I have tons of news this week! I had my first 2 flights for my private this past Monday and Friday! It was AMAZING! I took off, did stalls, and slow flight! Soooo much fun! My instructor, Derek, is also our flight team president and he is an awesome instructor!

I have been getting tons of e-mails from all you guys, thanks!!! I love helping you all out! I have tons to do this week though, I have a weather test, flight team every day but Friday. It is going to be a crazy week, nowhere near as crazy as last week though. I don’t even remember half the stuff that happened I had so much to do, a test in every class almost… crazzzzy!

Tomorrow is my dad’s birthday… HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY! Yesterday we went on a tour of the airport fire station (ARFF Tour) for flight team, it was AWESOME! My dad is a firefighter so I love stuff like that, I grew up around it! It’s so different than a normal station. I have some pictures 🙂 That tour definitely made my week though!

My boyfriend is sick too, well allergies I suppose so I spent the weekend taking care of him…ish. as much as I could I was pretty busy. Keep the questions coming guys. I hope I am helping! Have a great Valentines Day!! (not to be sour, but I hate the holiday)
-Elizabeth

February 8, 2009

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It’s February already, it seems as if the year started yesterday. The past month has been a blast. The weather here in Daytona has dipped down way into freezing temperatures. It got so cold that students that fly early in the morning couldn’t go up because of ice. It has started to warm up a bit, it’s not too hot and it’s not freezing… which is good! The cold weather hasn’t stopped me and my friends from having fun. It also hasn’t stopped us from going to classes either! I had a few test so far in AS 221 and WX 201 and will have my mid-term for BA-201 on Wednesday. In AS 221 I got an 88% and in WX I got a 76%. In both classes I only have three tests for the semester so I am in good shape so far. I am looking forward to the midterm in BA 201 because I know the material and it’s a pretty big test because it’s only a midterm and final for that class. Wish me luck!

I am still on financial hold for flight until next week. I got a loan from Chase to help cover the expense to at least finish my private pilot license. Darryl and Kayla are making great progress with their training; I am so proud of them and am supporting them 100%. I did a landing clinic last week so I could catch up on my landings, and it went very well. Even though I had to land in a crosswind, I still was able to deal with them, keeping in mind it was my first time behind the yoke since December 11th last year! I will be taking my written next week so I can get that out the way.

As for clubs, I am active with TFO, First Generation and ERRSA. This weekend, ERRSA had another retreat [FARH]. There was a selected group of people that went and, from what I heard, it was a fun experience. My friend Derrick and I are pledges and founding fathers for a new fraternity on campus, Delta Upsilon! The fraternity is all about leadership and service, and focus mainly at building leaders and promoting diversity. We painted the spirit rock and campus and have a whole week of events planned. We already have 8 guys committed and need just a few more to make a colony. I am so excited about the fraternity and am happy to have this opportunity.

The Daytona 500 is here! It’s going to be a crazy week. Already, there are a few jets parked up on the ramp. It’s going to be quite noisy and a lot more intense than the Rolex 24, but it won’t be too bad until the weekend.

It’s Black History Month guys!!!

For the past week I haven’t been able to talk to family as much because my mom lost her cell phone! It’s the main means of communication I have with my family and I have to wait until next week when she gets a new one. In the meantime, we have been communicating through my cousin’s cell phone and email. My grandma is spending some time in Jamaica and just earlier this week she called me. We talked for a long while time. I notice that this semester I am a lot more responsible and self-sufficient. I don’t miss family as much anymore and I am currently earning, so I am not totally dependent on my family for the bulk of my financial needs.

Just a quick update on the plan me and my friends had for spring break, we are not going on the cruise. Instead, I am going to go to Miami with my cousin for the weekend, and then I will be flying up to Providence, RI to spend the break with Derrick and possibly travel to New York City to spend a day or two with my mom. We really had our hearts set on the cruise, but at least we have other alternatives.

There is a lot going on campus this semester. We have a lot of home basketball games, track meets, and lots of social events. We also still have our weekly movies done by Touch n’ Go, and lots of community service events. There is a lot to do and many ways to become involved and make a difference.

Next weekend I will be going to Fort Myers with Derrick to his grandparent’s house and spent the weekend. I am so excited and I can’t wait!

So far the semester has been going really good. I am confident in my classes, having lots of fun, and most of all enjoying the experience. To all you guys that sent me emails, thanks so much for reading my journal posts. I know that it’s just around that time when ERAU sends out acceptance letters. If you guys have any questions, whether it is about financial aid or housing, residence life, anything at all, feel free to ask. I will try my best to answer all your questions and any comments that you have are welcome.

Until next time…
Andre

January 26

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Hello Everyone!!!!
I have been getting at least an e-mail or facebook message a day from my readers, so keep them coming! I hope I am helping all of you out and if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask!

My weekend was pretty unproductive this time around. I have a cold, so I spent most of the day watching T.V. today and this Saturday we switched practice fields for flight team from Flagler to Palatka so I spent all day out there. I love the new airport, everyone is so friendly and it’s very laid back. Saturday was just a very rough day for us because the weather was bad and the 150’s couldn’t land at Palatka until the fog cleared and that wasn’t until almost noon (we had been there since 8 am). I have a full week this week too, practice Monday-Thursday and then again Saturday. Crazy schedule but its worth it =) The weather is going crazy here too, one day it’s freezing the next it’s hot, it is driving me NUTS! The Rolex 24 hour race is going on this weekend too, it has been sooooo loud out there because of all the cars at the track.

There isn’t much else going on, I have a few tests this week and the super bowl is on Sunday, GO STEELERS!!! I added a nice picture for you all to see of the Speedway from one of the team’s 150’s a.k.a Dorothee (named for donor Dorothee Miller). You can also see the Village in the top of the picture. I hope you all have an awesome end to January!!! Keep those e-mails coming guys – I love helping you all out!

-Elizabeth

January 26

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I hope everyone is surviving the long winter months. Around Daytona, it has, unfortunately, been very cold. Last week we had lows in the twenties and highs in the fifties (even one day in the forties!!!). Some of the citrus farmers are very concerned about their crops around this area as the overnight lows dipped well below freezing. Although the past two weeks were very chilly, the weather made a turn for the better yesterday and today, and it looks as though we will be in the seventies and eighties this week. As I am sure you know by now, the warm weather if more to my liking.

With the better weather came more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. My friends and I made it to the beach to play at our favorite volleyball court again. Every time I go I can’t help but take a ton of pictures, as it is the most beautiful location to play one of my favorite sports. I have also found time to play a lot of tennis recently. Between the warmer weather and the Australian Open on television, I have found myself in the tennis mood. Along with volleyball and tennis, my friends and I also found time to go bowling. We took the drive to Ormond Beach, and had a night of fun. Not only did we enjoy the atmosphere, but I set a personal best score of 174!

Throughout the past two weeks I have been applying for a vacancy on the Student Representative Board of the SGA. I turned in my application and received a call informing me I had earned an interview. Although it was only the first step, I was very excited about earning a chance to promote myself for the position. Yesterday, I completed the interview and felt very positive. Sure enough, last night I got a phone call saying I was one of three finalists. The next step comes Tuesday, when I plead my case to the current SRB and they will decide who to pick. I would really love to get the position, but if it doesn’t pan out, I am honored to make it this far.

I am still feeling very positive about all of my courses. We have taken two quizzes in PS142, and I did well on both of them. The quizzes are not extremely difficult, but do require somewhat of a knowledge of the chapter and discussions. Between my PS142 and WX201 courses, I get to hear both sides of the environmental crisis argument. Professor Eicher (WX201) is very much a doomsayer while Professor Cabiac (PS142) is very much a doom slayer. It is very intriguing to hear the facts on both sides of an issue, and I know their information will not only further my knowledge but increase my awareness on the issue (or non-issue) of global warming.

To end my journal for the week, I wanted to remember to share my first experience at the Daytona Speedway. This Saturday-Sunday was the Rolex 24-hour race here in Daytona Beach. It was so fun to see the die-hard race fans with their amazing traveling RV set-ups. Not only were there bon-fires and flat screen TVs outside the RV’s, but even couches on the roofs. Aside from the crazy (and sometimes quite intoxicated) fans, the race was exciting, and Riddle students got a special price of $15. I included a few pictures, but my pictures can’t even begin to tell the whole story. Please enjoy the pictures and have a great end to the month of January. PLEASE send me an email ( meansm@erau.edu ) or even shoot me a message on facebook. I would love to hear from you and answer any questions. Thanks for reading!

Until Next Time,
Mack