The Future is Very Bright

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Billy

With Winter Break behind us all, it’s time for us to continue what we started last semester. I was pleased, well moderately satisfied, with where I stood last semester but there was definitely room for improvement. This semester I’m attempting to push myself harder and, thanks to my schedule, I might make my goal a reality.

With only 4 classes this semester, I have plenty of time for school and the clubs I’m involved in. It’s nice not feeling constrained by your course load, but also it feels good to have something to do. Whether it’s doing my EGR120 homework (Graphical Communications) or a photography assignment for the Avion, I’m always doing something.

Aside from school and clubs, I’m starting to get back into photography and, more recently, RC planes. I just got a mini-quadcopter and I love it! Of course that was until after 2 minutes of me flying it for the first time, I got it stuck in a palm tree. With the enlisted help of 4-5 of my hall-mates, and the loss of my two flip flops, we got it back and it still works! This basically means I need to practice in the simulator more and/or not fly by trees.

Since it’s only been 3 weeks into the semester, nothing much really has happened. I’m sure things will change in the next couple of days. So, until then, “Till all are one!”

I also would like to take the time to thank my friend Rachel Weeks for proof reading my posts since I have the grammar mechanics of a 5-year-old.

ERAU Women’s Ambassador

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Lindsey

Some of you may be wondering, why did I choose Riddle? Well, I’ll tell you about one reason why I did. Everyone wants to feel welcomed and at home when they choose the university they will be attending; and this is exactly what Embry-Riddle made me feel. Before I even enrolled at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, I was connecting with a girl who already attended the university through a program called the Women’s Ambassador Program. During the spring of my senior year of high school and continuing on into the summer, I was receiving calls from one of the Women’s Ambassadors. We would talk about what I planned on majoring in, what campus life was like, and the questions I had about Riddle. By talking to this girl, whom I had never met before, but who just began to call me, I felt welcomed. I knew that Embry-Riddle cared if I attended. I wasn’t just another name on a list of applicants, but I was a person who mattered to them.

Once I committed to attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for the Fall 2014 Semester, I knew that I wanted to join the Women’s Ambassador Program. I wanted to be able to welcome other girls on campus, just like my ambassador had, and to encourage girls to pursue education in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields. I applied as soon as the applications came out in the fall, and by early January 2015 I found out I was going to be an Ambassador!

Prescott and Daytona Beach Ambassadors at Bahama Breeze

Now that it is January 20, 2015, I have been an Ambassador for about two weeks, and I have already experienced so many amazing things! Last weekend the Ambassadors from the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott, Arizona campus came to visit. We started off the getting-to-know-each other process with a dinner at Bahama Breeze on Thursday. It was interesting to hear all about the Arizona campus and the work that the Prescott Ambassadors were doing there.

On Friday, we set out to local schools to do outreach with their students. We talked about what STEM education has to offer and did an activity with the kids which included making a marshmallow-slinging catapult out of a clothes hangar, spoon, and rubber bands. It was a lot of fun to get to talk to children from around the area about what they want to do in the future and why they love STEM.

Kalina and I with our winning catapult team!

The rest of the weekend was filled with fun activities. Saturday morning we gave a tour of our campus to the Prescott Ambassadors. Next, we went to Universal Studios-Orlando with the Prescott Ambassadors on Sunday and spent the whole day riding roller coasters, getting to know each other, and getting absolutely soaked on the Jurassic Park Ride!

All the Ambassadors in front of the Flight Line on the Daytona Beach Campus

All of the Ambassadors at Universal Studios-Orlando’s Islands of Adventure Park

Daytona Beach Ambassadors Kalina, Kealey (also a ERAU blogger), and I on the Jurassic Park Ride (Prior to getting soaked)!

Daytona Beach Ambassadors Kalina, Kealey (also an ERAU blogger), and I on the Jurassic Park Ride (prior to getting soaked)!

All in all, it was awesome to get to know not only the Prescott Ambassadors, but also my fellow Daytona Beach Ambassadors. In April, the Daytona Beach Women’s Ambassadors will be traveling to the Prescott, AZ campus to do outreach! I can’t wait to experience all the Prescott Campus has to offer! In the meantime, I will be able to make my first phone calls to girls who have applied to ERAU starting next week. I can’t wait to be on the other end of the phone: getting to know the Freshman Girls of the Class of 2019 and building friendships with them!

Until next time,

Lindsey

New Semester, Fresh Start!

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Kealey

My favorite part about starting a new semester is the chance to have a clean slate and a fresh start! There are so many new and exciting things to look forward to this semester and I can’t wait to share all my experiences with you!

Home for the holidays:

Thanksgiving is always a relaxing break right before the last week of school. I was lucky enough to spend it with my best friend and her family up in Flagler Beach. The beauty of being in college is that even if you don’t go home for Thanksgiving there’s always a place to go! Her family was so welcoming and it’s always nice to feel the warmth of being home even when you are hundreds of miles away. Something I have also learned while being in college is to never turn down a home cooked meal, they are few and hard to come by!

: Thanksgiving Festivities!

For Christmas break, I wrapped things up down here in Florida and I headed up to the cold and snowy New Hampshire! There’s nothing like leaving 80 degree weather and landing in a winter wonderland! One of my first stops when I landed in Boston was to Bob Lobster; by far the best lobstah and chowdah in New England!

Bob Lobsters Famous Lobster Rolls and Clam Chowder, Newburyport Massachusetts

My favorite part about being home for break is the chance to take a step back from the stress of school and finally get to relax. I was able to catch up with many of my old friends that I haven’t seen in years! On Christmas day my mom and I took a drive up the coast and went to watch the sunset on the beach. Although it was freezing, the view was absolutely breathtaking! I took my new puppy Siena (named after Siena Italy where I studied abroad) to the beach and she was running around in sand and it was by far the cutest thing ever!

My new puppy Siena!

For New Years Eve my best friend from high school and I went to the First Night Celebrations in Portsmouth, New Hampshire! The night was filled with people dancing in the streets, fireworks, and lots of great food!

New Years Eve

New Years Day is probably one of my most favorite days of the year. I love having the opportunity to close the chapter on a year and start a new one off fresh. Everyone makes mistakes in life and its our responsibility to learn from them and keep moving forward. For me this past year was definitely one of mistakes, but it was also one filled with lots of opportunities to learn. Here’s some things that I learned this past year and some advice I have for starting off this new semester:

1. Stay Organized: One of my main goals this semester is to stay organized and on top of all my work. I plan on doing this by writing down all my homework, upcoming tests, club meetings, ect. in my calendar so that I can stay on top of everything that I need to get done.

2. Prioritize: We only have so many hours in a day; therefore it is so important that you rank things in order of importance to insure that everything gets done on time.

3. Get Enough Sleep: This is one of the most important factors in order to succeed in college. I definitely did not get enough of this last year and I know that it negatively affected my ability to stay alert during lectures.

4. Stay Healthy: Eating well and staying active will give you more energy throughout the day, and will also allow you to focus better in class as well as increasing your ability to sleep better.

5. Be Happy: My number one goal this semester is to be happy. Sometimes with the stress of classes and work its hard to find time to be happy. My goal is to try to find something everyday that makes me happy, whether its going out with friends, going for a run, or even just playing with my puppy! This year is a new start and its time to fill the days with happiness and positivity!

Leaving home after break was definitely sad but it was exciting to head back to the sunny blue skies and warm weather! This semester I am finally getting into my upper level meteorology classes which I am really looking forward to. My sorority Sigma Sigma Sigma also has recruitment coming up which will give me the opportunity to meet lots of new girls around campus! I will keep you updated on all my new classes, Sigma Sigma Sigma, The Women’s Ambassador Program, and all the interesting things around campus!

For now I will leave you with a picture of my puppy and I on our last day in New Hampshire playing in the snow!

Happy New Year and until next time!

-Kealey

R&R

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Lindsey

By the time finals week rolled around here at ERAU, the library became completely packed, Starbucks was busy at all hours of the day (and night), and all of us students were eagerly packing our bags for our journeys home for the holidays. After all of the stress of finals week, our Fall 2014 Semester was finally complete and we were free to relax for a few weeks. I spent my break at my home in Lake Tapps, WA with my family and friends. Although it was filled with rest and relaxation, I also kept a somewhat busy schedule…

Before I left Florida, it only felt fitting to go to Walt Disney World one last time. I went with my boyfriend and we enjoyed looking at all of the spectacular holiday decorations Disney puts up. We also took time to ride a few rides (although it was very busy), visit Minnie and Mickey, watch the Electrical Parade, and end our night with the fireworks show.

Once I finally got back to the Evergreen State, I was greeted with cool, crisp air the minute I walked out of the airport. As I got used to the cold over the next week, I had the chance to go to my first NBA game, which was the Portland Trail Blazers versus the San Antonio Spurs at the Moda Center in Portland, OR. It was a really cool experience getting to actually go to a game. I also went to The Nutcracker Ballet in Seattle, as well as a Michael W. Smith Christmas Concert with my family. My friends and I spent one night driving around Seattle to find the best Christmas light decorations around. We definitely found some over-the-top decorations.

Our view at the NBA game.

The curtain at The Nutcracker.

The week before Christmas was spent baking cookies, wrapping presents, having the annual gingerbread house competition, and watching Christmas movies with my family. It really is the best time of the year!

David and I’s entry in the Gingerbread House Competition. We definitely won!

Although we did not have a White Christmas at my house like I was hoping for, we did manage to get some snow in the Cascade Mountain Range with just enough time left for me to go skiing before I departed for the Sunshine State once again.

My dad, younger sister, boyfriend, and two other friends all went up to Crystal Mountain Ski Resort one day, and we had an amazing time. The mountain had just got over 20 inches of snow that weekend, so the snow conditions were wonderful! What wasn’t so wonderful was the weather… After a few runs on the small hill, we decided to head up the chairlift to the Summit. That day it was 7 degrees and very windy, however we did manage to make it a great day full of skiing.

David, myself, and Brian waiting to ride the Gondola to the Summit at Crystal Mountain.

The drive to Crystal Mountain.

All in all, I would call my break a success. It was full of rest and relaxation, family time, and adventures. Now that I am back at ERAU, I do miss the feeling of being stress-free and spending time with my family and friends, but I am also ready to see what this semester has in store for me!

Until next time,

Lindsey

An Intermission

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Billy

Grand Central Station is astonishingly beautiful.

As I sit here typing, I’m literally having that “What I learned in boating school is…!” moment from Spongebob as I try to account for what happened these past few weeks.

With my first semester completed, I finally have time to reevaluate all the things that have happened to me over the past four months. I have learned from my mistakes, and hopefully I will have the courage and intuition to make the upcoming semester better for myself, physically and mentally.

Of course as I waited for my flight at Orlando International Airport, I had plenty of time to

The Airbus a320 I was on crossing the runway after touching down at Newark.

think about these things since my flight was delayed for about five hours. With my 7PM departure time on December 10th bumped up to 12AM , I didn’t get to my house until 4AM the next day. Surprisingly enough, I was very alert and awake… I may have accidentally “loosened” one of those motorized sliding doors at Newark trying to get to my parents because they had to move the SUV, but I digress. Once I recovered from the flight, I spent the day visiting old friends and the next I went back in business as a freelance photographer taking pictures of my friend’s Sweet 16.

The following week I went back to work at the staffing firm I’d been interning at for the past

I would take the train to Newark, NJ and then the PATH to the World Trade Center. Elapsed time: 1.5 hours.

3 years in New York City. It was good seeing my old coworkers again, and it felt good getting back into the swing of things. Nothing says you’re a man like commuting to work by train, working in the financial district of New York City, and drinking hot chocolate during breaks; I missed it.

Despite experiencing Daylight Savings my whole life and working in the city for 3 years, the whole “Wow it gets really dark here after 4PM” thing never really stuck with me. To be honest I was hoping for some snow this winter because I hear the city looks fantastic at night with snow. I never had the opportunity to see itfor myself because I would usually leave the city by around 6PM due to my hour-long commute. I’m hoping to at least go back on New Year’s Day as a tourist to visit all the places and see the sights before going back to Florida.

On the bright side, I’m looking forward to coming back to Riddle. I feel like a new person and I have a feeling that 2015 may be my year. Only time will tell right? Happy Holidays everyone, and I hope to see you all really soon!

The 12th Hour

Posted on December 6, 2014 by Billy

Has it been 14 weeks already? Honestly it feels like I just moved into Riddle yesterday, and now I’ll have to leave in a matter of days; It’s almost surreal to be honest. But, with finals just around the corner, there’s no time to reflect on my nostalgia. I have only two finals: physics and calculus. Physics I’m pretty confident in thanks to the regulations regarding note-cards: we’re allowed to use them. Calculus is a little more dicey, and I try to forget about it as best as I can. Hopefully, I can overcome my procrastination to relearn all the material that, for some bizarre reason, never seemed to stick in my head. All in all, “the grade you get, is the grade you earned” so I’ll have to let that be my mantra while studying.

On a much brighter note, I am now a general member of the Avion which means I can get clearance for events and stuff. Because the Avion is well known, many of the photographers in the group, can get special clearance to view rocket launches at Cape Canaveral much closer than the general public. I’m looking forward to next year’s launch schedule and I will make it my mission to see a rocket launch; hopefully my schedule will cooperate with me on that.

Ernie the Eagle joins me for dinner at Starbucks.

Also, as of 5 hours ago (Dec. 5, 2014 8PM EST), I was totally unaware that we had a college mascot. I was taking pictures outside and saw a rather large eagle costume approach the Hunt Library. In a brilliant moment of word association, I realized that the eagle was no one other than Ernie the Eagle. Or it could have been the fact that someone yelled “Ernie!” across the courtyard but we won’t mention it.

I recently had the opportunity to observe a flight with my friend and it was absolutely incredible. After many years of flying in Flight Simulator X, seeing a Cessna, or any plane really, up close and personal is such a wonderful and surreal experience. The fact that I could sit in the cockpit and had a feel for what each button, lever, and dial does is truly remarkable. I hope to one day get my pilot’s license and trade up my desk simulator for actual flight hours, but for now, FSX and flight observations will have to suffice.

I’ve learned a lot of things during this semester at Riddle. Aside from the knowledge learned in the classroom, I’ve learned a lot about myself, valuable life lessons, and how to navigate life in Florida. I’ve had a great time these past 14 weeks, and I’m definitely looking forward to next semester. So on that bombshell, not really, I wish everyone luck on their finals and hope to see you all in a few weeks!

Give Thanks

Posted on December 3, 2014 by Lindsey

The last few weeks have been pretty stressful for me. Between classes, homework, tests, interviews, club meetings, and a social life, I haven’t had much time to relax at all. Thankfully, Thanksgiving break came just at the right time and was a much needed break from all of the busyness that school brings. Although I did not have the privilege of going home for the five day break, I was able to spend time in Orlando.

My Thanksgiving break was not full of home cooked meals, family time, cold weather, or relaxation; instead it was filled with theme park food, driving, sunshine, and a lack of sleep, although I wouldn’t have changed it. I was able to spend the break at the Disney World Parks, at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, as well as in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Orlando.

Although I did not travel to my home in Washington State, I still felt like I was on the go a lot. The first day of break I went to Tampa and St. Petersburg just to explore the cities, since I had never been there before. It was a really awesome experience because I got to drive across central Florida and along the west coast for awhile. One of my favorite things to do is to go on adventures to places I have never been before, and because of this passion, I made it my goal to explore the whole state of Florida while I am at Embry-Riddle for four years. This Thanksgiving break seemed like the perfect opportunity to start on the path to my goal, so I did.

The next few days of break were filled with Disney magic. I had never been to Disney World while the Christmas decorations were up, so I took full advantage of every minute I had to enjoy the holiday festivities. I was so excited to see the full size gingerbread house inside the Grand Floridian Resort, as well as the Osborne Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (The Osborne Light Show is a light show that is synced with holiday music and is truly amazing to see in person. It is put on each year during the holiday season.) Each morning I woke up early so that I could make it to one of the parks right when it opened, and then I would jump between parks, Downtown Disney, and the Disney resorts throughout the day. Anytime you spend a day at Disney you are sure to have a great experience, but also end the day absolutely exhausted. I was there so much that my Thanksgiving dinner was a famous Disney turkey leg that I bought in the Hollywood Studios park!

Christmas tree at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort

Gingerbread house that is entirely edible at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort

Being funny and eating a famous Disney turkey leg for Thanksgiving dinner!

The Osborne Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

In addition to my fun-filled days at Disney World, I also spent a day at the Universal theme parks. I had never been to Universal in Orlando before, so I was excited to get to experience rides that were new to me. I started the day off early at the Islands of Adventure park where I decided to ride the Hulk first. I never realized how intense the roller coasters are at Universal until I got on the Hulk, but being the adrenaline junkie that I am, I absolutely loved it! The rest of the day was spent visiting Harry Potter World, sipping on the famous Butterbeer (it’s non-alcoholic, of course), and riding more rides in the Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios parks.

Hogwarts at Universal’s Islands of Adventure Park

Delicious frozen Butterbeer

Suess Landing in Universal’s Islands of Adventures Park

Although it felt like my entire Thanksgiving break was go, go, go, and I did not get to spend it with my family, I am still so thankful for the opportunities I had to experience new things while I was here in Florida over break. My advice to you is to always be thankful for the people in your life, no matter if they are near or far, the life you are living, even if it does seem to be go, go, go all the time, and the opportunities you are given.

Until next time,

Lindsey

Up Up and Away!

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Kealey

Hello All!

It’s crazy how fast time goes by now a days! It feels like just yesterday that I first came to Embry-Riddle and visited the campus for the first time. It has been almost four years, two different changes of major, and countless life lessons since that day. But lets not get ahead of ourselves… Here’s a quick run down:

My names Kealey Cela and I grew up a Navy Brat; living all over the world and moving more than 13 times! I lived in places like Hawaii, Japan, Virginia, and California. Finally my family settled down in a small town in New Hampshire where I went to high school. I’m not the biggest fan of snow which is why going to school in Florida was such a nice change of pace!

I started my college career at a school in Northern Virginia, and then transferred to Embry Riddle for my sophomore year. Over the last three years of college I have learned just as much about my degree as I have about life.

Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them – that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like. -Lao Tzu

One of the most challenging life lessons that I learned during my time in college has been change. Change can present itself in many different ways. For example: The transition from home life to dorm life is a huge change, changing your mind about your major, changing clubs, or even changing your order at Starbucks. The hardest lesson that I have had to learn is overcoming change. Almost every college student at some point will question their major or their career path.

I came to Embry-Riddle with the mindset that I was going to be an Aerospace Engineer, and that I was going to work for a big company like Raytheon or Boeing one day. But it turns out that it just wasn’t for me. I thought about what I wanted to do with my life and after taking some different courses I ended up on Operational Meteorology, which I have more passion for now than I ever did with Engineering. The best advice I can give based on my experience is to ultimately do what makes you happy in life even if its something you never saw yourself doing originally. If something truly is not making you happy anymore, don’t do it! Once I realized this I felt like I was able to navigate the seas of college life much easier!

Something else that has made me very happy in life has been everything that I have gotten involved in here on campus!

This summer I was fortunate enough to study abroad in Siena, Italy. I received 3 upper level and 3 lower level humanities credits while I was abroad! I would highly suggest getting involved in the study abroad program, it gave me memories and friendships to last a life time, and its the same price as staying on campus and taking classes over the summer!

Representing the U.S. on a bridge in Venice

The Pisa tower really does lean!

Enjoying our last weekend in Italy in Rome at the Colosseum

Sigma Sigma Sigma

During the Spring semester I joined Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority here on campus, and it was certainly one of the best decisions I have made while being at school. Sigma has helped keep me more involved in my studies as well as around campus and in the community!

Initiation!

Hope For Hayley 5K with my sisters!

Sigma Sigma Sigma

I am also an Ambassador for the Women’s Ambassador Program here on campus, which is something that I am very proud of. We work with the admissions department to raise the female population here on campus! We also do lots of events to support women around our campus and in our community!

Ambassadors for the Women’s Ambassador Program at our Waiz Welcome Dinner

College is all about embracing changes and going with the flow. Try not to get too stressed about anything, its honestly not worth it! Worry about things that you can change, and then change them. And lastly always do what makes you happy in life even if its a little unexpected! If you can do your best to live by these principles you’ll be Up Up and Away before you know it!

“This Isn’t ‘Goodbye,’ It’s Only ‘See You Later.'”

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Billy

Hello there!

I’ll assume that if you’re reading this, you’ll have no idea who I am: which is good because I have a few lines to make a good first impression!

In addition to living in NJ, I also work in New York City!

My name is Billy Nguyen and I’m from Eatontown, NJ. For starters, no NJ is nothing like the TV show “Jersey Shore.” Actually, it’s quite far from it and I highly recommend coming down in the summer since the beaches and night life is pretty cool around here, or you can go to California: I won’t judge you. Growing up, I didn’t have that many opportunities to pursue my interest in engineering or really anything aerospace related. What I did to get by was take the engineering courses offered at my high-school and spend countless hours flying in Flight Simulator X. Still to this day, I fly regularly in that game.

Oh so artsy.

On the side I started doing photography, videography, music, acting, graphic design, drawing, and computer work; a mouthful right? While my hobbies weren’t directly related to my major of Aerospace Engineering, I was able to find some outlets for my hobbies to keep myself engaged and active during my first semester here at Embry-Riddle. Thanks to my ingenuity, I’m now a general member of the Avion newspaper and I regularly cover campus events as a photographer. I wish I had time to join the Acafellas and Riddle Players, but maybe someday I’ll tryout. (You have been warned.)

Adjusting to life at Riddle was extremely challenging: definitely a step-up from high-school for sure. As we near the end of the first semester I can really start to grasp how much I’ve learned and changed these past few weeks and it’s really amazing. I think I’ve changed for the better; I’m now more aware of how important time management is (note how I didn’t say I got better at time management,) and I’m starting to learn how to navigate the world on my own. It’s a life changing experience and my curiosity and passion for learning is what will ultimately carry me through all of this.

As my high-school’s cheerleading manager of 3 years, the quote in the title was

adjust is to get involved. If you have a passion for

tossed around a lot towards the end of each season and it makes me think about all the things that could happen in the 4-5 years when you’re away at college; only time can tell how things will turn out for me. For now, hopefully I come home for Winter Break I can impress my friends with the MATLAB programs I can write.

My advice for anyone still trying to adjust is to get involved. If you have a passion for something, chances are there is a club for you; you don’t even have to join a

Wings & Waves was my first ever airshow and I was amazed.

club on campus per-say. There’s plenty of opportunities in the Daytona area. There is literally so much you can do at Embry-Riddle but you have to take that first step. Also, keep in touch with your friends and family. I like to send letters to my friends and I think I’m one of the few people still keeping the post office running.

So on that bombshell, “Allons-y!”
Billy N.™

New Location, New Experiences

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Lindsey

“Be willing to be uncomfortable. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. It may get tough, but it’s a small price to pay for living a dream” -Peter McWilliams

This quote has been my motto ever since my senior year of high school, when I decided I wanted to go to school in Florida… 3, 140 miles away from my home in Lake Tapps, WA. Most of my friends were choosing to attend colleges either in the state of Washington or in the surrounding states. Everyone thought I was crazy for wanting to go to school all the way across the country, but this quote is what gave me the faith to pursue my dreams and move to Daytona Beach.

Throughout my first four months of college, I can tell you that I have been uncomfortable many times. But being uncomfortable in this case does not have to have a negative connotation. I believe that being uncomfortable can also mean living outside of our comfort zone, and I am a strong believer that stepping out of our comfort zone is what helps us to truly experience growth as a person.

Making the decision to attend ERAU in Daytona Beach has been the biggest and most difficult decision of my life so far, but I am positive that I made the right decision by coming here. I am able to pursue my major, which is Aviation Business Administration, and also network with so many people who are high-up in the aviation industry. Embry-Riddle provides so many opportunities for students to meet with industry professionals and the Career Expo is just one of them. Had I not come to ERAU, I am certain I would not be holding conversations with professionals who are high up in the aviation industry, especially as a first semester freshman!

My suite mates and I at the Career Expo on campus.

Not only do I love my school and all the academic opportunities that are available here, but I also love to experience new things. By coming to ERAU, I have been able to do so many things that I never would have been able to do if I went to any other university. These are just a few examples…

The Florida coastline from 3000 ft above.

Here at ERAU, flying is in our DNA. Even though I am not a pilot, I still have a passion for aviation. There is something so freeing about being thousands of feet above, looking down and seeing the buildings get smaller and smaller, and then looking to your left and to your right and watching the clouds float past your window.

I want to give you a peek at some of my experiences I have had throughout my first semester…

Me standing on the Daytona International Speedway finish line.

The USAF Thunderbirds flying over the beach for the Wings and Waves Air Show.

I got to stand in front of a C-17 at the NAS JAX Air Show.

Me standing in front of a C-17 at the NAS JAX Air Show.

I went boogie boarding at Ponce Inlet.

I got to tour the observatory at ERAU and see the telescope on top of the COAS building.

I was able to see the ERAU telescope on top of the COAS building.

The original ERAU Waco.

I got to spend a day at the “Happiest Place on Earth”.

I am so glad that I decided to step outside of my comfort zone and attend ERAU. Peter McWilliams’ quote has held true for me throughout my first semester. Taking the risk of moving across the country, starting a new life, and beginning university is a daunting task for anyone, but it has definitely been worth all of the experiences I have already had, and will continue to have here in Florida. I am completely in love with my new life here at Embry-Riddle and I know that even though I am continuing to push myself to live outside my comfort zone, “it’s a small price to pay for living a dream”.

My Life @ Riddle

Daytona Beach Edition

Category Archives: 2013 – 2014

The Future is Very Bright

ERAU Women’s Ambassador

New Semester, Fresh Start!

R&R

An Intermission

The 12th Hour

Give Thanks

Up Up and Away!

“This Isn’t ‘Goodbye,’ It’s Only ‘See You Later.'”

New Location, New Experiences