Category Archives: 2017-2018

Delta’s Firsts!

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Women’s History Month highlights the contributions to society’s advancements in all fields. As women, it is an uphill battle to overcome adversity in male-dominated careers. This is often enough to make us give up and turn around, but for Captain Stephanie Johnson and Captain Arcie Quintana this was the motivation they needed. Delta’s Firsts, a Women’s History Month celebration, was an inspiring and motivational event for everyone to listen, learn and connect about the adversity female pilots endure.

Captain Stephanie Johnson, currently piloting an Airbus A320, is the first female African-American captain at Delta Airlines. Among many other things, such as being a wife and a mother, Captain Johnson is the Director of the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals Cleveland Aviation Career Education (ACE) Academy.

Captain Isaura Arcie Quintana, currently piloting the Boeing 757 and 767, is the first female Latina Captain at Delta Airlines. Captain Quintana endured many hurdles while pursuing her career as a single mother, including financial instability. Despite these challenges, she was the first and only female pilot at JetWest Aviation. The Captain was also the first female pilot to fly MD-90s for Great American Airways and Sunjet Aviation prior to beginning her career at Northwest Airlines. Her success defines the possibilities we can all achieve if we persevere.

Both captains shared with the audience their backgrounds, their history, and the numerous challenges they continue to face as women in aviation. Despite this, they shared their confidence in Delta Airlines and other airlines as they continue to learn new ways to empower and encourage women. Captain Johnson explained that Delta’s Women’s Employee Network encourages female employees to empower one another. It includes pilots and corporate employees alike.

Below are some things they would like women to keep in mind not only this month, but as we continue to pursue our careers:

  1. “Don’t Guess!” – Captain Quintana
    Someone else has gone through the hiring process. Connect with them and learn from their experience.
  2. “You’re teaching your children what it means to be a strong woman.” – Captain Johnson
    For those that wish to have children and pursue a career – It’s more than possible.
  3. “In flying, half the battle is the confidence you have in yourself.” – Captain Johnson
    Your purpose is to make yourself proud. Every time you take off and every time you land is a reflection of dedication and devotion. It’s what really matters.
  4. “You can make it happen no matter what. You have money. You don’t have money. Make it happen.” – Captain Quintana
    No excuses. Captain Quintana educated herself thanks to grants and scholarships. Utilize your resources! There’s always a way.

Delta’s First was hosted by the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals student chapter as well as the Office of Diversity & Inclusion (Pictured Left to Right – Captain Stephanie Johnson, Director of the Office of Diversity & Inclusion Kenneth Hunt, OBAP advisor Dr. Nancy Lawrence, various OBAP members, and Captain Arcie Quintana).

⋆ Dani

 

Long Distance Love

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I hope everyone is doing well! We just finished Spring Break and it’s now the time of year that feels so busy as we all wrap up projects and prepare for finals! Last time I wrote about Preview Day (April 7th) and I hope you can all attend! If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments section of that post! If/when you visit, be sure to check out and use #Iamaneagle on social media! I plan to write up the ULTIMATE packing list that I wish I had had, but for now, I thought it would be beneficial to ease the minds of many incoming freshmen.

As a Women’s Ambassador, my third or fourth conversation with my girls is usually asking about relationships. It’s not uncommon for people who have been dating throughout high school to be a little panicked at this point in senior year.

To begin, I’m proud of anyone who is planning on trying out long distance. It’s easy to quit the relationship, or worse, give up your dream to go to the same college as your “bae”. Our school is so specialized that you most likely are coming because your passion is in aviation or aerospace! While these final months spent together may make you dread being apart (if they don’t I would be worried, haha!), know it is all ok!

 

Ok, here is the background on my long distance relationship and then we will get on with the advice!

Chris and I have been together since the middle of senior year. We went to different schools but worked together at a restaurant. Overall, we didn’t have the opportunity to spend much time together throughout the week, but we always made time on Friday nights or the weekend after work. Chris stayed in Colorado while I moved to Florida for school. On breaks, I would go home and spend lots of time with him and my family. Sometimes Chris would be gone on breaks and that would be hard. This year, Chris is in California, so I don’t even get to see him when I go home. That definitely makes things more challenging.

Chris is in the military so we have an additional challenge. Last fall we went months without any contact except letters. It was rough but very rewarding when I finally got to see him at his graduation. I was so proud! We still struggle due to the time difference between us and with both of us being busy!

 

My best advice:

Do it – As I already mentioned, a lot of people never even try. They break up before or one sacrifices their education/top university choice for the other. Try it! Do what is best for you and I promise, if it is meant to be, you will find a way to make it work!

Write letters – I learned that while Chris was in Basic Training, letters made our love story very fun! It’s better than texting all day and being distracted from life in front of you. Even though we can text occasionally throughout the day, we still send letters!

Use the mail – Along with letters, use things like Etsy, BirchBox, flower delivery services, or other mailing options to send surprises to each other. Chris is great at this and little does he know, he currently has a surprise coming to him now! Everyone loves a little surprise and getting a package from the mail center makes my day! This sounds expensive but it’s not! Think about if you did a date night, it would be about $40. Mailing Chris a box of his favorite snacks costs $20!

Make time – This is obvious but it’s harder than people think. He is working and I have class, work, and activities. We promise each other the weekend afternoons! He normally calls me at night and we do homework together after sharing our days. We use to text everything but now we have cut back so we have things to share at night. This gives us something to look forward to! I have learned to communicate very clearly my feelings since we don’t have the luxury of non-verbal cues. I have to remind myself he can’t see that I’m tired, so I need to say I am. This way he knows I may be a bit crankier.

Facetime is life – It is. While you may be sad seeing couples together, you just have to accept this is as good as it gets for now. We Facetime often and sync movies (there are websites for this) or play 21 questions! It sounds silly but there are games to play online if you Google them!

Plan trips – While it may be more expensive, think of all the money you’re saving on eating out while apart! I visited Chris last month (you can see my other post for more details) and he came last semester. That short time together makes it all worth it! We think of it as getting to travel more than we would if we were together. When he comes to visit, it’s like a mini vacation!

Be patient – Patience is the backbone of long distance relationships. You have to be ok with boring Facetime calls, awkward silences, not knowing any of the same people, not being able to share stories about classes like in high school, and not experiencing new things together. Yes it makes me sad and we fought a lot to get to the point we are at now, but you really learn and grow as a person throughout it. I have learned to communicate more, be off my phone, and listen better.

At the end of the day, I just recommend giving it a shot. Do NOT let your relationship jeopardize your future. Unfortunately, a lot of my friends broke up in college, even people who went to the same school. There is no advice that will save your relationship, that’s up to you! I just know that while we have weeks we fight every day, we have months of constant happiness even while apart. Yes, it sucks I am alone, but because of this, I am way more involved in my classes and clubs! Honestly, if Chris were here, I would always be distracted! If your partner is coming to the same school as you, that’s great! Don’t lose yourself or miss out on opportunities though!

Have a great week! – Maddie Dietrich

 

Reminiscing with OBAP

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Student clubs and organizations THRIVE on campus. There are over 200 different organizations ranging from professional organizations, major-specific orgs, and even clubs for music and the arts. There’s a home for everyone, and I found a home in the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP).

We hosted our first ever OBAP week during Black History Month and we’re finally compiling all of the content. OBAP week emphasizes our pillars – scholarship, leadership networking, and community service.

This was our OBAP week flyer that we distributed throughout campus. All events were open to everyone and we were happy to see that faculty members participated in events as well.

Sunday, club members got together to paint the Spirit Rock. Located steps away from the Student Center, the Spirit Rock is a point of self-expression for students on campus. OBAP was excited to add the layers of painted history that the rock provides the student body.

Our finished product! We definitely aren’t spray paint masters, but in the process of painting the rock we got a chance to bond, talk, and just have fun.

Throughout the week we displayed Black Aviation/Aerospace Facts in the student center. This was an opportunity to shed light on the giants that paved the way for Black and African-Americans in aviation.

Prior to flying with United Airlines, Captain Marshall served in the United States Air Force beginning in 1964. In 1972, Captain Marshall was forced to eject over enemy territory and was captured. He was a Prisoner of War (POW) until his release in 1973. Our members and other attendees were fortunate enough to hear his stories as an African-American in the USAF and a POW in the 60s and 70s – a time of racism and civil injustice. His stories highlight the importance of celebrating Black History Month as well as the other men and women that contribute to “reclaiming our time.”

Later in the week, we attended the Embry-Riddle Basketball games with the Caribbean Students Association. Dressed in our blue and gold, we were the embodiment of school spirit. Still one of the best games I’ve been to!

Our members also got the opportunity to participate in the half-time games. I honestly can’t remember if we won; we were so busy cheering that we didn’t know what we were really cheering for. We were just excited! The games are a must.

On Friday, we invited Bethune-Cookman University to participate in our annual trivia night. Questions were centered around Black history, aviation, aerospace, and pop culture.

OBAP closed off the week with a leadership retreat in Orlando. Staying in the house allowed us to bond, connect, and learn from one another.

In light of all of these events and the upcoming close of the year, our club (myself, especially) is reminiscing. This was a semester to cherish. Thank you to everyone that participated and those that will participate in the future. OBAP is Embry-Riddle and I couldn’t be more proud to be an Eagle!

To see more of OBAP’s events and our role in the Embry-Riddle campus community, check out our Instagram.

⋆ Dani

Accepted Students Reception with WAP

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Hello everyone,

I hope you’re doing well and had a great spring break! I was out for 4 more days after spring break since I got to travel with the Admissions Department and represent the Women’s Ambassador Program (WAP). I guess you could say I had a “mini-spring break” after the actual one! We traveled to Dallas, Houston and San Antonio for the Accepted Students Receptions (ASR). Some of the girls I met while representing WAP were Kiara (Dallas), Emili (Houston) and Rylan (San Antonio).

Met Kiara in Dallas

Met Emili in Houston

Met Rylan in San Antonio

Each future eagle got a towel as well as a folder that contained some information about our school. It had information about financial aid resources that included scholarship search and loans. It also included a list of things student should bring when they move in. Some of these include:

  • Sheets (single 80 inches)
  • Pillow/blanket
  • Towels
  • Lamp
  • Cleaning supplies
  • Laundry bag
  • Identification

One of the tips we suggest is that residents should coordinate with each other on who should bring what!

Swag for future eagles at ASR

There was also a handout regarding admitted student checklist in the folder. This checklist is a good reminder for students to follow and make the transition into college as smooth as possible. Here is the link to the checklist online: https://daytonabeach.erau.edu/admissions/applied-students/checklist/index.html

The ASR events were great opportunities to meet all our future eagles and to help ease any worries they had! I had a great time talking to them, and they sure loved hearing all about Riddle from a student’s perspective! I also got little gifts for working hard and going the extra mile during these events. I got a Starbucks gift card, Embry-Riddle table top propeller and a ERAU CS 172 model!

All in all, this was a great experience, and I can’t wait to travel in April to Seattle and Denver. Please feel free to ask me any questions, and I’d love to help!

Until next time,

Maryam Gracias

Spring to Life!

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Hello everyone!

I hope you all are having a fantastic spring break! My spring break has been eventful so far! For the first weekend of spring break, my family and I went camping to Salt Springs in Ocala for the weekend. Salt Springs is one of Ocala’s jewels. The spring was named due to the fact that there are potassium, sodium and magnesium deposits making the water saline. We had four tents set up, so we all pretty much had our own tents, except for, of course, my parents who shared a tent!

Partial view of our campsite

Full view of our campsite

Photo of our tents ft mum & bro

Another campsite photo

Relaxing photo ft Brent

There are plenty of activities to do in the area. When we camped there for 2 nights, we all went for a little hike and even biked around the recreation area. There is a beautiful lake named Lake Kerr, where campers can enjoy plenty of water activities. It was way too cold to go for a swim, but we did bike around the area. We had our bonfire going on pretty much our entire stay due to how cold it was!

Lake Kerr

Lake Kerr

Me gooning around on my bike

My dad acting cool with his bike skills

Brent & I next to a tree that is more than 200 years old

Lake Kerr

Me posing in general

Our massive bonfire

After camping, Brent and I headed back to Daytona due to my Women’s Ambassador Program (WAP) travel. I traveled with the Admissions Department to Cincinnati and Detroit on March 12th-14th representing WAP. We hosted Accepted Student Receptions in both states, where we got to talk to all our future eagles that will be joining us in Fall! I talked to a lot of students there and below are some of the photos with the girls I talked to! In Cincinnati, I met Sophie and Sydney. I met Lauren in Detroit, who will be joining us in Fall too! All of them are such amazing and bright women, and I am super excited for them to be joining our Riddle family!

Sophie and I in Cincinnati

Sydney and I in Cincinnati

Cincinnati Accepted Students Reception

Detroit Accepted Students Reception

Lauren and I in Detroit

After my WAP travel, my boyfriend picked me up from KDAB and we headed straight to my house in Bradenton. We all went for a dinner to Chilis, which was super fun!

My family <3

My brother Savio

Spring Break is not over yet! We have a fishing trip planned for this Saturday and then we head back to Daytona! I will be traveling next week with WAP again to Texas so stay tuned for my travel updates!

Until next time,

Maryam

Throwing it back…

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Today I am home in Castle Rock, Colorado for spring break. While I’m cruising through these old, familiar streets, I have been quite nostalgic of the times leading up to college. I remember being so excited after being accepted since Embry-Riddle was my first pick. I know many of you are going through similar experiences now, so I thought I would tell you a little bit about the last bit of time before college.

I have said this before, but if you are torn on which college to choose, go visit! Each college has its own personality and you’ll get a feeling once you’re standing there on whether or not you can see yourself there. I understand traveling can be expensive so take the online virtual tours and read blogs like these to understand student life! If you’ve visited both schools and are still unsure, do more research!

This time of year for seniors is pretty calm. Most know where they will be attending or at the very least, where they are accepted. The pressure of applications is off and all that is left to worry about is graduation and possibly some AP exams. The good news is… it only gets better from here!

Most colleges have an orientation or preview day. We have both here at Riddle! Preview Day is April 7th so be sure to RSVP for that! It is only for accepted students. Orientation is in fall before classes begin. At our Preview Day, you can sit in on classes, make tuition and housing deposits, take tours of the campus and dorms, get your eagle ID, and register for classes. You can also talk to financial aid if you have any questions or problems! I know many people who made friends and even found roommates during this day! Many campus organizations will be out and talking about their clubs so accepted students can get to know more about them. Girls can meet with their woman ambassador too – I know I am meeting with some of mine! I’m adding some very cheesy photos from my Preview Day in 2016 (I feel old) *cringe*!

Got my eagle ID!

Here I am getting help registering for classes. They provide a sheet of recommendations.

I met up with a girl from my town who was a senior at Riddle. Our mom’s worked together.

Meeting with my woman ambassador, Jackie! We still talk even though she has graduated.

Taking a housing tour and making friends! I still say hi to these guys when I see them on campus!

In the days leading up to graduation, cherish the moments. Don’t get too caught up in all the unimportant details like what shoes to wear or planning the perfect party. Enjoy your family who came to celebrate with you, thank your teachers for their support, and spend time with your friends before everyone goes to either side of the country! Get pictures before the graduation so you have better chances of getting non-crowded, and your first pick of backgrounds.

After graduation, enjoy your summer because the next ones will be filled with internships, flights, or summer classes. I worked the whole summer before coming to college and I am thankful I did. When the family plans a vacation, join them! (note: I have an older sister who is always super busy during the summer, so my parents learned from her that we need vacations now)!

You will also begin packing and preparing for school now! Soon I will be posting a thorough packing list. Until then, start getting necessities like bedding (for an XL twin bed) and other obvious items. (Note: I recommend Target, Macy’s, or PB Teen for bedding!)

One more thing about Preview Day, you get to tour Daytona when you have free time. While there is a lot to do, there is no strict schedule. My mom and I went to the flea market, beach, and Disney!

At Daytona Beach!

At the flea market!

Disney World with my mom!

Your Embry-Riddle gear gets you into cockpits! I was welcomed up on my flight back home!

Please leave a comment if you have any questions! I’d be happy to help!

– Maddie Dietrich

Visiting Delta HQ with ISASI

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Hello everyone,

I hope you’re well and had a nice long relaxing weekend! I spent my President’s Day weekend in Altanta and got to visit Delta headquarters with one of the organizations at Riddle, ISASI (International Society of Air Safety Investigators). It was great seeing everyone again and so glad they all remembered me from my internship during Spring 2017!!!

The day started with all of us checking in and getting our visitors pass. We all then broke into groups to do three rotational activities- SIM, Flight Attendant Training and then Operations Control Center (OCC) Tour. We all got an opportunity to fly the 747 sim at Delta. It was a lot of fun to take off and land the simulated aircraft!

 

We all got to see how flight attendants are trained to handle situations, especially during an emergency. They all go through rigorous training to help passengers if the plane crashes in water.

After seeing how the flight attendants are trained to handle dangerous situations, we all headed to OCC. This is where the meteorology lab is located, and Delta employees keep track of the weather and alert pilots of any bad weather. After the tours, we all headed back and had an opportunity to learn about Delta’s PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) and everything in it. We also got to try on the suits and boots. 

After the PPE session, we toured the Delta Flight Museum. They have a Boeing 747 that is now a part of the museum as well. The last Delta flight scheduled with paying passengers on a 747 was on December 19th 2017 in Detroit. It was really cool to see the “Queen of Skies” parked near the Flight Museum.

    

This was a truly rewarding experience, and the Delta employees took good care of us for the day!

Until next time,

Maryam

 

 

 

President’s Day Weekend!

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I hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend – I sure did!

For my President’s Day weekend, I went to San Francisco! I left on Thursday evening after class (I had to miss my one Friday class but my professor was very flexible) and returned Tuesday morning. During my trip I stayed at a friend’s house. That’s one awesome thing about college – you meet people from all over and build cool connections, like being able to stay at their place!

The reason I went to San Francisco is because my boyfriend, Chris, is in the Air Force and  goes to school in Monterey, California. Note: for those who are curious about long distance relationships, trust me when I say they are completely possible (I’ve been doing it for two years)! We loved the city so much!

Here is what we did –

Arrival at night: Chris came to the airport to come get me. He took a shuttle from the DLI (Defense Language Institute) to SFO and then we Ubered to In-N-Out!

Day 1: On our first day we went to Pier 39 and to the famous Boudin’s bread. We then took the ferry to Alcatraz and spent Chinese New Year in China Town! People were launching fireworks in the streets to celebrate.

Day 2: We woke up, got breakfast – which consisted of us putting our name on a list at one restaurant, then going to get a smoothie, avocado toast, and coffee all while waiting. You get a blanket when you eat some places too, which was a first for me! We then took a scenic route and walked to the Mission to get tacos and also saw Lombard Street (a super curvy road).

 

Day 3: I went to Union Square and the Westfield Mall. Chris and I love to eat. We travel by eating our way around the city! Every morning we try a new restaurant and coffee shop! We also had Pressed Juice and it was so good! Then I tried a charcoal latte, iced foam cappuccino, and a “make your own” tea blend machine! I also had super great toast with mascarpone and fruit – you’ve got to try it! We try to eat local and try recommendations from the people we meet or use Yelp. To get around, we use Uber Pool. This is a fun way to meet interesting people and it’s very inexpensive as long as you’re not in a hurry! It took about 20 minutes to get across the city but only cost about $5!

 

Day 4: Chris and I found a very cool breakfast sandwich place, got butter coffee (it’s actually really good), and then biked across the Golden Gate Bridge! On the other side of the bridge, we visited the tiny town of Sausalito. We toured the cute town and had really good Mexican food! Then we had to say goodbye and it was sad, but these trips are definitely worth it!

This weekend I went to Savannah, Georgia with Women in Aviation to tour Gulfstream! It was all paid for by the club and orchestrated by the school. Alumni gave the tours and bought our lunch! These opportunities are so amazing and unique to our university!

I encourage you to take any chance in college to take a break and explore! The nature of Riddle is that everyone is either at the beach, space station, or traveling on the weekends! Before you say college is too serious for trips, the week before my trip to San Francisco I had five tests, two quizzes, a paper, and a presentation. I was able to get A’s in all, so carpe diem!

From Dress Shirt to Concert

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I posted this on Instagram and got over 200 likes!

Resumes were hot off the printer and my suit was pressed smooth. I was career expo ready! Thanks to CareerFair plus, I was able to map out my day. I’ve gone to just about every career fair since my time at Riddle, and it has always proven to be a beneficial event. Whether I’m job hunting or just networking, I learn a little more about the industry and myself each time.

The only difference this year? I’m on the lookout for full-time opportunities. That’s right – a big girl job. It was kind of intimidating going into this year, but the school definitely had me prepared. Elevator speeches, resume reviews, and info sessions all contribute to developing a well-rounded understanding and approach to getting the most out of the event.

I spoke to several amazing companies including The Spaceship Company, Orbital ATK, and Jet Support Services, Inc, among many others. I also had to opportunity to see a few alumni return and do recruiting themselves. I also competed in the Career Fair Instagram challenge and earned second place for the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals.

With all the career fair preparation, it was great to relax the following Friday at WIKD’s Spring Block Party featuring Bas! Not only was Bas the first rap artist to perform at Embry-Riddle, but he’s signed under J-Cole’s Dreamville Records.

The concert took place on the west lawn after a series of smaller activities like kettle corn and inflatable obstacles. WIKD is the campus radio station and they even gave out t-shirts and bandannas. The best part? IT WAS FREE. WIKD really came through with this one for the campus and I look forward to seeing what else they coordinate in the future.

The crowd was ecstatic and Bas definitely enjoyed himself. He even ran off stage and one point to be with the student body. His DJ was amazing, too! All-in-all, the music was energetic. It was “pure vibes” as my friends and I like to say. It was a great end to a busy and eventful week.

⋆ Dani

Things I Wish I Could Tell My Senior-Self

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Happy February!

In this post, I wanted to do some reflecting and share some wisdom I have gained since coming to college… And I know, I know, what wisdom can a 20-year-old have? Well, going to college is like speed reading a “Discover Who You Really Are for Dummies” book where half the chapters are missing and even when you follow the book exactly, things still don’t always go as planned. After two years and three semesters, I feel like a pro. But watch, tomorrow I will accidentally go to the wrong room or pull a complete amateur move because let’s be real, even the wisest people aren’t that wise during an 8 am class.

Now, while I’m still getting the hang of this whole college thing, I can confidently give advice on things I wish I could tell my senior-self. This idea came when I was applying for internships – I know, scary – and needed my high school transcript. When I went to pull up my old high school’s website, I saw a new “alumni” tab. And that’s when it hit me… I’m an alum! Working in the Office of Development for Embry-Riddle, I always knew I wanted to give back when I became an alum of the university. It had never occurred to me I was already an alum, but of my high school! Long story short, I began to reflect on my high school days and realized I thought I knew it all but boy was I wrong!

To begin, I was a good high school student. It’s not like I ditched class and I’m reflecting on how that was a bad idea. I had a GPA above a 4.0, took college classes, was the president of the National Honor Society and DECA, volunteered, and played a sport. Meanwhile, I worked two jobs and flew at the local airport. Life was busy but very fun. I always knew I wanted to go to Embry-Riddle. It had been my dream school since the 7th grade and my school counselor didn’t even try convincing me otherwise. Sounds like a pretty good time, right? It was! But, there are still things I wish I would have done or known and here they are:

  1. Take as many AP and dual-enrollment classes as possible: When you are paying thousands of dollars to learn basic biology, you will understand what I mean. College, especially ours, has so many interesting courses so try to knock out as many of the basic ones in high school.
  2. Do an internship: My high school offered an internship program and I really wish I had done it! Once you begin applying for internships, you realize that companies want experience and high school is a great time to begin.
  3. Find a mentor: Mentors are super important and I wish I saw this in high school. Always be on the lookout for networking opportunities. My sister’s friend’s mom (convoluted I know, sorry!) went to Embry-Riddle and works for Frontier now! It was nice to have her introduce me to people, write letters of recommendations, invite me to the Women in Aviation Conference as a senior in high school, and then be a great name to drop as an “in” when I attend Frontier events.
  4. Apply for scholarships: You’ve heard it a million times and I’m sorry but… It’s so important to apply, even when you are in college. Since many scholarships have similar essay topics, keep a folder with your essays and use those to quickly write more for other scholarships. Free money is free money and definitely worth 30 minutes of your time. My advice to high schoolers – look local. Even in my tiny town of Castle Rock, Colorado we had many scholarships being handed out by the local library and community organizations.
  5. Tour your top three:  As I mentioned, I knew I wanted to attend Embry-Riddle since 7th grade, so anytime I toured another school, I fell more in love with our unique university. The line was always, “But Riddle has…” If you are unsure where to go, choose your top three schools to tour. Touring a university gives you a great understanding of what your life would be like there. Try to see if you can sit in on a class or if you are touring Embry-Riddle – a flight! Just like you would test drive a car before buying it, tour the campuses of the universities you are most interested in. I say three because if you need to travel it adds up! The investment is definitely worth it! Once you see a campus, you can also begin planning your transition, like what items you need to start buying!
  6. Choose friends wisely: Once you leave high school, your life moves on. While you will see your friends during breaks, and social media allows us to always be connected, make sure your focus is on you and your future. At the end of the day, that’s what matters most. I remember it was so easy to get caught up in drama but once you leave those high school doors for the last time, everything else shifts up in importance. Don’t waste your time and energy now on bad friendships. That being said, keep your closest friends close and if you end up on either side of the country (like me and my best friend), dedicate one day of the week for catching up over FaceTime!
  7. Begin dorm shopping ASAP: Packing for college is exciting and stressful. It can be hard to know exactly what you need but even harder to find certain items in the summer once everyone is shopping for their dorms too. Think ahead and get big ideas, like a mattress topper and steamer now and keep them in your closet. No matter where you go, whichever dorm you end up in, you will appreciate the early access but also the spread of costs since moving can add up.
  8. Join your college’s accepted student social media page: Embry-Riddle and many colleges offer social media connections. Think of it as a mini social media site just for your new incoming class. I know many people met their roommates using this app, made friend groups who met up during orientation, or were able to obtain answers to a lot of their questions this way. There is also an admissions adviser who helps answer questions quickly, so be sure to utilize this app and make friends now!
  9. Enjoy home: Once you are away at college and there are no more home cooked meals, you have to do your own laundry, and no one checks in on you, you quickly miss home. There are many times when I come back from a long day and miss my mom having a meal made for me and being able to do homework with my family in the living room with me. Cherish these moments because you will definitely miss them no matter how close you are to your family.
  10. Use your resources: I recommend talking to your high school counselor and college counselor often. Do not be shy when it comes to college. Finances and academics are confusing as you make your transition over, but remember tons of people do it and so can you. Your counselors have helped many others before you and are there to help now! Be smart and utilize your resources. If you are too nervous, try to find a current student to reach out to. For women coming to Embry-Riddle, you have a Women’s Ambassador. On top of that, my mom’s friend’s daughter also attended school here, so I was able to meet with her during summer and have my questions answered! It’s a small world, you never know who you may know that could be useful! (P.S. Do you FASFA earlier rather than later! It was the most stressful part of starting college for me.)

I hope these tips serve you well! The biggest takeaway: it all works out in the end! These are just tips to be a little extra wise!

– Maddie Dietrich