Hello all, and welcome to another installment of Darryl’s Journal, haha. What’s up guys? Well, I actually have something going on this week!!! I FINALLY got moved into my new apartment. It’s pretty sweet, garage and solid wood cabinets and everything. I am so excited to finally have a place to live. It’s not the first time that I have lived in an apartment. I had a place in Orlando over the summer before I came to Riddle. OOOoohh, I haven’t told you guys about that yet!! Well, this past summer I got an internship with Walt Disney World (technically called the “College Program”) where I was able to work in the park with all the guests and everything, and it was AWESOME. You interviewed under the possibility of working different sectors of any of the four parks and numerous resorts. You could choose anything from housekeeping, to custodial, to attractions, to food and beverage, to quick service food and beverage (kinda like fast food). It was the best. I was able to get into attractions, which meant that I actually worked on the rides getting people on and off and through and everything. I worked at my favorite theme park, EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow), which means that I worked with people from around the world. Japan, Italy, China, Germany, Mexico, Canada, UK, Norway, France are the countries that are represented around World Showcase (plus America). I worked at Test Track. Yup that’s right, Disney and GM’s huge project which turned out great. If anyone would like to hear more about it send me an email some time. I have hundreds of stories.

School is going ok. It always gets thicker around this time of year. Back home it’s getting cold, but in Daytona still feels like August. Biketoberfest is going on right now. There are WAY too many motorcycles here right now. They are all of course way too loud, but what can ya do. I’ve got some new friends. I generally keep to myself and talk to everyone from home more, but Jon and I have had to do some Tech Writing homework group style so we’ve had to come after school and chill in the computer lab and do a little work. Other than that, all is well. It’s getting late here and its Friday night so I’m gonna get offline for a little bit and hit the bed. Later to all of you folks out there, night guys.

The weeks just keep on getting crazier and crazier, and I’m loving every bit of it. Midterms are over and done with. Fortunately they all went well for me; nothing was out of the ordinary or unexpected in as much as the testing was concerned. The only major problem has been a change in professors for my physics class. The original instructor left on medical leave, and there’re been some problems with people adapting to the new teaching style. I’ve found it personally difficult just because the teacher is explaining ideas that I already know and have worked with in the past in ways that serve to only confuse and stupefy me. My solution has been to work primarily out of the book for the class instead, and only then integrate this knowledge into class in such a way that the translation of what the instructor says reinforces what has already been learned. With a test coming up on Friday, it should be interesting to see just how effective my attempts have been with this.

My roommate has turned out to be cooler than I could ever have imagined. My last several roommates both in and out of college have brought little more than headache and frustration, but this time around I think things are finally going well. We’re both easy going and respectful towards each other; he keeps the rest of the hall out of the room when I try to turn in early and I make sure he stays out of trouble and remind him of certain moral guide posts. Basically, we’ve both got each other’s backs. (He’s Tyler Shoemaker, and he approves this message.) Outside that, my social life has similarly gone well. A good balance of going out with friends; helping friends along in their classes, physical training, and other endeavors; and the occasional party converse to studies and ROTC-related activities has livened me up beyond what I was used to back at UNC. One major thing I have noticed that is different from the UNC/CU Boulder/CSU environment that I grew up around is that this school has a much more reserved and conservative feel to it; there just isn’t as much a free-living atmosphere here as in Boulder, Ft. Collins, or Denver. Part of that is the gender gap: most guys go out with specific intent towards finding the opposite gender rather than being foot-loose and fancy free. It makes going out seem more of a contest and more draining than it really should be if people went with the intent of simply enjoying themselves. Although comparing this place to Boulder’s couch-adorned Hill and pedestrian night life might not be a fair relation.

NROTC is still going strong and well. With my PT scores, grades and successes in the battalion continuing, I feel that I’m becoming more and more of an adequate candidate for scholarship. Being an Aeronautical Science major, I’m at a disadvantage because it’s not considered by the Navy to be a pure tech field. However, if I present myself competitively in all other areas, I should hopefully do well against the Navy’s decision board. I joined the Color Guard team some weeks ago when it started up here. Four other members and myself just completed our first performance for the local Navy League’s Navy Birthday celebration. Despite a good many mistakes on my part, the NROTC Unit’s captain and several other active and retired officers commended the entire team on an excellent performance. As well as we did, however, things could not have come together as smoothly would it not have been for our Color Guard Commander’s excellent training and dedication to make sure we were excellent in every step we took. It was because of his work that we were able to go from complete novices to a proficient Color Guard demonstration team in less than two weeks. Practices took up a goodly amount of time, from one to three hours per day every day, but I feel as though even that might not have been enough. I’ve begun to weigh the costs of some other activities I’ve become a part of and will most likely elect to drop drill team and SpecWar club simply because my focus has begun to wander from confidence in my studies instead to worrying about what little time I have available for anything. Needless to say, these things will still be around next semester and even in following years. Right now my grades are paramount and what ever other personal interests I may have must be laid aside for immediate successes in the overall goal.

Been hearing from a few of you on questions about the school and otherwise. I would like to thank all of you who have contacted me either through email or through the discussion boards. There haven’t been many so far, but I’m sure that will change as the school year moves on and more students start looking into colleges of interest. Remember, if you have any questions or concerns ask any one of us or all of us and we’ll be more than happy to help out. It’s a good group of people here; I’ve spotted out several of the other journal writers (though they probably didn’t notice) and know they’re decent people.

Onwards + Upwards,
David

Finally back in school for about three weeks and only one day canceled (Hurricane Jeanne). I guess it sounds awkward that I am relieved that school is back in session, but it‚s due to the fact that we already have one Saturday school day scheduled in December. Though it is only one Saturday, it is still a drag because it is right before finals week. So I guess being back in school without cancellations because of hurricanes relieves all of us here at Embry-Riddle from having to go to school on Saturday.

Classes here at Riddle have finally begun to take shape as well. In the weeks during the hurricanes, we were unable to really settle down into our classes and really find out how it was going to be within them. Luckily, our add/drop dates were extended and we still had a few days when classes resumed to decide whether we wanted to stay in a class or not. Luckily, my schedule was set correctly. Though I am taking six classes this semester, I feel that it has not been difficult to keep up with work. I have all my class work, homework, appointments with advisors, club meetings, and other events scheduled so that I may able to handle all of them accordingly. It has been a lot of reading here in college, so be prepared to read more than you probably ever have in your entire life. (unless your hobby is reading) Besides reading, be prepared to write papers on topics that you will have to create yourself. For some reason, professors like to leave papers as open topic papers, provided they relate to the course. Reading and writing will prove to be the two principal skills that one will need when entering college; Embry-Riddle is no exception. So be prepared and if you can take Advanced Placement English Language and Literature, you will eliminate six of the required nine communication credits.

On the extracurricular side of Embry-Riddle, a club and activities fair was held about two weeks ago in which students here were exposed to the many extracurricular activities that are found on campus. There are a substantial number of clubs and organizations on campus to feed the student‚s interests and needs. Clubs such as the Skydiving club, Surf Club, Modelers club, etc. and organizations such as the Eagles Flight Team, ERAU College Democrats, as well as others were on display. I personally decided to join the Flight Team because I discovered that it was an organization that refined piloting skills, advanced basic piloting concepts, and also flew in national competitions. I was also interested in a few clubs, but will look further into them at a later date.

As for my flying activities so far I finally had the opportunity to fly on Saturday October 9. It was a two-hour flight that took me around north-central Florida up and down the coast. It was a fun and educational flight. I took off from Daytona Beach International Airport, flew to a practice area north of Daytona Beach, flew back in to a nearby airport in Deland, then took off again back to Daytona Beach and landed safely. While in the practice area, since I had one hour previous to this flight, my instructor and I practiced basic maneuvers and had the opportunity to experience what certain pilot inputs do to an airplane, such as pitching up and down, etc. Overall, it was fun, and I know that as I log more flights, my experience here will only improve.

On another note, Daytona Beach has been a great place to come and live. The town is dormant at times and seems to be a ghost town at times, but on the weekends it is lively beachside and mainland. The beach here is nice and warm, unlike west coast beaches, and the beachside resorts, restaurants, entertainment areas, and stores, always provide an alternative to the non-water loving people. From places like Starbucks, and Johnny Rockets, to entertainment like bike-riding and even movie theatres, the beachside has it all. I have had fun the few times I have visited, and look forward to heading back more often.

Not having a car, at times, can be tough. There are days where it is just too hot to try and walk around the area and even around campus, other days are filled with rain, so if you can, bring a car or prepare to be riding with friends or on a bus. Orlando and its resorts are about 45 minutes away with Jacksonville up the coast. So no matter what you like, it is probably somewhere around here. It has been a fun experience so far here at Embry-Riddle.

Until next time, later!

Hello again. Things seem to be settling down from all of this hurricane business. I’m kinda sick of them, so hopefully Daytona has met the quota for the next four years.

The activities fair was a couple weeks ago, definitely check it out when you come here. All of the organizations have been getting in full swing. I joined the Special Operations drill team, which has turned out to be pretty challenging. Three nights a week of some hard-core physical training is tough, but we also get to spin rifles and drill. The guys on the team and staff are fun though, so it should be a good time. AFROTC has been time consuming, to say the least. It’s a good program, and I’m enjoying it, but it should definitely be worth more than one credit. I also signed up to be one of the drum majors for the cadet band. The cadet in charge is starting it from scratch and not getting much support, so if you’re in DB and AFROTC next fall, I better see you with your instrument in tow.

After all the interruptions, classes are just now getting into quizzes and presentations and such. There’s a definite switch from high school..there is a lot of reading to be done outside of class, and you’re responsible for knowing it whether it’s covered by your professor or not. All my teachers seem to be pretty laid-back though, and I haven’t had to do any intense writing or anything as of yet.

Going to the beach at night is a new favorite past time for the people on my floor. We usually just check out Ocean Walk or the pier but it’s nice to just walk along the water. Makes for a cheap date too! 🙂 We also checked out the clubs on Seabreeze. Razzles was pretty lame, Fuel gets good reviews, and the guys are big fans of Molly Brown’s. It’s always fun when you run into nameless professors downtown at 2:00 in the morning, who are partying just as hard (or harder) as you. I’m having a lot more fun than I was at the time of my last post…I’ve made some really good friends and there is always something fun going on, especially at 3 AM when I have PT for ROTC at 6:30…

I got a job on campus, and I definitely recommend it. Very simple stuff, a convenient location, and a relaxed atmosphere make it worthwhile. I work in career services, but I wouldn’t really call it work. If you like the movie Office Space, you can definitely handle an on-campus job.

You know where to find me. Later on.

Hey yall! What’s up? Well, it has been crazy around here with all of the work that has to be done. Since the hurricanes killed the school schedule all of the teachers are pressed for time and have to either cut out some work or cram it all in. My teachers have decided to do a little of both. I’ve been working non-stop on all this homework and stuff. Other than that school is going pretty good. My apartment which is supposed to be finished is still being built. It’s difficult moving from hotel to hotel while trying to do homework and everything else associated with college. It leaves you hoping that you will have a place to stay when you check-out. Not much has been happening in Daytona. Biketoberfest is coming up and the end of October so I guess everyone’s waiting for that. I’ll probably leave town for Orlando or go back to Tennessee when it comes around. I’m not really into Harleys and big motorcycles like that. But who knows, maybe it’ll be ok. I’m used to Gatlinburg, TN. When they have a motorcycle show it becomes quite a spectacle. Mostly it’s just loud and annoying. But we’ll see. My apartment was supposed to be finished September 16th, but now they’re saying it will be the middle of October. Let’s hope it’s done soon. Well, off to do more work. Later guys.

Welcome back everyone. Now that the journals are being posted and things are under way, the rest should be good to go. Nature’s decided to start playing nice for a change, and out of her generosity, we’ve just completed our first couple of full weeks of class. Overall, everything has moved on smoothly after the tumult of the season; most classes are on accelerated syllabi and a very few have resorted to extra days. Strange as it feels after only two weeks of solid classes, we’re all getting ready for mid-terms coming up. Next week I will trudge through exams in all of my classes and tend to status reports, then it should be business as usual thereafter. Classes have been easy so far, and I don’t expect much problem from these exams.

One point that I have personally revisited and have seen many other students suffer from is overload. Something that freshmen love to do is to involve themselves with as many highly demanding activities as they can, either because they like to do all these things or because they misinterpret the external pressure to ‘get involved.’ In the end, this hoarding leads to low grades, no free time, and overly grumpy individuals. It’s important to remember when you get here, as well as to plan for ahead of time, that you can’t do everything in your first year, nor should you try to. Plan to give at least a month’s worth of feeling things out and just getting used to the new environment before jumping headlong into the half-dozen other extra curricular activities available beyond the daily social life. Then, when you understand what’s really out there and what you have time for, there’s not the issue of biting off more than you can chew. You’ll be here for four years. Spread things out and you’ll have plenty of time for everything you want to do.

NROTC has been treating me very well lately. I’ve noticed the regular physical exercise in the mornings do wonders for an active mind, and the activities and field trips we’ve done so far have helped make strong ties with my fellow midshipmen. This past weekend, about 60 midshipmen, officer candidates and the captain toured the USS Carney and helicopter squadron HSL-44 in Jacksonville. A fantastic experience in and of itself, the tour gave many of us the chance to see what surface and aviation warfare is about so that when the time comes to decide on warfare designators, we’ll have a good idea of what we really want to do. It was also a nice excuse to show off the uniform for an extra day during the week. More such excursions are on the way, including a visit to an EOD (Special Warfare) group where it’s been giddily rumored we’ll be able to catch them blow up a vessel of some sort. I am quite pleased with the caliber of individuals involved with the battalion. There is certainly a deeply-rooted drive in many of them, and that alone is very refreshing and inspiring to me, as now I feel as though I’m in an environment where I can make good use of my talents — that is, once my schedule allows time to conduct the many projects I wish to press forward with. It’s a good bunch of people, all every willing to help everyone else however they can. And that’s the news from Lake Wobegon. Looking forward to hearing from all of you on the discussion boards or email. Onward + Upward

Hello, I’m glad to say that I just booked a flight home for Christmas. I can‚t wait to get back to Ireland to see the family, my girlfriend and a bit of rain no doubt.  That‚s after only two full weeks of college.

It‚s 6:00 pm on Sunday evening and this is due in by 12:00 am, it‚s not that I have left this to the last minute; it‚s because of all the work that I have to do for college. It seems that I don‚t have a minute to do anything apart from college work. I don‚t know if it is the same for the majority of the student population or it is because I have to train every day after college, as well as having to work for spending money. I could probably quit my job as I don‚t have the time to spend it. As well as that, the hurricanes didn‚t do us any favors, all those days off that were so great at the time, I am starting to regret. History exams, English papers etc., when I‚ve finished one and think I‚ve got some time for myself, along comes another one. Thank God the semester is not that long. On a better note, the Eagles (men‚s soccer) are lying on top of the conference after a win against second-placed Northwood, we are undefeated in the Conference thus far this season. The best game I have played in this season is undoubtedly the 3-0 win over Flagler last week, on their home turf no less. It was the best atmosphere I have played in since I got here. We did take some abuse all the same, but thanks to two  goals from Ian Thomson, we soon silenced the crowd. I will be expecting a good crowd for the return home game on November 2nd to return the favor. I didn‚t realize that college soccer and sport in general was taken so seriously over here. The rivalry I’ve seen against Flagler was great and it was even better to play in.

Got my first taste of a fraternity party last weekend, it was not exactly how it looked on American Pie, but it was not bad all the same. I‚m not sure how many of you were there, but it was pretty packed. By the way, I am talking about the one in the field, I got eaten alive by mosquitoes, and it did stink of horse manure but over all it was good craic (Irish for a good time).

Anyway, apart from a lot of college work and the odd night out on a weekend, everything has been pretty quiet. So I am going to go back to the village for a bite to eat before I hit the sack, not sure what I‚m going to have yet. Maybe I‚ll have pizza or even some pizza. I‚m sure if you‚ve eaten in college canteens you will know they lack a bit of variety and they don‚t provide salt to complement the food, but instead to give it a bit of taste. Thanks for tuning in.

Hi everyone! Boy have I ever felt so tired! School is just becoming so hard that it’s not even funny. Then on top of that try to get your very first relationship started and somehow study for your Calculus 1 and Chemistry exams at the same time (let me tell you guys are big distractions, but ladies we can handle it, just put your foot down)! I am handling the pressure just fine. I have learned that you do need to take a break every once in a while before your head explodes! Plus you need to have some fun in college because it’s like a rule or something!

Let’s see…chemistry is my hardest class right now, I think it’s because it’s such a fast-paced class, but all of us EP students are working together to get it done! All my other classes are going great and I wouldn’t leave Embry-Riddle for anything…I always love a challenge! It makes you a stronger person in the end! Ok well I’ll give you all an update when I take all of these exams during the week! You all take care and I’ll talk to you soon! Adios mis amigos!

*~Terryel~*

Hi everyone! My name is Terryel Leisan Neal, 19, from Reynoldsburg/ Blacklick, Ohio (like 15 min. away from downtown Columbus, the capitol) and I am currently a freshman majoring in Engineering Physics (EP) here at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach campus!

I have wanted to become an astronaut for NASA since I had visited the Kennedy Space Center when I was nine years old. There was a display case with all of the black astronauts in it and ever since I saw that I wanted to be part of the selected few to venture into space. I would love to at least become the second black female to venture into space, along with becoming the first person to walk on Mars, which is like my favorite planet anyway!

I had heard about Embry-Riddle through my older brother when I was only in the 7th grade! My brother had gotten a pyramid in the mail from the school with the list of majors and it had airplanes and a space shuttle launching into space. After I had seen the space shuttle, I knew instantly that this would be the school for me!

So by the end of my freshman year of high school I had been doing really badly since I must have figured that I had passed the Ohio 9th grade Proficiency Test and that I was just done for the rest of the school year. Well that was not the case and I had to work even harder for the rest of high school to make a decent cumulative by the end of senior year (so work hard all of high school and don’t slack off like I did)!

But the summer after 9th grade I visited Embry-Riddle and I  just loved being there and I just didn’t want to leave! I mean I was in such awe on the day that I had just taken the tour at the campus that my family literally had to drag me away from the school! After my first visit to the campus, I had worked my ass off to make sure I had the best grades ever, especially in my math and science classes which were like my favorites anyway! Well the summer before senior year I came back to Embry-Riddle for like a final visit before I would apply here and all the same feelings of awe came back into my mind and I just could not wait to get here the following year!

And since that day I just could not wait to get into the school, I had applied for Early Decision and I literally cried when I got my acceptance letter in the mail! I mean my cumulative GPA was a 3.55, but I had only gotten a 21 on my ACT test so I was really worried about that. Plus the school gave me some scholarships, which is always a plus!

So the time came to come to Embry-Riddle, my dream school, and I was just such a nervous wreck! I had no clue what to expect since everyone kept telling me that EP is going to be a lot of work and they make a sound like it’s going to be painful or something! So I get here and finally see my roommate Marquitta and she is like really cool and we are so alike that it truly scares the both of us at times! She is also in EP and I know we’re going to be helping one another out as time goes along! I live in Woods hall and I just absolutely love it! The guys and girls are just so very cool that we truly bonded already (especially during the hurricanes because they just don’t want to go away!). Ladies, I must tell you that the guys here are just so freaking nice to look at and have great personalities, I mean you will love the whole guy/girl ratio (I think it’s like 7:1 or something like that!). I mean I figured that I wouldn’t really find anyone since you know I didn’t think that I would have any free time to actually have a relationship or something. Well to my surprise I actually found someone and his name is Mike ; ) a really cool guy that lives down the hall and we’re like “talking” right now and seeing where things go. So for all of you out there that think that you cannot get anyone now while you are in high school, just wait because college is just a totally different kind of thing!

Well, classes are going pretty good right now, I just think chemistry is worrying me the most but once I understand it I’ll be fine. I love school anyway so all I need to do is focus just a little more than what I was used to doing and all will be good. I haven’t been in classes long enough since the school kept closing and opening because of the hurricanes, but I will update you all about my progress in EP. Oh and I’ll tell you all about the Slip ‘N Slide action that happened on Woods 2nd floor during Hurricane Jeanne! It was a blast! Ok take care everyone and I hope to talk to you all soon! ¡Adiós mis amigos!

Warm greetings to all of you with mind and spirit ready to consider the challenge and excitement of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

My name is David Kowzan Zivnuska and am currently enrolled as an Aeronautical Science major. I come from a strong Polish heritage, although born and raised in Lakewood, Colorado. Prior schooling includes successful completion of the International Baccalaureate Programme, advanced studies in Political Science at the University of Northern Colorado, and having filled summer teaching and conference speaker positions at the Universitas Studiorum Polona Vilnensis in Vilnius, Lithuania. For the past two years. I currently take part in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps unit on campus, the unit’s color guard team and am in fierce competition for the program’s scholarship. Though an AS major with minimal flight time, I will not intentionally fly for a least the first semester, if not the year , because of financial constraints.

Through these posts, I will attempt to provide some picture of what opportunities, resources and experiences may be available to you, should you choose to study at Embry-Riddle. Considering most of the other journal writers will delve into their personal lives and emotions, I shall endeavor to maintain a more experientially informational account, since most of you might not feel things the same as I. If more personal matters do interest you, my email is open to questions of any nature, and I will attempt to review the discussion boards at least once per week and respond appropriately.

Where initial thoughts are concerned, overall I have been pleased with the services and considerations provided to me as a transfer student. The application and orientation stages passed quite smoothly; even an alternate section in Orientation was devoted to transfer students. NROTC provided a five-day orientation session that proved incredibly beneficial to all prospective midshipmen in respect to gaining an understanding of what is involved and required of aspiring candidates. Orientation for the school itself primarily focused on paperwork, etc. for incoming students, most of which can be completed during the ERAU Open House and other events on campus beforehand. Having participated in all the preliminary days, I found Orientation to be more free time than productive, although some elements were useful (i.e. group meetings, etc.). I highly recommend visiting the campus and meeting with the various directors, deans, and/or professors who are related to your major or areas of interest and inquiry. Whether or not their feedback is immediately beneficial, you will get a good understanding of the school and what you will be dealing with in the future.

The first three days of classes this semester consisted of the usual introductions and summaries of class plans. Each professor has their own particular strengths and weaknesses that become evident early on, either through classroom contact or reading works that they have authored. For specific issues relating to professors, I would recommend visiting www.ratemyprofessor.com where you will be able to read student reviews of each instructor. This proves very useful in class scheduling as you may be inclined to learn more successfully under a certain instructional style. Use this and pre-registration to your advantage. Also in regards to scheduling, be mindful of available class times and schedule your days as efficiently as possible. In my case, where I PT (Physical Training) with the Navy every morning at 0600, I found it very advantageous to schedule all my classes in close succession there after, granting me all afternoons from 1130 onward to be class-free time. Since the afternoon is when most communities are active, I am unhindered in any extra activities I choose. Many of you might be partial to a late-starting day, and if you are one of these, I would advise considering what you intend to involve yourself with and see if you can afford not having a free afternoon/early evening. Mornings are usually spent sleeping by those who follow this type of schedule.

As many of you may be aware, on the afternoon of the third day of class, Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach campus began evacuation procedures for the upcoming hurricane Frances. Watching the University’s fleet of aircraft evacuate at once not only awed many of us watching the planes file out at 40-second intervals, but also stood as testament to the level of the University’s preparedness for emergency situations. I agree with the College of Aviation’s Dean, Dr. Tim Brady, that all staff should be commended in how well the situation was handled. Even with nearly three weeks gone without any class time, the professors and faculty have arranged to maintain graduation and end-of-semester dates. Classes are now more compacted, and some classes have required extra sessions, but overall this is preferential to the possible alternatives.

Before departing, I would like to cordially invite you to pose any and all questions you may have about the college experience, Embry-Riddle itself, the ROTC programs, and so forth in any way that most comfortably suits your needs. For the time being, the discussion boards are the most opportune locations. Should more direct or personal communications become necessary, you may contact me at zivnu70f@erau.edu, though I strongly request that you post on the discussion board so that a single message thread can answer the questions of many all at once.

To you, the next generation of collegiate students, be you an ERAU applicant or no, I wish the best of luck and success on your journey. Take fullest advantage of the resources presented to you, and perhaps one day your dreams will take flight with the Eagles. Onward + Upward, David