Happy 2021 everyone! I am currently blogging from my hometown of Norfolk, Virginia where I will soon depart to head back to Daytona Beach, Florida within the next couple days to prep for Spring semester!
My favorite game of the holiday season de-stressing before returning to the ebb and flow of everyday life at school was hands down, Blokus! I like Blokus because it requires enough thinking to be considered tactical, but is also full of colors and shapes and fun, so it’s a great stress relieving, mind stimulating game!
Results of a family Blokus game!
A new semester always brings new responsibilities and different obligations, but some things stay the same that I like to call the bare necessities for back-to-school survival. Whether your classes are purely online, hybrid, or fully in person I suggest having these top three item power tools along with you. BONUS: if you procrastinate, as I sometimes find myself doing when prepping for a new semester, these items are all available at the ERAU bookstore on campus too.
Item 1: A planner/calendar! I use my Outlook Ernie email multiple times every day and being able to sync my Outlook calendar with my personal Apple calendar is essential! Now, if you prefer pen and paper I recommend taking some time at the beginning of the semester to write down all your deadlines and due dates. Pro tip: use one color/class so deadlines never get too confusing!
Item 2 (which compliments item 1 very well): Colored pens/highlighters! As a college student, whether your major is Aerospace Engineering or Aviation Business, you will probably find yourself (at some point sooner rather than later) taking notes in a classroom or virtual lesson setting. Organized notes are the key to academic success! Especially when looking back over your older lessons during finals prep at the end of the semester. You may even need your class info for future semesters and having an easily navigable notebook (or iPad virtual note folder) is the way to go.
Item 3: Paper! Engineering paper, lined paper, index cards, and my favorite and preferred paper – the blank white printer paper variety, will be your go-to all semester, so make sure you stock up! I use printer paper for homework assignments, making study guides, preparing formula sheets for quizzes/tests, and for scratch paper when trying to further understand/apply concepts. Get enough paper to last you…trust me on this one, you’ll use more than you think!
A visual of how we all plan to attack 2021, via my sister’s puppy playing with a holiday candy cane colored toy.
I hope you stock up on all your calendar, pen, and paper needs for school this semester, the ERAU bookstore is fully stocked and is a life saver for last minute needs. Sending productive and positive vibes! Keep on keeping on folks, will report back soon folks!
Happy December everyone! I’m currently blogging from Norfolk, Virginia. I’m home for the holidays and enjoying the rest and relaxation that comes along with it. I’ve spent the past couple days enjoying spending time with family, eating good food, watching the newest season of the Mandalorian on Disney +, going to Hot Yoga, and sleeping!
One of my favorite parts about being home for the holidays is spending time with family, including this Christmas pup!
I finished out the semester strong and I’m mentally preparing to take on spring classes and looking forward to summer plans! I’m currently applying to a few backup study abroad programs focused on language studies for my Arabic maintenance and improvement. Since this summer will be the last before I graduate and commission from Air Force ROTC into Active Duty Air Force, this will be my last chance to study abroad.
COVID-19 rules and regulations are paramount when considering any study abroad options and opportunities, but it can never hurt to keep your options open and apply to what interests you! I like options, so having a main plan and a few backup plans is my typical style. Since global and local conditions are ever-changing it’s hard to predict if I will actually be able to travel this summer, but if I am I will be!
I recently spent some time fishing with my dad for rockfish and it was so much fun! We left at about 3:00 am, drove 2 hours north to the dock, and stayed out on a charter boat until about 3pm with fresh fish! A very fun experience.
Fishing with my dad!
In preparation for Spring semester, I’m resting up and enjoying the break. Time to decompress is extremely important and while I am still doing some behind the scenes work for ROTC and Student Court on the break, I am definitely taking time to catch up on rest too. Keep on keeping on folks, will report back soon!
Disclaimer: I am not a model. Your photos will probably turn out better if you know more than three poses, but hey! They work for me…
Okay, let’s face it. Everyone likes having good pictures of themselves, even if they aren’t posted. Sometimes a nice picture is necessary for professional services like LinkedIn if you don’t have a photo with a blank background.
If you’re an Embry-Riddle student, you’re not going to run out of photogenic spots anytime soon. Here are several brag-worthy spots around campus that will provide a beautiful background for your Instagram photos.
Location1: Legacy Walk Legacy Walk is the ~iconic~ walkway surrounded by palm trees leading from the admissions office, past the student union, and down to the big bird statue. When facing the bird statue, the College of Business and the Advanced Flight Sim center are on the right, and the student union and College of Aviation are on the left.
Photo taken by Rachel Smith.
Photo taken by Malik Turner.
Photo taken by RowanGruffydd.
In my opinion, Legacy Walk is a great photo spot because it’s always well-maintained and well-lit. You can position the giant bird statue behind you, or the student union; both are really attractive.
Location 2: That Giant Bird Statue The giant bird statue is at the end of Legacy Walk, and it’s very hard to miss. When facing it, the Aviation Maintenance Sciences building is on the left, and the Flight Operations building is on the right. When facing away from it, you’ll see the admissions office.
Photo taken by Malik Turner.
It’s another one of Embry-Riddle’s most iconic locations. I’ve seen several photos here of people who’ve just passed their checkrides, too. Even for non-flight students, the giant bird statue is a good place to take pictures in front of.
Location 3: The Big Riddle Sign/Wright Flyers The big Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University sign and the Wright Flyers statue are in front of the student union between it and the admissions building. They’re right next to each other, and they’re also very hard to miss.
This spot, in my opinion, is perfect for the “I’m going to Embry-Riddle!” announcement post. Once here, this allows you to take a wide-angle photo so people can see just how gorgeous the campus is. If you’re lucky, you may even snap a photo with a plane taking off in the background- we are located adjacent to the Daytona airport.
Location 4: The Lookout Spot Over the Flight Line (!!!!) The lookout spot over the flight line is located on the Tomcat Annex, aka the mailroom. It’s a nice place to watch the Riddle planes from, but it’s not super close to the large runway. It does, however, make for an Instagram brag-worthy photo.
All photos taken by Malik Turner.
Bonus points: if you’re a flight student, snap a photo with one of the planes and flex on your non-pilot friends.
Flex on your friends! Photo taken by the CFI I flew with, but he wasn’t my regular one so I forgot his name :/
Either way, the flight line (or the lookout spots around it) is one spot you can’t miss. They’re also nice places to do your schoolwork. (That is, of course, if you don’t get distracted!)
Location 5: Inside the Student Union The inside of the Student Union is gorgeous, too. There are a lot of different places that make for good picture-taking spots.
First floor lobby. Photo taken by the caricature artist.
First floor lobby. Photo taken by the caricature artist.
Third floor ft. Starbucks in the corner. Photo taken by Alex Kassarjian.
Of course, there are several other pretty spots in the student union that I didn’t think to get pictures of. When there was no pandemic, Starbucks had seating. However, there is a balcony adjacent to the Starbucks that makes a nice photo-taking spot as well. While technically not inside the student union, there are tables and benches outside of it that would also make good photo-taking spots.
Embry-Riddle has a surplus of scenic spots to take photos with. There are several that I didn’t even show here, either: the volleyball courtyard in between New Res 1 and 2, the bridge to the student village, in front of the various colleges, or even inside them. No matter where you go, you’ll be able to find places for your photos. The student newspaper, the Avion, has also hosted free professional photo booths for students. Other students may have a photography hobby and take photos for free.
Your friend may also have a really nice phone or superb editing skills- some of the pictures above were taken with iPhones, while some were taken with actual cameras. It just takes a few snaps to get the perfect photo since the Riddle campus provides the perfect background.
Happy December everyone! I am currently blogging from Norfolk, VA where I will be spending most of my winter break-post finals, before the spring semester starts. Since spring break is currently canceled for the Spring 2021 semester, its an ideal time to rest and recharge for the next month before classes start up again because once they start, they go until May!
Rest looks different for everyone, but for me it involves a lot of downtime, leisurely working out, yoga, sleeping, petting and playing with pups, listening to quality music, and eating good food. My ideal day includes waking up with coffee, yoga, and a workout, and going from there with some movies in the afternoon like The Grinch, or a Harry Potter movie marathon.
Socially distanced fun I’m planning on partaking in over the break:
An outdoor market hosted by a local coffee shop that has craft vendors, live music, and vegan food trucks.
A sun catcher making class!
Hot yoga classes via Groupon deals at a local yoga studio.
Drive through Holiday lights! My area offers them at the local Botanical Gardens and on the Boardwalk at the Oceanfront in Virginia Beach.
I’ve already checked looking at the lights with the family off my list so far!View from across the water driving up to see the lights!
Visiting an outdoor ice skating rink!
Going on plenty of bundled up walks around the neighborhood and at the beach.
Doing most of my holiday shopping online!
Naps!
Making Christmas cookies!
Watching holiday themed bake-off shows on Netflix
Lighting winter edition cozy scented candles around the house
I hope you get the time to relax over the break too, whether that’s reading, playing board games, hiking, spending time with people you love, or doing nothing or something completely different. I know I will certainly be enjoying no homework and less stress from the lack of quizzes, tests, and projects. Will report back soon folks, rest up and keep on keeping on!
Happy December everyone! I’m currently blogging from my Norfolk, VA, post online finals and although final grade reports haven’t been submitted yet, the semester should be completely at a close within a few days!
Let’s talk about how to balance relaxing over break and staying productive by prepping for the future! If you haven’t signed up for Spring classes make sure to do so as soon as possible to ensure you get slots in all the classes you need. If you are unable to get a slot in a full class, or are unsure what classes to sign up for, reach out to your academic advisor for help!
Unwinding over the break with my sister’s festive puppy in a winter sweater!
You can find your academic advisor’s contact information by going to the Ernie homepage, logging in with your ERAU credentials and Two Factor Duo Identification via the mobile app, clicking on Campus Solutions Student Homepage (CSSH), then on the Academic Advising tab on the far left once you get to Campus Solutions. The first page that loads should be the Advisors tab, where it lists the name, email, and phone number for your Academic Advisor that can help you with schedule planning and getting into the classes and class sections that you need.
While breaks are a great time to relax and unwind, they’re also a great opportunity to think ahead, prep for the future, and apply for scholarships and summer programs such as internships, study abroad opportunities, co-ops, or summer jobs! Start thinking ahead and prepping for the future as soon as possible to stay one step ahead for your future plans.
My sister’s festive pup enjoying a Puppuccino from Starbucks before a trip to the dog park!
I recently heard back that I received a Gilman Scholarship to help fund a study abroad opportunity this summer to continue studying Arabic in Amman, Jordan. While everything is still currently up in the air due to COVID-19 having global impacts, I am using the Winter break to create some plans and backup plans for the summer. I am applying to study abroad opportunities from Project GO for the domestic and abroad language learning programs, and through language learning opportunities with CIEE, the Council On International Educational Exchange. I have found that while I am working towards a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, my minor of Arabic Studies is my true passion, one which I look forward to fostering throughout my summer studies and in my future career post AFROTC!
Will report back soon folks! Enjoy break, stay grinding, and keep on keeping on!
Happy December everyone! I’m currently blogging from my hometown of Norfolk, VA where I just finished up the Fall 2020 semester online! Today I’m going to be giving some tips of how to navigate online classes and group projects.
My first tip, and probably the theme of all my tips is that communication is key! This comes into play especially if/when you have questions or don’t understand a concept in class and need clarification. Reach out to your Teacher’s Assistant (TA)! TA’s are typically the ones grading homework and holding virtual Office Hours, in addition to Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions per the recommendation of your professor. A TA is usually a Masters, or Graduate student who is taking classes or doing research at ERAU, so I find they are more relatable to talk to (closer in age) and help explain concepts in more understandable ways because they were probably taking the same classes only a few years ago. If your class doesn’t have a TA, you can always reach out to a TA for a different section of the same class and since the material is the same, they should be able to help you too.
Screenshot of the automatic messaging system attached to Canvas that makes communicating with professors and TAs super easy!
Reach out to your professors! Email and Canvas message will be your best friends. The messaging system on Canvas is extremely easy to use. First go to Inbox from the Canvas homepage, then Compose, and you are able to select your course and message your professors instantly!
One of my professors availability this past semester was 24 hours a day. While that seems a little extreme, the point is your professors are there for you if you need help and they want to support you. My professor gave us his email and phone number and told us we could email, text, call, FaceTime, or Canvas message if we needed anything. If your professor has more structured office hours, you can always reach out to your TA, another class section’s TA, a different professor for the same class, or a different professor in the same department for help outside of your own professor’s availability.
Make a study group! Navigating group projects can be difficult sometimes, but if you already built a relationship with the people in your class, it makes reaching out and collaborating much easier! Some of my favorite Apps to use when working on Lab Reports or Group projects are GroupMe, which makes group messaging super easy and efficient, GoogleDocs which is the perfect way to divide and conquer a lab report because multiple people can make edits at the same time, and of course Zoom, MicrosoftTeams, and FaceTime for video calls and group meetings.
Hold your friends accountable! When working in groups on Lab Reports, group projects, and other collaborative assignments, set deadline reminders in your phone’s calendar and remind your peers when the due dates are approaching! Be a good group partner by being active in your group, completing your sections in a timely manner, and collaborating and communicating when needed to ensure everyone is on the same page! Some professors have Peer Evaluation sheets that you are required to hand in as an assignment to accompany group projects or presentations. Be honest on your Peer Evals! If a member in the group isn’t pulling their weight, let the professor know. Don’t let your learning or your grade suffer because your team member didn’t complete their portion of the assignment or didn’t perform as well as you needed them to.
My favorite Canvas homepage screen to see at the end of the semester!
Will report back soon folks! Good luck on finals and keep on keeping on!
*insert the Bernie Sanders meme that says “I am once again asking you for your financial support” and send it to my mom, who will promptly leave me on read*
Well, winter break is finally upon us.
The week before break was stressful for everyone, and I decided that I should take a few breaks before the official break. I can’t say that the impending break was the reason I repeated some semi-stupid decisions, but I think that break made me go “hey, life is stressful, have some fun and go do the things you’ve wanted to do all semester long.” And what were these decisions? Dying my hair and getting acrylic nails!
Semi-Random Decision #1: Dying my hair. Why it’s semi-random: I had a box of dye just sitting around. I got it at Target a few days after I tried to dye my hair pink for the first time (detailed below). But I planned to wait 4-6 weeks before doing it again so I wouldn’t damage it too much. Cost: Like $8? I forget, honestly.
Here’s the story about me trying to dye my hair pink for the first time:
On Thursday night (November 19), I was pretty bored. I was sick of studying and had done everything that I could for other classes. And then I remembered that I had the other box of hair dye. It had also been over a month since I last tried it, so it wouldn’t harm my hair. So, in about five minutes, I made up my mind that I wanted to try and re-dye my hair. This is the one I got:
Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Color in Ultra Bold Violet.
I borrowed a friend’s hair paintbrush, and she told me how I should dye it. It was almost 11:15, but my first class on Fridays didn’t start until 1:25, so I didn’t care too much. I could afford to stay up a little later. Once I was done, I sent the pictures to my mom of the during and after. She didn’t have too much to say, but then again, she’s a college professor. She knows that students will make stupid decisions at times.
During…
After!
I mean, it kind of worked, so it wasn’t that stupid… right? It still shows up when I stand under a light, and I could give Ariel from The Little Mermaid a run for her money.
Anyway, I went to class on Friday, and then on Saturday, my friend and I were sitting in the student union together. We were talking about acrylic nails, and it just so happened that my friend had a car. And that’s when we decided to go.
Semi-Random Decision #2: Getting acrylic nails. Why it’s semi-random: I wanted to do it all semester, but I didn’t for several reasons. First, I don’t have a car on campus, and acrylic nails are expensive. Also, they’ve never lasted more than two weeks on my nails. (However, I haven’t had any problems yet- and I got them a lot shorter than I’m used to.) Cost: $45, including tip. My poor wallet.
The tech preps my natural nails.
End result!
They match my phone!
Okay, these are CUUUUUUUTE! My friend got long ones.
They turned out pretty cute, so I can’t complain. This is my third time having acrylic nails, and I don’t know how long they’ll end up lasting. I do like them, so maybe I’ll get fill-ins in a few weeks.
As for COVID-19 precautions, all of the technicians wore two masks. There was also a plexiglass shield between you and the technician and a small opening for you to slide your hand under. Also, they made you wash your hands before and after the service was performed.
Saturday went by pretty fast. The original plan was for a few of us to have a fire in the firepit between New Res 1 and 2, but it rained. My friend and I then decided to go get milkshakes at Steak n Shake, drive around, and have a 12-2 AM karaoke party in her car. On Sunday, I took the third calculus test and got an 81%, which I didn’t think was bad at all.
On Monday, I went to one of my classes and the professor decided to cancel class on Tuesday. I was glad since it would have been the last class of the day. That class was the reason I had a flight home on Wednesday instead of Tuesday. I told my mom, and she was able to get me a flight on Tuesday from Daytona to my home airport.
Yes!
As much as I love Embry-Riddle, I was ready for a break and definitely ready to see my family and cats.
On Monday night, I packed up and hung out with a few of my friends. I, unfortunately, don’t live close to them, so there’s no chance that I’d see them over the break. On Tuesday, I said goodbye to one professor who was holding an optional Zoom class. After that, I went to Starbucks, said goodbye to a few other friends, and came back to make sure the last-minute items (like my phone and Apple Watch chargers) were packed. I also made sure to clean my room according to ERAU’s closing cleanliness standards for dorm rooms since my roommates/suitemates were gone.
I left for the airport at 2 PM even though my flight left at 3:30. I ran into several other Riddle students at the gate; I was on American Airlines flying from Daytona Beach to their hub in Charlotte, and from Charlotte to my home airport of Lexington, Kentucky. I had a window seat on the first flight and lucked out; nobody had taken the seat next to me. As we were sitting on the taxiway waiting to take off, I snapped this pic:
Hey… I know who that plane belongs to.
Yup, there was a Riddle Cessna landing right next to us, a CRJ-700. It was crazy cool. I also got to watch Riddle go by as we took off on runway 7L. It was a gorgeous view, and pretty ironic- my first in-person view of Riddle was landing on runway 25R, or 7L’s reciprocal runway.
As we flew from Daytona to Charlotte, I noticed a lot of things that I’d never noticed before. Since I had completed AS121 (detailed here), I knew a lot more about what the pilot was doing. I understood what the runway markings meant. I watched us fly parallel to the airport and enter the traffic pattern at Charlotte. I understood why we did what we did, and it was awesome.
At the end of the flight, I had to say goodbye to everyone since we were all heading in different directions. I had a one-hour connection but managed to snag a Starbucks before heading back to my gate:
If you’re wondering, this is an iced caramel macchiato with light ice. 10/10 would recommend!
I boarded that plane, which was empty, too. I talked to one of the flight attendants and she gave me a free upgrade to the exit row (yes!!! Free extra legroom!!!). I ended up chatting with her all flight. She also invited me to the flight deck to meet the captain once the flight was over.
Of course, I said yes, and it was pretty awesome. They let me snap a picture, too:
You can’t tell in the pic, but I was internally screaming. Also, yes, that is my Riddle sweatshirt.
After I’d left the flight deck, my family met me at the baggage claim and we went home, which took an hour. We hung out at the house for the night, and I wasn’t too tired. Because of my College Kid Lifestyle, I wasn’t used to going to bed at 9 PM, so I ended up staying up until 3 AM.
Whoops.
Either way, I feel like I had a pretty productive week before I went home for the holidays. I have two large assignments I need to do, but other than that, I don’t have any work, which is a nice feeling.
However, my cat has been critiquing my blog post. He thinks that I should write less and go give him a snack.
Happy November folks! I’m currently blogging from Daytona Beach, Florida and Thanksgiving is so close I can almost taste it (the cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie of course).
The fall semester has rapidly been coming to a close and with about a week left until Winter Break starts its hard to see past all the assignments and even fathom a break that is, despite what my stressors persuade me, going to be upon us very shortly. I don’t typically doubt myself, but I do surprise myself because sometimes my schedule is so busy it’s hard to picture being able to accomplish so many tasks in one day, much less a week!
A plot from my Aerospace Structures Homework that I’m currently working on via Femap/Nastran
In the spirit of being thankful (Thanksgiving vibes) I am grateful that I have the amazing opportunities to continually challenge myself in academics, professional relations, physical fitness, and leadership skills. Cue the teleprompter voice, this is all made possible in part by… time management skills I didn’t realize I had, setting daily reminders via Siri on my phone and laptop throughout the day, many To-Do lists, calendar notifications, alarms, and most importantly – my tried and true Go-To… coffee! Kidding, I am very thankful to have a support system of friends and family and I am so excited to go back to Virginia in about a week to see them!
Final exams are just around the corner, right after Thanksgiving, and the semester is truly so close to coming to an end. My motivations are good food, sleep, and quality time watching Christmas movies at home.
Over the winter break, post finals, I plan to work on Scholarship and Study Abroad opportunity applications, practice my Arabic by exploring further into the world of Arabic music, TV, and movies, and of course, rest!
Upon reflecting on the past few months, the hardest part of this Fall Semester, that I foresee will be a challenge in the Spring as well, is not having breaks or time to rest and recover between classes and assignments. Having long weekends and breaks canceled means that professors continuously assign homework, tests, quizzes, and projects until finals. This is especially disheartening considering my current Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings are filled with due dates, in addition to every weekday. I go directly from one subject and assignment to the other and it’s sometimes hard to see the light that the end of the semester brings when you’re in the thick of it.
College extensively exceeds the typical 40 hours a week “full time” work schedule, which is something I couldn’t have prepared for beforehand and is not something I am 100% sure I am prepared for now, despite taking part in it weekly. On the bright side, time never stops, and we get through it. My advice is to keep a positive attitude and keep pushing, one week, day, or task at a time. Progress is progress. Finals are quickly approaching and so is the rest and relaxation that follows! Will report back soon folks. Keep on keeping on!
This past summer, I had the privilege to work on an undergraduate research project with my faculty mentor. I was accepted to the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows (SURF) program offered by the undergraduate research department. I spent the spring 2020 semester (pre-covid) designing my research and a plan for data collection. I conducted my research on Women in Aviation and factors that impact minority female students enrolled in aviation higher degree.
2020 SURF Receipients
During the summer and into the spring semester, I was conducting interviews on zoom from a remote site (due to the pandemic). These participants identified themselves as a minority female and I was able to have meaningful conversations with them in order to explore their needs and wants in order to achieve success in a very homogenous industry. The entire process almost took up a year but this past month, I was able to present my research at the Global Virtual Conference on Diversity in Aviation, Aerospace and STEM, hosted by Ohio State University. The paper was later published on UAA (University Aviation Association) for the CARI (Collegiate Aviation Review International) journal. In addition to the publication, I will be presenting at the virtual Student Research Symposium (ERAU) this fall.
It was such a meaningful opportunity to be able to conduct my own research, present it in front of people and be able to publish a research paper. I have learned so much from the experience and all the time I spent working on this project was well worth it at the end.
I always knew that our university had great research programs, but as a pilot, all those opportunities felt distant from me as I assumed they were more for the engineering students. However, from my own research experience, I found out these research programs extended to aeronautics, business, homeland security and many more majors offered at our school. It was a refreshing experience to see the work of student researchers from a diverse pool of studies.
For anyone who is interested in conducting their own research (you can also do it in a group), I would highly recommend contacting our undergraduate research department to find out more about all the opportunities they have to offer. They will help you find anything from a good research topic, a mentor, a scholarship, to conference opportunities. The experience you will gain from conducting a research at a higher degree institution is something you will not obtain from your average classroom setting.
Spoiler alert: It was freaking awesome, and hopefully, one day, I will be in a mission control room…
So, as space lovers like myself are well aware, the Crew-1 mission launched on Sunday from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Since I live in Daytona now, I was lucky enough to be able to see it from ~10-11 miles away. And let me just say- that was awesome.
Since the Crew-1 was a crewed mission, a lot of people wanted to go. Thankfully, Embry-Riddle is only an hour or so away from Cape Canaveral, and everyone knows it. Because of the proximity, there’s a group chat on Snapchat full of people that like attending rocket launches. A lot of people- and I mean a lot– of people decided to go to this launch, whether they are in the group chat or not. Here’s what my snap map looked like nearly two hours before the launch:
Yeah, a lot of people went down. Some people made it a full day endeavor, hanging out at Cape Canaveral/Titusville/the Kennedy Space Center. If I had the time, money, and a car of my own, I definitely would have. Embry-Riddle has ZipCars, so people with ZipCar accounts can drive the ZipCars. That’s how my friends and I got a ride down there.
My friends and I settled on a bridge nearby to watch the launch. The bridge was pulled up, and the lights were pretty bright, so we decided to go exploring. We found a path that led to a birdwatching spot and realized that the launch pad was right in front of us. (We were facing south, north of the Cape.) Once we realized that, we instantly took a seat on the birdwatching benches.
There was no service for most of us, but luckily, one of our friends had 5G service. He streamed the launch and played it through one of our other friend’s Bluetooth speaker, but since he had limited cellular data, turned it off 30 seconds before launch. (We only had it on to ensure that the launch didn’t scrub.) While the stream was playing, we talked about the launch, including the rocket’s trajectory. Most of us were aerospace engineering majors on the astronautics track. Then, the launch pad lit up right in front of us, and we all started cheering.
We all screamed when we saw this. Photo credit: me.
It was crazy. It was as if the night had turned into day for a split second, and then we saw a tiny burst of light streaking up into the sky:
The little dot is the rocket. Photo credit: me.
We all had our cameras and filmed the little rocket shooting up into the sky. A few moments after the rocket launched, we heard the loud rocket rumble, and we were so close that we could feel it in the ground. I totally understand why some people cry during rocket launches- it was amazing to watch. This is how far people have come- we’re sending each other into space. This is the product of literal rocket science, something that I’m lucky enough to learn at Riddle. I couldn’t stop thinking about it- one day I could do something like that with my degree.
Since the rocket trajectory was going northeast, it curved to the left in the sky. We were able to see everything: we saw the first stage booster separate from the rocket, and then we watched the second stage booster ignite. After that, we watched the rocket get smaller and smaller until it disappeared into the sky.
We waited around in case we could see the first stage booster coming back down to land on the drone ship, but unfortunately, we didn’t see it. After that, we headed right back to Embry-Riddle. The roads back were quite busy, since people had a lot of different spots to watch from. One of my friends took this from a beach:
Crew-1 from the beach. Photographer wished to remain anonymous.
This is the second rocket launch I’ve seen; the first one was the Starlink launch in August. I’ve noticed that Crew-1, however, had a lot more attendees to it. It was absolutely amazing to watch, and I’m really glad I got to go. Even those who didn’t make the drive down to Cape Canaveral were able to see the launch from Riddle’s campus, which is another thing that I love about going to Riddle. On Friday, I had a test, so I couldn’t drive down with the rocket-watching group chat to watch the Atlas V launch close up. However, I could easily see it from Riddle’s campus!
