New Year, New Member

Posted on February 24, 2020 by Eugene

Greetings everyone, my name is Eugene and I’m the newest member to join My Life @ Riddle blogger team. I’m a junior majoring in Aeronautical Science with minors in international relations and airline operations. I’m currently an instrument rated private pilot working on my commercial pilot license.

I’m from Seoul, South Korea. It’s a country in East Asia next to Japan and China, and I’m proud to call it home. We are famous for K-Pop and Samsung, and it takes about 14 hours to fly there from the east coast.

Seoul

In my spare time, I like to stay active, so I enjoy running, kayaking or going to the beach on a nice, sunny day. I enjoy reading which seems to be a fading hobby. I keep myself busy by picking up new projects and hobbies, and I try my best to keep my mind off school work and flying when I need to de-stress.

I always wanted to study international relations and foreign affairs by majoring in a political science degree. My goal was to work in the field of diplomacy and possibly end up with a career in the embassy. Fast forward to my junior year of high school, I was introduced to Riddle when a university representative from the school came to talk to us about college application. It was the only school I applied to that had a pilot training program. Fast forward few more years, I’m now a year away from graduating while studying international relations that is offered as a minor.

My short-term career goal is to become a flight instructor here at Embry-Riddle upon graduation. I’ll get a chance to teach and help eager student pilots earn their way towards getting their certificates and ratings. My long-term career goal is to work my way into the regional airlines and start building my airline career to end up with in a major airline in the long run.

I used to write personal blogs about traveling and flying in my freshman year of university, so I’m very excited to join the team to share about my flying experience here at Embry-Riddle as well as my traveling / college stories!

Inside the cockpit of a Delta Air Line’s A350-900 on my way back to Inchon, Korea from Atlanta, GA

A Brand New Start

Posted on February 13, 2020 by Emily

Hello everyone! I know it’s been a while since you heard from me. This past semester was a little tough. Like a lot of students, I realized the major I was in wasn’t the right one for me. It took some time to figure out because I really enjoyed the artistic and creative aspects of the Communication major, but when I took a Psychology class in the fall, I fell in love with that area of study. That’s why I changed my major to Human Factors Psychology. And even though I’m no longer a Comm major, I’m back to blogging and ready to share what I learned through this process.

For many students right out of high school, a big part of college is figuring out what you want to do for the rest of your life. That can be a lot of pressure! And sometimes students find out that the things they love to do for fun may not be as enjoyable when it becomes study and work. If you find yourself in this situation, you should know you’re not the only one! It’s OK to decide to change your mind. Just to put in perspective, I have a professor who has a PhD student assistant who told us he changed his major 6 times in his undergrad years. While most won’t find themselves changing direction that many times, it does show that you can switch it up and be successful, so don’t let anyone make you feel bad or dumb – just do what’s best for you, do the best you can and continue to learn and discover what you love.

I’ll also admit math has never been my best subject, and even though I did well in my first math class, things went south quickly in the next math class. I really struggled and I was too proud to seek help – I convinced myself I’d be able to figure it out like I had in my first math class. Which was a huge mistake! So I highly recommend seeking tutoring early and often. There’s so many tutoring options, and most of them are free, so there’s really no excuse not to. I learned the hard way so don’t be like me!

Things move quickly in college, so talking to professors, building a support system and connecting with resources before things go bad is really important to your academic and personal well being and health. College students can get so caught up in studies and activities, they neglect mind and body and that is no good. These are my greatest bits of advice that id like to give everyone based off of my own experiences in my fall semester. I just want everyone to take what I say so that you can apply it to your self and realize you are not alone, and its okay to have a bad semester, but to realize the steps you can take, and that also you can speak up and talk to your professors, counselors, and tutors. Embry-Riddle has a wide variety of people who are always willing to help you, and no one wants to see you fail. It’s just up to us as students to take the initiative to speak up and ask for help.

I hope everyone is having a good semester far, and I can’t wait to talk about my new studies in Human Factors Psychology and also my new adventures through my college career.

Speedweek & Summer

Posted on February 10, 2020 by Merrick

Happy February everyone! I am currently blogging from Daytona Beach, Florida, it’s going to be sunny and 85 degrees this week, and this weekend is going to be rainy and in the 50s…cold fronts are no fun!

This week is Speedweek at the Daytona International Speedway, but the racing season really started off with the Rolex 24 hour race, the Busch clash, some more qualifiers, and next weekend the Daytona 500. Every year AFROTC cadets volunteer at the speedway and work different race shifts, this past year a lot of other sports teams on campus volunteered too.

Photo of me at the Speedway over the Start/Finish line with the sun in my eyes.

This week I start to hear back from a variety of summer programs I applied to in order to go abroad to a country in the Middle East to continue studying Arabic. I applied to programs in Jordan, Morocco, and Oman.

This week is going to be kind of hectic for me, but as usual I’m generally a busy person. I have PT, Arabic and Solid Mechanics homework due tomorrow, as well as updated Bulletin Boards for my wing in the hallway for my Resident Advisor position, followed by a lab report due on Tuesday, funds request forms, meetings, AFROTC leadership laboratory and more PT, and a Solid Mechanics test on Friday.

Pink cotton candy sunset clouds from Tucson, Arizona this past summer where I studied Arabic at the University of Arizona with Project GO.

It’s times like this where I think back to my equally busy summers and appreciate the way I am constantly in the flow of working hard and making progress towards my future. Being in the middle of everything also gets me thinking about the future and how sometime between the next week and the next few months I’ll finalize my summer plans and figure out where I am studying abroad and which dialect of Arabic I’ll be focusing on. All very exciting things, but sometimes a little stressful not knowing what direction I’ll be going in. I just tell myself to keep trusting the process.

Will report back soon folks, midterms are around the corner, keep on keeping on!

New Year, Busy Me

Posted on February 7, 2020 by Brittney

This new year, and a new decade, has gotten off to the quickest start. Classes are already talking about first exams, clubs are kicking off their semesters, time seems to go by quicker and quicker with each minute, and you still have to figure out how to fit work and sleep into your schedule.
This semester is a semester full of projects for me. I am quickly learning that time management for me if more than essential to living on an everyday basis. I wake up and am immediately given notifications about where I need to be when, but it keeps me on top of my game.
As I am approaching my expected graduation in December, I am trying my best to get the most out of my last year at Embry- Riddle. I am taking an industrial math research class where I am in contact with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory that works under the U.S. Department of Energy on a project to use math models to interpret data from nuclear energy, and it is truly a class for practical experience. I am also in a senior capstone project class for my space studies minor that focus on the practical operations of mission control operations. In addition, I am getting proposals ready for undergraduate research this summer, hoping to explore the ways the space industry impacts the environment.

With such a busy, but promising semester, I am trying my best to stay on top of things as my schedule gets busier with projects and meetings. Staying healthy both physically and mentally is my top goal for 2020 and am lucky to have friends and workout partners to assist me in keeping on track. Even with a busy schedule, I have still found time to hang out with my friends and go to the beach and the lighthouse (an activity we do often to relax), and despite the fact that we have had a bit of rain and cloudy days, we still manage to find ourselves at the beach with the clearest skies.
This year will be the year of progress and learning how to make the best out of the busiest situations and I cannot wait for every second of it!

HBD & Homesickness?

Posted on January 27, 2020 by Merrick

Happy January folks! I’m currently blogging from Daytona Beach and it’s cold! You might be telling yourself, well it’s winter, but last week was 80 degrees and now the nights are in the 40s! You may say, okay, well wear a jacket and it’s warmer in the sun, and I agree those are great solutions, except when you’re at PT before the sun is up and it’s also extremely windy! Florida cold fronts are no fun, all in favor of bringing back beach weather say, “I!”.

As I sit here typing this blog, in between finishing an Electrical Engineering lab report, sending a slew of emails, finishing some essays, and in preparation to do homework for my Arabic and Solid Dynamics classes I have to add, I’m tired!

I worked a 12 hour shift yesterday at the Rolex 24 hour race at the Daytona International Speedway, so Sunday was my only “weekend”, if you constitute more than 12 hours of homework as a break? To say the least, I am looking forward to the end of this week and hopefully getting 12 hours of sleep!

In other news, my sister turned 28 last week! So, HBD-Happy Birthday!!! To a wonderful human, mentor, role model, overall good person who I aim to be like.

My older sister and I circa 20 years ago!

Something a friend who lives in Arizona asked me recently is, “How do you help your residents cope with homesickness?” I wanted to address this on my blog because you are not alone! There are so many college students who feel homesick, and I am here to offer you some great tips.

Tip 1: The Counseling Center, you can absolutely go to counseling to talk about your day or how you’re feeling, and they are professionals!

Tip 2: Text/call/FaceTime/social media message your family when you miss them, or set up specific times or days in the week where you can sit down and talk to them! If it’s important to your mental health, add it to your schedule, that way you ensure it is your priority.

Tip 3: Make friends! College is full of people looking to find their “people.” My friends and I call it our vibe tribe, which isn’t necessarily what you have to call it, but have someone you can talk to, hangout with, study with, or just do nothing with. Homesickness dissipates when you are having fun and aren’t feeling lonely.

Tip 4: Join a club, organization, ROTC, or a sports team! Be a part of something bigger than yourself. ERAU had an Activity Fair last week and there are SO many clubs and groups you can be a part of, it filled up the entire Lawn with tables! And if you can’t find the right club for you, you can always make your own! All you need is some friends and one faculty advisor and you’re in business.

There are so many things you can do to find a sense of community and a true “home away from home”. Find your people, find your place, and do your thing! Will report back soon. Keep on keeping on folks.

A New Semester

Posted on January 16, 2020 by Kyara

We have officially entered a great semester and a new decade. Syllabus and introductions into your course days are behind you and now, now we are going to truly get our hands dirty with our courses.

Winter break is over and we just finished our second week of school. This transition from relaxation to school work, work, and extracurriculars is a tough one to navigate and reacclimate to. I’ve been a college kid for 3 years now and I still struggle but I have developed some self tips to help me manage.

Tip #1 Google Calendar is your best friend.

The biggest change from break life to school life is the impending need to plan and effectively time manage. This app will help you plan out a day-to-day schedule and provide reminders for each task. Most people have planners, but an electronic planner is a nice reinforcement to ensure you are on top of your tasks and are fully aware of your free time, so you can plan out times to unwind and have fun.

Tip #2 Utilize Office Hours early on.

Many people tend to rush to a professor’s office hours days before a final hoping to understand all content and material covered in class in merely one or two sessions. Do not follow that lead. Establishing a rapport with your professors early on will allow them to see how much effort your are putting into the course and in the long run will help you understand the content more. If office hours with your professor doesn’t provide enough aid, don’t you fret, there are so many more resources available to you. Supplemental Instruction sessions are available and schedules can be found upon entering the College of Arts and Sciences. The tutoring center provides aid in many subjects such as: math, chemistry, physics, writing, ES courses, and EGR 115. Utilize all your resources around, not as a cram tool but rather a regular tool in order to do well in your courses.

Tip #3 Organize your space.

Now that your schedule is in place and you’ve received aid from school, it’s time to begin your studies. Choose which space works best with you, whether it be working in the library, studying in the college buildings such as the College of Engineering or College of Business, or even the comfort of a desk in your own living space. Choosing and organizing said study area is extremely important. Make sure you provide yourself a space void of distractions and where everything you might need for your coursework is readily available. A clean space can mean a more welcoming environment for learning and a more productive study time. Just remember to give yourself study breaks so you don’t burn out.

Tip #4 College is a time of hard work but also a time for fun.

It’s super easy to go into a new semester running, but make sure you don’t wear yourself out. It’s been around a month or more since you’ve re-entered the strange world of being a college student. During breaks, more than likely, your routine was calm, so its best to gradually merge into your new schedule. To avoid burnout, please plan out times in which you can unwind and relax. It doesn’t have to be a whole day or costly. Plan a movie night in the dorms one weekend, schedule a board game night with friends, or even leisurely read. Just make sure you make time for a breather.

And lastly remember just try your best! You’ve got this!

Updates & Welcome Back

Posted on January 13, 2020 by Merrick

Happy January everyone! I am currently blogging from Daytona Beach, Florida, still reminiscing on winter break, but back a few days before classes start for my RA position doing Spring Training and preparing the residence halls for students to return.

Part of this prep includes the “new year new me” philosophy and I took part by getting a well needed hair cut.

Freshly chopped! Top is before, bottom is after. New year, new hair cuts!

Although I do love my friends at school, I have also found myself missing being around my family tribe at home. I got to travel a little bit along the east coast over winter break going to southern Virginia to Philly to DC then back Florida.

While I was in Philadelphia I got to visit and meet a bunch of my cousins! We also celebrated my brother’s birthday by attending a Philadelphia Eagles versus the Dallas Cowboys football game at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles ended up winning against Dallas and as you can imagine, the post game fireworks and overall atmosphere of the stadium was one of a kind. It’s fitting that I wanted the Philadelphia Eagles to win just as much as I want the Embry-Riddle Eagles to win.

Train ride to the football stadium before the game with my family!

A post game Eagles victory group photo!

Yes, there are a lot of us, and yes we took up an entire row of seats. I highly recommend going to NFL games with a large group. It was my first game and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

View from my seat at the game!

I am now off to finish hall decorations, make door tags, and do room inspections for my RA position. I also need to write some essays for applications for Study Abroad Programs for Summer 2020 to continue learning Arabic. Will include pictures of my hall decorations, classes I’ll be taking this semester once my schedule is finalized, and first week of school updates in my next post.

Keep on keeping on folks, happy New Year, and welcome back! Will report back soon!

Back in the Swing of Things & Spring

Posted on January 13, 2020 by Merrick

Happy January everyone! I am back blogging from Daytona Beach, Florida, it’s the first week of school and I can tell already that this semester is going to be a busy one.

I started off my classes with AFROTC training on Wednesday morning, followed by my first day of class, meetings with my cadre, stopping by Ernie Central to get some paperwork approved for study abroad applications, my first RA hall tradition of the semester, and RA duty! I know that may seem like a lot for one day, but honestly that’s a typical day for me, always on the go and super busy. Along with classes I also had my first AFROTC Instructional training of the semester, and took a Fitness Diagnostic, which is an unofficial version of the Air Force’s PT test.

I appreciate being back at school because I get to come back to my room every evening and look at all my door decorations.

Some of my RA door tags!

This year I decorated my hall with a movie theater theme. About once a month RA’s update their hall bulletin boards, this months theme was consent!

Roll of film hall decoration!

Movie theater soda cup decorations!

Spilled popcorn decoration!

Director’s cut decoration!

My Spring 2020 class schedule is now finalized and I got seats in all the classes I needed to be on track with my academic plan. I’m taking AFROTC Leadership Laboratory, AFROTC Air Force Management & Leadership, Electrical Engineering Fundamentals, Electrical Engineering Fundamentals Lab, Arabic, Solid Mechanics, and Jet Propulsion.

Will report back soon folks, hope everyone has a smooth transition getting back into the swing of things. Will report back soon!

Finishing 1st Semester & Family Time

Posted on January 13, 2020 by Merrick

Happy January everyone! I am currently blogging from Daytona Beach, Florida where I left after finals in 80 degree weather in December and returned to 80 degree weather in January.

To provide a small bit of background, I set goals every semester, whether it be goals for my RA position, goals for my classes, my personal fitness, or my AFROTC position. I started off Fall 2019 semester riding the wave of my Spring 2019 semester GPA being the highest its been since I started my college career, so of course I made the goal of making Fall 2019 even better. I would like to officially report back saying that, while 18 credit Fall Semesters are not my favorite, I have proven fairly successful and I achieved my goal of raising the bar higher for my best semester GPA.

That being said, now I have a new goal to beat and maybe one day I’ll make it to that 4.0? Game on Spring 2020!

After finals, closing the residence halls, and a few plane rides, I made it back to Virginia safely for the holidays where I spent time relaxing, working out, watching the Grinch one too many times, reading, hiking, and drinking all the kombucha and tea.

Some of my favorite moments from Winter Break were going to an ornament making class with my family and a bunch of friends and cousins. (Yes, my non-conventional holiday experience included a Christmas palm plant instead of the traditional tree. I live by the beach!)

Another highlight from my time off from class was seeing my pup, she’s a pitbull named Kita and loves naps (JUST like me)!

Kita the cuddly pup who lives in Virginia.

We love a good restful vacation. I’m excited to be back to school though. Will report back soon. Big things to follow, stay tuned folks.

Thanksgiving Season

Posted on December 5, 2019 by Brittney

It is this time of year that always gives me the extra reminder of what I am thankful for, and this year I am especially thankful for my Housing and Residence Life (HRL) family.

This Thanksgiving, I was on duty as a Resident Advisor (RA) for a majority of the break, meaning I cannot leave campus and must respond to calls as needed. As much as it was not pleasant to be away from my family for the holiday, everyone in HRL is amazing and truly a second family that I got to spend some time with this year.

Staff participating in seasonal activities

This Thanksgiving one of our HRL supervisors organized a Thanksgiving meal for all the RAs that were not able to go home. We had a turkey and stuffing and we all brought our favorite holiday dishes to share. It was an amazing time and reminded me how thankful I am for the people I work with and the friends I have made throughout my time on HRL staff. Thanksgiving marks about a year since I have been hired on staff and my life has changed a lot since I joined my second family. Everyone in Housing and Residence Life is always so supportive and willing to help. I have had the honor of getting to know the new professional staff members this year and they are all amazing and ready to lend a hand with any issues you could possibly have. In addition, I have made an abundance of friends that I enjoy working with every day.

Thanksgiving is a great time to remember the little things in life that we may tend to take for granted, and I am very thankful of my home away from home and all of my school mates I spend every day with. I am very thankful for this school and everything it has brought me.

I hope everyone else had an amazing Thanksgiving, too.