Over the years, I have really enjoyed various teams, groups, and projects including robots, rockets, subteams, PR, cars, student councils, clubs, class projects, and more! I wanted to take some time to list out a handful of things and mindsets that are super useful in the management process.
Prioritize one-person accountability
Each task should be able to be traced back to one specific person for accountability when it is done late, when someone has questions, when something goes wrong because of it, etc.
Learn to delegate
It is better to share the work instead of doing it all yourself. Although you may enjoy controlling the outcome, understandably, delegation also gives others the chance to learn your duties in the eventual circumstance that you retire/step down. It also helps the members of your team feel like they more directly contributed to the end goal.
Goals & timelines are SO important
These are some of the most important things whether it comes in the form of a Gantt chart, Excel sheet, or something else. An end goal must be defined with important milestones in order for a project to progress in a timely manner. Without these, the project risks veering away from the main goal and/or taking far too long. This will also help you give your teammates an answer to why you must complete a certain task on time and all the trickle-down consequences of a delay.
Factor in delays/buffers: Sometimes things can go wrong. Sometimes these things can be out of your control (supplier backups, accountable people getting sick, etc.). You need to factor in some buffer time when scheduling things to be completed so that this does not push back any very important end goals and deliverables.
Communication, communication, communication
ONE communication outlet: This is a very underrated thing, but having only ONE outlet of communication for a team (Discord, text, Slack, etc.) will immensely reduce confusion and help everyone stay on the same page.
Meet in person! Call on Discord! Put updates and random thoughts in the group chat! Communication will help your team bond, stay on topic, be focused and productive, and so much more. It is far better to overcommunicate than to undercommunicate.
Open House was this past weekend and as I’m graduating in the spring, it’ll be my last one! It’s one of my favorite events of the semester since I get to meet lots of new people (and collect some free stuff).
My day started off nice and early since the first organization I was representing, the aerospace engineering department, started working at 7:45 AM. Students (both undergraduate and graduate) were around with professors as department representatives, answering any questions that the families had for us. Here are a few of the most-asked questions (and their answers):
Are there a lot of hands-on experiences for students? Yes! As part of the AE curriculum we have to take experimental aerodynamics, controls, structures and materials laboratory classes. My favorite so far has been the experimental aerodynamics lab since a good part of your grade (and the class) relies on your DIY lab experiment where you create your own experiment. It has to pass safety testing and be approved just like a real experiment, too. For my group’s experiment we put a model 737 fuselage in the wind tunnel!
737 Fuselage loads testing!
What are the different tracks for? They are different specializations for your degree! I’m the astronautics (astro) track which means I’ll take different classes than someone in the aeronautics (aero) track. For example, I take Spacecraft Controls instead of Flight Dynamics and Control. The classes are a little more tailored towards your track for a more specialized degree.
What about internships and co-ops? How do you get one? Yes! I’ve had three internships (Summer 2020, Summer 2022, and Summer 2023) with three different companies (M3 Defense Consulting, Sierra Nevada Corporation, and The Boeing Company). I got each in a different way, but networking helps a lot- both with your professors, classmates, and company mentoring programs available to students. I would also suggest joining a professional organization and if possible, attending their conference!
After representing the aerospace engineering department, it was time for me to change shirts and represent my other organization: the Women’s Ambassadors! I walked over to the admissions building to get our stuff for tabling. We had pink ERAU tags, pink pens, and purple lanyards. We were tabling on the side of the student union next to the student government and ROTC tables, so we got a good amount of traffic.
Me, Lauren, and admissions staff member Ken!
At the Women’s Ambassadors table, I also got a lot of questions. This time, the questions focused more on the student experience as a whole rather than the aerospace engineering program as a whole. These were the top questions:
Do you like it here, and are you glad you came? Yes! I really do like ERAU and am glad I came to Riddle. It’s the perfect size for me- small enough so that professors will know you by name, but big enough so that you can still meet new people every week. I also like that you can hold leadership positions in multiple organizations!
What are the Women’s Ambassadors and what do you do? The Women’s Ambassadors were founded to increase the enrollment and retention rate of female students. We do this by working at admissions events (like Open House, accepted student dinners and regional admissions presentations) and mentoring freshman students. We also host events for female students on campus so that they have a sense of community. Our sister program, the Women’s Ambassador Mentoring Program, is run by a female professor on campus and has expanded to provide mentoring events too!
What is the campus social scene like? It really depends on what you make of it. If you don’t want a social life, sit in your dorm all day and you won’t really be bothered. If you do want a social life, you have to get out there and make it- join clubs and make friends in your classes. Campus life is definitely what you make of it.
My last Open House was a lot of fun. I love working at these events and meeting new people, but I’m also excited to graduate and move into the next chapter of my life. Attending ERAU definitely helped me get to where I’m going. If you’re thinking about coming to ERAU, definitely apply and attend Open House and Preview Day if you can! Hopefully I’ll see you there… if not I’ll see you in the next post!
You do not need a rug but you 100% need a water bottle!!
If you didn’t know, now you do, but ERAU has a suggested packing list! However, I didn’t end up bringing everything on this list. Honestly, most of the things I brought were the bare essentials- sheets, towels, and storage containers for other things I wanted like shoes or extra blankets. I didn’t bring any sort of decoration whatsoever because I was a little too lazy to put it up and take it down every year. And I didn’t mind. However, some of the things on the list I absolutely used every day– they were definitely on my “must bring to college” list. Here are my thoughts:
1. A Very Long Phone Charger This was probably my most-used item. I lived in New Residence Hall 2 during my freshman year and kept my bed fully lofted. Thus, it was important for me to have a very, very, very long phone charger to reach up to my bed. I also added a Command hook on the side of my bed so that I wouldn’t have to climb out of my bed if I lost it. Instead, I threaded it through the Command hook when I wasn’t using it so that it would always be reachable from my bed. I also had my desk under my bed, and the charger was long enough to loop through the Command hook on the side of my bed and then back to my desk if I needed it there, too.
My final dorm arrangement.
2. A Water Bottle ERAU is in Florida and it is HOT, which means it’s also important to stay hydrated. Definitely bring some sort of water bottle! There are plenty of water bottle filling stations on campus, so the amount it holds doesn’t really matter as much. I would also suggest a vacuum insulated water bottle to keep your drink cold, especially in the warmer months.
3. Sweatshirt, Pants, and/or Long Sleeve Shirts Florida gets hot, but it also gets cool. It never snows here or anything, but it can be a humid cold, which makes it feel colder. I’m from Kentucky, so I’ve been through snow, but never a whole lot of it. Even so, I still need a sweatshirt and pants during some times of the year. If you’re from a colder climate, it may be still be a good idea to bring some colder-weather clothes, but maybe not a heavy winter coat.
4. An Extra Phone/Laptop Charger for Your Backpack This one may be a preference if your phone and laptop have an amazing battery life, but my phone dies during the day, so I always carry a charger with me. ERAU has plenty of spaces to charge your phone or laptop- the library, the student union, even in some classrooms.
5. An Umbrella or Raincoat for Your Backpack Ah, the joys of living in Florida- popup rain showers. Every so often I will go to class, and within the hour, it’s pouring outside. Sometimes I have the luxury to wait out the rain, and other times I don’t. Therefore, I highly suggest having an umbrella or raincoat (or both!) for your backpack when it does rain.
6. A Decent Camera for Surprise Visitors As this is ERAU, sometimes we get a few surprise visitors on campus. Of course we have regularly scheduled Delta Air Lines and American Airlines flights, but we’ve had C-17s, the Thunderbirds, an Atlas Air 747, an F-15, and plenty of other aircraft that I may not have even seen! So it’s great to have a decent camera- even if it’s just on your phone- to take pictures of anything that drops in for a day or so. I’m excited to see what sort of aircraft will come in this semester. I’ll see you in the next post… and hopefully at Riddle!
I slept in until about 10:30 a.m. and woke up to my fiance jiggling me saying “Hey, isn’t there a solar eclipse you wanted to see today?” I jolted awake remembering it started around 11:00 a.m. but I knew we weren’t able to see the whole thing from Florida. I made some coffee, got dressed, and my fiance and I hopped in the car to go run to a few stores for our weekend errands. When we got to Perrine’s Market in Port Orange, I got a call from one of my best friends in Jacksonville, Liz. She said “you have to look at the eclipse, you can see it now!” Luckily the car windows were tinted, so I pulled out my iPhone, pointed it aimlessly at the Sun, and when I checked my phone screen, I realized I just accidentally got some of the best photos of the eclipse!
It was amazing to see a crescent Sun and so clearly too! We didn’t need those fancy glasses and we didn’t need to look directly at it either. The cloud cover came at the best time! It blocked the glare from the Sun just enough to still see it on a digital image. I was so bummed thinking that because it was cloudy, we wouldn’t be able to see much of it… Boy was I wrong!
We also ended up going to the Apple store to check out the new Airpods Max, and well, we ended up walking out with two pairs. Happy early Anniversary!
I got this palm green color and they are just so sleek and beautiful. No more ear buds falling out of my ears at the gym when I am running or working out. As much as I love my Airpods Pro, they always fall out of my ears when I am working out. I am excited to use these over-the-ear headphones now!
So, I love the Fall season. The decor, the food, the outfits. I also love crafting and using coupons. Around this time of year I like to make a huge Michael’s Craft Store trip, and create (and sell) custom pumpkins! They are lightweight, totally customizable, and cute! I made 10 so far this season and am seriously thinking about turning it into a business. Maybe I can even get on QVC one of these days! I can dream…
I went to Port Orange Family Days over the weekend and it was perfect weather for it! I ended up getting these cotton handmade headbands from Lauren of Crafty Little Witch Creations. I got a Jacksonville Jaguars design, a sunflower design, and a pumpkin design!
We also got some Gran Arepa corn cakes. These are my favorite food truck treat.
I love going to the Port Orange City Center to walk when Family Days isn’t in town as well. There is a large lake with a sort of nature trail. Also, there are so many turtles that live in the lake! I found this baby sun bathing on Sunday at the festival, and I think this is the smallest turtle I have ever seen in this lake. They are usually huge! Can you spot it?
I also made my way to Sugar Mill Botanical Gardens. This is another spot in Port Orange that is a must-see if you have a love for nature, plants, and flowers. All you need is some sneakers and a good camera, and you have yourself a beautiful day ahead of you. I used to volunteer here when I was in High School and I loved gardening and tending to the nature trails. It is so peaceful and it gives you a nice break from the hustle and bustle of life.
A couple weeks ago I went to Pittsburgh for a Regional Admissions Presentation (RAP). Last weekend I got back on the road again and ended up in Washington D.C. and New York City!
For this trip, I flew out of the Orlando airport on a morning flight. That required me to get up a bit early, but I didn’t mind. D.C. and New York City were destinations that I really wanted to visit. I got into D.C. in the late morning, so that meant I had the day to explore. Of course, my first spot was the Udvar-Hazy Center, which is home to a Concorde, a SR-71, and Space Shuttle Discovery.
SR-71 Blackbird!
The Udvar-Hazy Center was amazing. It also had a tall air traffic control-like structure that looked over the runways at Dulles Airport. That spot also had a live stream of the air traffic control communications, so I could hear the pilots and tower talking as planes started to land. A lot of traffic came in during the short time I was there, including a couple of international flights. That was super cool to watch!
After I was done at the museum, I ended up going over to a friend’s house and got to meet his cats. He has two black cats and one orange cat, and all three of them were very sweet. I missed my cat at home, even though I had only left him that day, so it was nice to be able to see some other kitties.
Cosmo (left) and Venus.
After playing with the cats a bit, I headed over to my hotel. My friend dropped me off at the metro, which I was excited to take. I had all of my things with me, and I took the metro into the city to the hotel. I ended up walking a couple blocks to the hotel and checking in. I didn’t get much time to relax- having known I would be going to D.C., I planned out a few things that I’d want to do.
I walked back to the metro and met a friend at another metro stop, where we got dinner and then went to a movie theater. Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour movie was out this weekend, and we’d managed to get tickets! We spent the evening watching the three hour movie before I went back to my hotel.
Saturday was the first RAP in downtown D.C., and it was super fun! Since D.C. is a huge city, we had a great turnout. At the RAP, full-time personnel from admissions talk about the university and then at certain points, students (like myself!) are given the chance to speak. At these RAPs, I talked about my previous internships, experiences with professors, and student organizations at the Daytona Beach campus. The D.C. and NYC events were joint events, meaning that representatives from the Prescott campus were there too.
After the presentation, people are allowed to ask questions until the time scheduled is up. Once the scheduled time is up, the families are allowed to leave while we stay behind and answer individual questions. That’s where I get the more personalized questions about my experiences in the degree program, how I manage my time, and other student life-specific questions. I love it- it’s so much fun to meet new people!
Once everyone has left, then it’s time to pack up. I usually change into something that isn’t a business casual outfit, and since we had another RAP in NYC the next day, we went to the train station. Union Station in D.C. is huge- it also reminded me a lot of Grand Central Station in NYC. We took the Amtrak train to NYC’s Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station. It was a three hour ride, and the train was much more spacious than a plane.
Following the train, we headed to our hotel and checked in. After that, I was able to do what I wanted! I met up with the other student and one of the full-time admissions people from Prescott, and we ended up exploring New York City together at night. It was very exciting. I got to try NYC pizza (it was amazing) and we stopped by Grand Central Station.
Grand Central Station at night!
We got back pretty late, and I fell asleep super fast. The morning came, and I ended up venturing back out into downtown NYC to get another slice of pizza. Our hotel was right next to Times Square and as I found, shops that sell pizza by the slice are everywhere! So I had pizza for breakfast before I met the admissions personnel in the lobby and we walked to the RAP venue.
The NYC RAP went the same way the D.C. one did. All RAPs present the same information. It was hosted in a venue right next to Times Square and the Hamilton theater, which I thought was super cool. After the RAP, the entire admissions group walked across the street to an Italian restaurant for dinner before we parted ways. I, along with the other members of the Daytona team, were flying out of the LaGuardia airport that night.
My flight got back into Orlando at 12:18 AM, and once I got to my car, it was about a one-hour drive back to Daytona. I didn’t even bother to unpack that night (well, morning) and instead fell asleep ASAP since I had class the next day. The trip was definitely worth it, though. I had so much fun walking around in D.C. and NYC. Even though I’m from a small town, I’m definitely a big city person at heart. I really enjoyed my time here, and I can’t wait to see what’s next. Maybe I’ll see you at an event next semester, during Open House, on Preview Day… if not, I’ll see you in the next post!
Yeah, for one post (and maybe another later), this is going to turn into a food blog haha! I am a college student, but I really love to explore local restaurants and try different things. I’ve found that a great way to do this on a budget is to pick around 1 place/per week to share an appetizer and entree with a friend or significant other. Many of the places I go also have super affordable prices. Here are a few in the Daytona Beach area that I enjoy!
There are a bunch of events on campus ranging from mini carnivals and farmers markets to free snacks and concerts! Recently, I attended an Honors Series event that was a concert by Julie Fowlis who is a Scottish artist. She is commonly known for songs in the soundtrack for Brave, but her Gaelic folk music is also so beautiful. It was a really relaxing break from work during midterms while earning seminar credits towards the honors program. Overall, I highly recommend attending some events on campus if you can, or at least keeping an eye out for some gems like this!
I woke up this morning and it was 59 degrees outside: heaven! The weather is finally starting to change and I am already getting out my cozy sweaters and winter boots. I know it doesn’t get too cold here in Florida, but when it does get cooler, it is magical. There is a nostalgic smell in the air for me, a cool breeze that tickles your skin, cozy Halloween decorations on the neighbors’ front porches (including mine), and all of the Autumn movie specials on Hallmark. As much as I love the Summer months and the beach, I think Autumn is my favorite season. This beautiful wreath is from Kohl’s in Port Orange and it was 50% off! Could you tell I love shopping for Fall decor?
Not to mention the other best part of fall: the food and drinks! My favorite coffee from Starbucks right now is a grande pumpkin spice latte with vanilla cream cold foam on top. This coffee is from the Starbucks in Cocoa Beach, FL near where I work.
I just recently celebrated my 25th birthday in September and it was a special one. Not only was it my first birthday as a Masters student, but we celebrated at Magic Kingdom during Mickey’s Halloween Party. My birthday was always the first mark of the Fall season. My fiance and I ate dinner at Cinderella’s Castle, rode some fun rides, and took the best photos!
I got to celebrate my 25th birthday with multiple friends and family members. We had another birthday dinner at Ocean Deck Restaurant & Beach Bar in Daytona Beach. It is right on the beach and they have delicious food.
We did end up with a few hurricanes skirting by over the first few months of the semester. It is always fun for me to prepare for a storm, although I never actually wish one would hit us. They can be devastating, but I grew up preparing for hurricanes since I have lived in Florida my whole life. Actually, I think there is another one forming as I type this post…
Just last week I was woken up at 4:45 am by the National Weather Service’s emergency alter announcing a tornado warning for northern Volusia county. So there we were, myself and my two 8 year old nieces piled in the bathtub taking cover to “stay vigilant” at 5:00 a.m. while my fiance and his cousin moseyed around other parts of the house to check for signs of tornado activity. We ended up getting no damage or strong winds, but it is always something here. Despite Florida getting so many storms and heat waves and tornadoes, it never fails to amaze me how beautiful this part of the country is.
Life at school has been busy. The Society of Women in Space Exploration (SWISE) had our first 2 meetings of the semester, and we are currently planning our Halloween party and some fundraising events. I love my girls!
Studying for graduate-level courses is next-level. I really enjoy the content I am learning about. I know it will prepare me for a successful future in the industry. I am currently taking a strategic marketing class and a systems engineering quality assurance class. Starbucks in the morning is my saving grace study place, until it gets too noisy, then the computer lab is my next best place.
My fiance is from Jacksonville, FL so we frequent the large metropolis every other weekend or so to visit family and explore the city and region. We also go to the Jacksonville Jaguars home games at Everbank Stadium. We have season tickets and we both really enjoy football!
I recently left one of my 5 jobs to make more time in my schedule. After almost 4 years, I will no longer be working at the Admissions Office on campus. I will truly miss the faculty and staff that I have made connections with during my time there. I told everyone that I will come back to visit every now and then, and maybe bring doughnuts too.
Embry-Riddle has been my home away from home since January 2020. Living right down the street has been a blessing; being able to commute 8 minutes and be at my university, and then to go back home to my family at the end of my day. I couldn’t ask for a better environment to learn, grow, work, and live (half of the time).
I came into ERAU with a less common background. I was in virtual school from 4th through 12th grade. This trained me to prefer a certain type of learning: throw a textbook at me and tell me to learn it by myself. I did and still do really well with this approach. As I attended more and more lectures at ERAU, I survived but noticed that I did not feel 100% comfortable with their type of learning experience. Thus, for any new virtual schooled students or just new students in general, now as a senior, I wanted to share some of the techniques I have developed over the years.
MOST classes here at ERAU, at least the ones in my experience as an EP student, have a distinct system. You attend lectures, do homework, and take exams. I have a certain note-taking/studying system that has worked very well. I use OneNote to do all of this because I like being able to see everything at a glance. I keep one large notebook; each semester has its own section group. Then, there is a section for each class. Each page is for a day of lecture, homework, or type of note.
Attend class to take lecture notes
Focus on writing down what is on the board & any other important things the professor says
Don’t be afraid to ask “will this be on the exam”
Ask if you are confused!
If not already specified by the professor, ask for what part of the textbook things correspond to & what extra practice problems you can do
Study at home!!
Take notes on the textbook
Create another notes page for textbook notes
I know it can feel wrong to do sometimes, but mark up your textbook!! Highlight definitions in yellow and important facts in blue. And then write notes in the margins or do extra math next to the examples.
Take notes on any PowerPoint slides or supplemental material on Canvas
Start homework early to fully understand the problem
In my opinion, it is okay to use an answer key (if given/permitted by your professor of course) as long as you understand how to get there. In fact, this process can make learning easier sometimes!
Do any extra practice problems that you can
If you are confused (or even if you aren’t), take these by the professor’s office hours or email it to them for feedback and extra tips!
Exam time
Glance through notes, especially for around 15 minutes leading up to the exam. Your short term memory is a powerful tool.
Redo all of your homework and practice problems on a big whiteboard for a day or so before the exam and see how fast you can get through them. Timing is key in some of these classes!
Study with your classmates. Even if you feel like you understand the material fully, someone else may have a perspective that will make you go WOAH
Last weekend I got back on the road again with ERAU’s admissions team. As a Women’s Ambassador, I get to travel around the country and support recruitment events with the admissions counselors, which is one of my favorite parts of the job! Last year I traveled to Dallas and Houston for their regional admissions presentations. This is my senior year, and my first trip of senior year was to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!
This trip took place over the weekend of September 23-24, which meant I left Saturday and came back Sunday, spending around 36 hours in Pittsburgh. I left Daytona bright and early on the 6 AM Delta flight, and I’d made the mistake of getting only three hours of sleep the night before. I slept through the whole flight to Atlanta, only waking up and noticing the sunrise when the aircraft landed.
Sunrise in Atlanta.
Sunrise in Atlanta was beautiful. Since I had a two and a half hour layover, I got to watch the airport wake up with more flights coming and going each hour. I also stopped at a local coffee shop and got an iced caramel latte, which was pretty tasty.
After the time in Atlanta, I jumped on the flight to Pittsburgh. It’s much hillier than I expected up there, and definitely a much different climate than Florida. Thankfully, I had brought a sweatshirt and was adequately prepared. The admissions counselor who I was traveling with got the car, and since it was early afternoon, we stopped for food before checking into the hotel.
Since the presentation wasn’t until the next day, it meant that I had a lot of time to explore! It was raining, but the counselor and I had already planned out a few things we wanted to do. On the way to Pittsburgh, we had made reservations for the local cat cafe.
This kitten was very friendly! Too bad I couldn’t take him home…
I really enjoyed the cat cafe- it made me miss my two cats back at home. I try and visit cat cafes in as many cities as I can to see all the cats around the US. Pittsburgh was a great addition, and lucky for us, the restaurant we chose was nearby. It was a Japanese restaurant, and I got the tofu udon which tasted amazing.
At night we intended to go to the incline and get a good look around the city, but it was raining, so we decided not to. Instead we headed back to the hotel room and rested before the presentation the next day. Honestly, after only three hours of sleep, I needed it- I went to bed around 10 PM and woke up eleven hours later.
The reception, like all of them, was held in a nice hotel. The way they work is the same- an admissions representative will talk about the school’s academics, organizations, professional opportunities and then the campuses. Sometimes there are two- one from Daytona and one from Prescott- but in Pittsburgh it was only us from Daytona. I also got the opportunity to speak a bit about my experiences in organizations and how I got internships.
Accepted student receptions!
After the presentation is over, people are free to stick around and ask us questions or leave. Each region of the US has a regional admissions counselor that comes to the presentation, and that person will be handling applications from that region. I also usually get a few questions after the presentation about student life or the aerospace engineering curriculum.
Once everyone left, we headed to the airport. The presentation was scheduled from 1 PM to 3 PM, and I had a 6:30 PM flight. Thankfully, the TSA lines were pretty short, and I got through in about ten minutes. The Pittsburgh airport is really nice, it’s got a bunch of food options centrally located, and I chose pizza. There is also a seating area watching the gates, where I stopped to do some homework. When I travel for admissions, I don’t get a free pass on my homework, I still have to do it on time.
On the way back to Daytona, I had a one-hour layover in Atlanta. Since that airport is huge, I pretty much went straight to the gate and waited for my zone to board. I like window seats for short flights, and I had window seats on the way back. I’d also heard that you can collect trading cards of Delta’s fleet, and I was able to get some on the flight into Daytona. In my opinion, the Pittsburgh trip was awesome- I got to see a new city, meet new people, and collect airline trading cards. Maybe I’ll see you at a regional admissions presentation, too. If not, I’ll see you in the next post… and hopefully at Riddle!
