Although second semester has only just begun, I’m definitely starting to feel my course load, my two on-campus jobs, as well as being a member of five organizations on campus, start to bear down on me. Most people advise me to take a step back and prioritize what is most important and then cut back on what is not. However, when you’re passionate about everything you’re involved in, how does one cut back on involvement? The answer for me is: you don’t.
I’ve always been one to be involved in clubs, sports, and extracurriculars; even while I was in high school. Now that I have the freedom to use my time how I want to in college, I am involved even more! If you are like me, you understand that being involved and constantly having to attend meetings, social events, do homework, and even travel across the country (I’m so excited!), is just how you like to live. I’ve realized over my first semester here at ERAU that I love to be on-the-go!
This semester I am juggling my job as a Blogger, my job as a Social Media Assistant for Student Activities, being an Orientation Team Ambassador, being a Women’s Ambassador/Webmaster, as well as being an active member of NBAA, Women in Aviation, and Airport Management Club all on top of my five classes. At this point, my planner is starting to look a little crazy, but that’s just how I like it! I also have the privilege of traveling to Seattle, Washington, Savannah, Georgia, Dallas, Texas, and Murray, Kentucky this semester due to various different conferences, outreach events, and social events. You could say being on-the-go 24/7 is what keeps me on my toes!
I never would be able to manage all of it if it weren’t for these three must-have’s however, so I’ve decided to share them with you…
1. My planner: This handy ERAU Planner is what is now serving as my lifeline. If I lost it, my life would be in shambles! I write down everything in it: meetings, assignments, reminders, flights, social events, etc. You name it, it’s in my planner!
2. Sleep: I cannot stress this enough, sleep is the most important part of my daily routine. I am not one of those people who can run solely off of one hour of sleep and a 32oz Latte! I pride myself on getting at least seven hours of zzz‘s per night: it truly does make a difference in your day!
3. 9-5: I once heard from someone that in order to be able to manage all of the organizations you want to be a part of, you have to commit to your academics like they’re a job. This means working, in my case, from 8am-5pm everyday on homework, academic-related meetings, or on my jobs. Once I have finished my work for the day, then I can go out to my club meetings or go explore Florida. This is the best piece of advice I have ever received!
I know a lot of you are probably like me; working yourself until you have a mental breakdown, but that’s okay! I’m not going to say it’s easy, but it is definitely achievable if you stay organized, stay positive, and stay focused! Whose right is it to tell you that you cannot be involved in all that you want to? I say, go out there and do it!
Until next time,
Lindsey
Hello again! Usually the posted highlights of my time spent at Embry-Riddle come from the weekends, but this time it comes from a weekday event. This past week, I went on a tour of Daytona Beach International Airport with the Airport Management Club. We had the opportunity to speak with airport operations workers, who administered the tour. I feel like I have a new perspective of how intricate and detailed running an airport can be.
First, we toured the terminal. Everywhere we went, there was something new to learn. Justin, who worked at airport operations, explained the procedures for painting the terminal ramp, as well as the runways. Additionally, jet bridges (or Jetways) are extended to their full length to allow the jet bridges to ventilate and dry out. In Florida, as I’ve quickly learned from observing the chain on my bike, everything rusts.
We drove around the perimeter of the airport, carefully watching the swamps and water runoffs, as these areas are prone to wildlife. The airport operations workers cautiously moved a snapper turtle, from the road to the runoff, with nothing but their arm strength and a shovel. I never thought about wildlife’s role on airports, or how airports control them.
Further down the road led us to the airport firehouse, where we got a demonstration of their newest truck, capable of holding 330 thousand gallons of water (if I recall correctly). It’s amazing how fast these trucks move, considering their weight. Following the demonstration, we thanked the airport operations guys, and headed back to Embry-Riddle.