Tag Archives: carly mcdonald

College Advice From A Senior

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Honestly, graduation seems years (not weeks!) away still…

Sometimes I look around and wonder where the time went, since college seemed to flash by in the blink of an eye. Other times it felt so slow- waiting for the weekend, excited for the next trip I was taking, waiting for an internship. But here I am now just weeks away from graduating, and I’ve been thinking a bit about what I’ve done right vs wrong during my time here. When I work at admissions events, I get a lot of questions, including “What would you change if you could do it all again?” So here’s my advice.

GET INVOLVED. Join an organization you’re passionate about. Here’s how.
It can be intimidating walking into a club meeting where everyone seems to know everyone and you don’t. However, that’s exactly what you should do! ERAU hosts the activities fair every semester a month or so in, and that’s usually when club meeting attendance spikes. You can also get involved in things like Greek life, but I’ve found that most people who go Greek stay Greek.

My challenge to you is as follows: walk around the activity fair (especially to collect free stuff) and make note of every registered student organization (RSO) you’re interested in. If it’s a non-Greek and non-honor society organization, the meetings should be free and open to all. Go to one meeting to see what the club is about – just one. If you like the club, maybe join and go to more meetings! If you’re unsure, go to another meeting to figure it out. Finally, if you don’t like the club, no harm and no foul, it was just one meeting. I will note that some clubs do have a small membership fee, but that’s usually to get heavily involved- our rocketry clubs typically do that.

I personally think that there’s something for everyone here. We have honor societies based on major (usually they’re invite or application-based), professional organizations (like the Society of Women Engineers or Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers), and fun organizations (sailing club, hockey club, tennis club, etc) as well as Division II and intramural sports.

The Women’s Ambassador Mentoring Program (WAMP) Ice Cream Social in Fall 2023.

Studies are important but so is experience.
Your GPA is not everything. Obviously don’t neglect your studies, but it’s not an end-all be-all for internships and jobs. If you get a C in one class, it won’t be the end of the world- heck, it’s even happened to me! What I’ve found to be equally as important is the experience and skills you have. They don’t even have to be super technical. Half of engineering is the technical problem, and the other half is being able to work with people. I haven’t gotten a very heavy technical question, but I have gotten a lot of behavioral “tell me about a time when” questions. From my experience, getting your first internship is the hardest.

Don’t just go to class- make sure you understand.
Like I mentioned, your GPA isn’t everything- but it’s still important. Go to tutoring, email your professors, go to their office hours, get the help you need when you need it, not the day before the test. This will enable you to get stuff done early so you can do more cool things. It’ll also lower your stress!

Leave your dorm for fun events, too!
And by fun, I mean do something that you find fun. That could be the beach, airshows, club events, the Skyline Social events on Fridays… anything. In the real world they talk about a work-like balance, but I think it’s important to have a school-life balance too. It’s also something that I struggled with a bit (since I’m a bit of a workaholic) but I’ve enjoyed the times that I got out and did something fun. This was made possible in part by me starting my homework early!

A SWE event from junior year… with dogs!

If you’re not an aeronautical science student… try and go on a flight with someone.
Where else are you going to find a university where a good chunk of the students are pilots? A fun fact about is ERAU is that you can shadow a flight in one of the Riddle planes. It’s pretty easy- all you need is a friend who’s a flight student and your student ID card, the EagleCard. You go to the flight operations building with your friend and ask to shadow the flight and as long as it’s fine with the flight instructor and flight supervisor, you can do it. I’ve done this in the ERAU Diamond DA-42s and those things are very nice to fly in.

If your friends aren’t aeronautical science, or you feel like a very expensive meal, there are several flight schools in the area you can rent a plane from. I’ve also done this– I’m not a pilot, but several of my friends are, which means that I’ve paid for my share of the flight costs and gone flying with them.

My view from the back seat of Riddle’s DA-42.


Volunteer!
Volunteer in a way that’s fun and fulfilling for YOU. Most of my volunteering time was done with the Society of Women Engineers. I spent three years on the Introduce a Girl to Engineering Workshop (IGEW) committee before transitioning to a different leadership role in SWE, but I volunteered for IGEW all three years I was on the committee. ERAU even wrote an article about it! I’ve also volunteered in other capacities, such as for Preview Day and Open House.

SWE volunteers from the Museum of Arts and Science’s International Day of Women and Girls In Science event.

Finally… This is your college experience. Make the most of it.
My college experience is vastly different from some other people, and that’s okay. College will help you figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life and give you amazing memories to last a lifetime. I’m a very social person, so I enjoyed social clubs, but if you’re more solitary you may not like all of the activities that I did, and that’s okay.

Change majors if you aren’t happy with the major you’re in. Switch classes if you realize that there’s a professor whose teaching style better matches your learning style. Do things that make you happy and surround yourself with people that have similar interests. I’ve had the time of my life at ERAU, and it’s hard to think that it’s coming to an end. This isn’t my last post quite yet, so I’ll see you in the next post!


Sun n’ Fun, Round Two

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Happy 50th Anniversary!

That time of the year has come around again- it’s airshow season! Every year, the Sun n’ Fun airshow is held at KLAL in Lakeland, Florida. I got to go for the first time in sophomore year, and I unfortunately had to miss it last year. But this year I went back- for both days- with different people.

The thing I like about attending airshows is how the lineup will change every year, and even then, it’s still unlikely to be the exact same aircraft. This year I saw a C-17, just like two years ago, from Charlotte, but the tail number was different. They let us tour a lot of the larger military planes, and I definitely took them up on that offer.

Saturday had both a day and night airshow, and I stayed for both days. I also love how the airshow changes every so often. The Thunderbirds performed again this year, but the show itself was different. I also got to see the F-35 demo team and various acrobatic performers. It was definitely worth it!

Some of the airshow performers!

One of the night show performers was the Polaris Ghost Squadron, which Jared Isaacman is part of. He’s an ERAU alumni who came back last year to speak to students, and it was awesome to see just how connected ERAU is to the industry. I enjoyed the airshow. The day airshow lasted for four full hours, while the night airshow lasted two and a half hours. And yes – I made sure to reapply sunscreen as needed.

The static displays were also a lot of fun to walk through. I noticed that a lot of the people were selling mission patches and T-shirts with their aircraft on it. There’s also a vendor area outside the warbird section, and I ended up buying a pink aviation lanyard with a seatbelt buckle attachment on it. I was really tempted to buy the KC-135 “remove before flight” tag, though…

I got to see aircraft that I’d never seen up close before, the KC-135 was one of them. They let us tour the flight deck, cargo component, and the boom operator station, which was cool to see. The KC-135 has a window in the back for the boom operator, unlike the newer KC-46 which has a refueling screen near the front of the plane that relies on cameras. I was able to look out the back of that window, watching people walk by under the aircraft. It was awesome!

KC-135 flight deck!

I also toured a C-130 with skiis that is able to land on snow, and it’s crazy for me to even think about that. I hate the cold, so I don’t like snow, but the fact that a large airplane can land on snow is awesome. I got a picture of me waving through a window of the C-130, and the breeze up there felt nice. Sun n’ Fun is just one of many things I’m going to miss when I move away, but there are airshows all over the country.

I’m very glad I went to Sun n’ Fun this year, and I’m excited to go to the Orlando Airshow next weekend! That’s one of the cool things I love about the ERAU Daytona location – there are so many airshows around here within driving (or flying!) distance. Maybe I’ll be write about the Orlando Airshow next… but whatever it is, I’ll see you in the next post!

The Last WA Adventure: D.C. & Richmond, Virginia

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And an unexpected stop in Charlotte, NC… this wasn’t on my bingo card either.

My final trip as a Women’s Ambassador has come and gone! I went back to Washington, D.C. (which is one of my favorite places!) and visited Richmond, VA for the first time. Both cities were great! I started out in D.C., flying in on Friday afternoon to meet one of the admissions counselors there.

Since my last visit to D.C. had focused more on meeting up with people, this time I was very excited to see some of the famous monuments and landmarks. It was a lot of walking, but my first stop was the cherry blossoms around the Jefferson Memorial. The cherry blossoms were in full swing, and it was a gorgeous sight! Looking across the water, the Washington Monument stood tall in the background, and it wasn’t even that cold outside.

Cherry blossom season near the Jefferson Memorial!

After that, we decided to walk around more of the downtown area. I could see the Capitol building down the street, but we eventually decided to see the White House instead. It was starting to get dark (and cold) but that didn’t stop me. From the White House, we went to see the Washington Monument, the World War II memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Even at night, there were some tourists around, and I was having the time of my life.

We returned to the hotel late that night, and I went to bed. The reception was the next day (on Saturday), and it was similar to the previous events. The full-time admissions staff gave a short presentation, and then I went around talking to students and their families, answering any questions they had. The D.C. reception was pretty big, so I had a lot of new people to meet!

The D.C. reception!

Once the reception was over, we packed up and hit the road for Richmond, VA. It was about a two-hour drive, including traffic, and I ended up sleeping part of the way there. That was when I got a bit more homework done. I’d had some assignments that I wanted to work on, so that’s exactly what I did.

The Richmond reception was smaller than the D.C. one, but it was still a lot of fun! Just like at all of the receptions I’ve been to, people have had great questions. The Richmond reception also had this amazing butter cake for dessert. It was probably pure sugar, but it tasted amazing and I absolutely loved it!

Since there were still several hours until my flight left, we ended up touring the Richmond area! We walked around a street full of shops, including stopping at a bakery where I bought a sticker that reminded me of my cat. I grabbed a snack at a dumpling restaurant, and then we headed to the airport.

Unfortunately, my flight ended up being delayed – significantly. I was flying through Charlotte into Daytona, but the flight from Richmond was delayed due to a backup on the airline’s end. I ended up missing my flight into Daytona Beach, which just so happened to be the last flight of the night.

Although unexpected, I saw the delay more as a side adventure rather than an inconvenience. I only have one class on Monday, and I emailed the professor and explained my situation. I then headed to the customer service desk where I got the airline to pay for a hotel and meal voucher, so I spent the night in a Charlotte airport hotel. I ended up ordering DoorDash and getting a little more work done.

In the morning I took the airport shuttle back to the Charlotte airport. The hotel check-out time was 11 AM, and the flight that they’d booked me on didn’t leave until 3 PM, so I had plenty of time to sit and work on homework. The airport reminded me a bit of Riddle. In the main dining area, there’s a big glass wall so you can see the aircraft going in and out. I sat and worked on my lab report while watching the planes.

Charlotte airport!

As my boarding time got closer and closer, I headed over to the E gates, where my departure flight was. On the way there, I saw a big 777 in the background and just had to snap a picture of it (see above). I then kept walking, and eventually, boarded the flight back to Daytona. It was smooth all the way down from Charlotte, and I arrived around 5 PM.

From there I got right back into it. My class was from 4-6 PM, so I showed up at ERAU with my suitcase in tow! I also had a meeting after my class, so everything seemed to work out well despite the interruption.

Since I graduate in May and have no other trips scheduled, that was my last trip for ERAU. It’s definitely a way to go out with a bang!-Even though the Charlotte adventure was unexpected, it was still a fun experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything. Delays and unexpected circumstances are part of aviation, which is at the heart of ERAU. I’ve had so much fun over the years meeting people in their home cities while seeing parts of the country that I’d never seen before. Preview Day is coming up, so if I haven’t met you before, maybe I will there. If not, I’ll see you in the next post… and hopefully at Riddle!

Speaking at the Women in Aviation Conference

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This was not on my senior year bingo card.

After months of planning, last week I spoke at the Women in Aviation conference! Our panel was titled “Internships and Co-Ops: Start Getting More Insight of Opportunities in the Aviation Sector” and we were the third professional development seminar. The panel was moderated by Isabella Gianni and I was joined by other panelists Jack Bergsman and Catherine Cummings.

Isabella was the driving force behind this panel. Over the summer she pitched the idea to me, and I agreed to participate if we got accepted. She then sent her idea to the Women in Aviation International organization, which accepted it! I registered for the conference as a speaker, which is something that I’d never done before. I’ve attended professional conferences in the past, but I had always registered as a student.

The conference was held in Orlando, which is driving distance from Daytona Beach. It was a little over an hour’s drive and I arrived around 12 PM just to make sure that I’d be there in time. I registered and got my conference badge, lanyard, and a few ribbons indicating what groups I was in. They were all out of the ‘Speaker’ ones, but I took the ‘Student’ and ‘First-Time Attendee’ ones.

The exhibitor hall opened around 1 PM, allowing attendees access to the company booths. Similar to ERAU’s career fair and the SWE conference I attended, some companies were conducting interviews for positions during the conference. I walked around and noticed that all of the major US airlines were there, and most of the major US aerospace companies were there too. Boeing had an aircraft model out!

I’m not sure what aircraft it is, but I’m assuming it’s something experimental- it looks like the X-66. Delta Air Lines also had a large model out for display. I enjoyed walking around and learning about the different companies at the conference; although I’ve done aeonautics-based internships, my focus in AE is astronautics.

Like the ERAU career fair, most people were also handing out free stuff. I saw a lot of interesting things, from socks to fragrances. I walked around the exhibition hall for awhile before heading to the room that my panel was in. Some people were already there helping get the room set up, and refreshments arrived.

The actual panel was a lot of fun! We started off by introducing ourselves, where we’d interned, and the definition of internship vs. co-op. From there we talked about obtaining an internship; where to find one, how to prepare your resume, and how to interview. We concluded by giving advice on what to do and what not to do during the internship before opening it up to general questions for the last half hour.

I loved the conference because I got to meet so many new people. I even met an incoming student there! Although my registration was good for the entire conference, I had to head back to Daytona that night since I was leaving for my final Women’s Ambassadors trip the next day. I love attending conferences because you can meet people in all stages of their professional life- I saw current airline captains and high school students there. It was an awesome opportunity meeting people, and I hope to see you one day at Riddle!

Spring Break Flashbacks

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Flashback when you met me…

Spring break is unfortunately over, which means it’s back to business down here in Daytona Beach. The majority of my spring break was spent lounging around in my apartment with my cat and doing very little schoolwork.

However, I did have one of my final trips for Women’s Ambassadors. I went to accepted student receptions in Boston, MA and then Hartford, CT during the final weekend of spring break. Since the receptions are lunches, we typically arrive the day before the first reception and fly out on the night of the last reception. This is different than two years ago during my first trip, where I also visited Hartford!

The weather in Boston was SO much different than Daytona Beach. Since we’re in Florida, the thickest thing I own is a sweatshirt, and I was not prepared. I spent the first part of my day walking around the city with the New England admissions counselor, Crystal. We walked around a bit outside and then ended up stopping at a neat-looking market that was thankfully inside.

After that we ended up going back to a mall connected to our hotel where I met an old friend. We’d gone to a few summer camps together and funnily enough, she’s from Florida! She’s going to college in the Boston area and thankfully had an extra coat. The two of us walked around more of Boston, including stopping by the public library.

Boston’s public library!

After a lot of walking, we decided to get dinner together. I get a hotel room to myself when I travel, so we headed back to it. We decided on pizza and garlic knots for dinner while watching to original Top Gun movie. It was a lot of fun to catch up with good food and a fun event.

The next morning, I got ready for the student reception. It was held nearby in a restaurant connected to the mall, and I was glad that I didn’t have to go outside. The Boston luncheon was the largest one I’d seen- there were almost a hundred people there! The full-time admissions representatives spoke about the university and then answered questions at the end. Once the presentation was over, I talked to parents and families and answered any kinds of questions that they had.

After the reception, I drove to Hartford with Crystal! We stopped for coffee at Marylou’s, which is a chain that specializes in flavored coffee. I thought it was pretty good- I’m a huge fan of caramel and sweet coffee. Once we arrived in Hartford we had dinner together and went to the hotel. I finally did a little bit of schoolwork, which was definitely needed.

The Hartford reception was similar to the Boston one, but a bit smaller. Crystal spoke for a bit, answered questions, and then I got to go talk to everyone. Both travel and helping other people are my favorite parts of the job. I’m a people person and an extrovert. I had a lot of questions when I was in high school and I’m thankful to everyone who helped me find the answers I needed.

After Hartford, Crystal and I looked around the city a bit more and got coffee before my flight. I flew back to Daytona Beach through Atlanta, unpacked, and got ready for class on Monday. I’ve had a very busy week so far, and it only gets busier! On Thursday, I’ll be headed to the Women in Aviation International conference and on Friday through Sunday, I’ll be traveling again with Women’s Ambassadors. Maybe I’ll see you at one of those events… and if not, hopefully at Riddle!

The Weekend Before Spring Break Weekend

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I’m counting down the days until spring break!

March is upon us and that means it’s almost time for spring break! While I have a test this week, I’m really excited for spring break. It’ll be great to have a week for rest and relaxation that I can spend ignoring any homework I do have.

As for what I’m up to here at ERAU? Last Friday, comedian Ryan Kelly came to ERAU for a stand-up comedy show. He’s well known on Instagram and TikTok, and I was excited to go see his show. Apparently he started out as an engineering major, and he had a few jokes about that we could all relate to.

The show was part of the Skyline Social series, which are events on Friday evenings that usually have a different theme. I’ve seen them have trivia, game night, bracelets, and now a comedy show. There’s food and drink available for purchase, but the event itself is free. This event partnered with our entertainment division, Touch-N-Go, to bring Ryan here.

Ryan Kelly at ERAU!

I enjoyed a very restful Saturday doing absolutely nothing productive. I got pizza for lunch and it was super tasty, but other than that, I spent the day relaxing. Even during the school year while not on break I highly suggest taking breaks when you can.

Sunday was my study day. I have a test on Wednesday and started studying for it on Sunday. The test is all memorization since it’s multiple choice, so I’ve started solidifying the content in my mind. I spent most of the afternoon in the Hunt Library before heading over to JCPenney for the Suit Up event.

Once per semester, ERAU’s Career Services partners with JCPenney and allows students to buy professional attire at a discounted price. All student attendees must check in and then they’ll receive their coupons to be presented at the register. I ended up getting two items- a business dress and pair of slacks- for a total under $100, which was a great deal.

I’m sitting back in my apartment writing this blog post while keeping an eye on my cat. I adopted him several months ago and he’s still as adorable as when I got him! He’s also gotten a lot bigger, but he’s still very mischievous. I’m very excited to take him with me when I start my job, but until then, I’ll see you in the next post… and hopefully at Riddle!

Things I Did In My Freshman Year of College That You Should, Too

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Your future self will thank you. Love, a senior.

So you’ve finally decided that you’re coming to ERAU for college- good decision! Getting into college is just the beginning. I’ve loved my time here at ERAU and feel like I’ve made the most of it, and of course I have some advice for you!

1. GET INVOLVED!!!
I’m serious. Getting involved has not only given me things for my resume that I can talk about in job interviews, but it’s also given me some awesome experiences that I wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise. I’ve gotten to go all over the country with Women’s Ambassadors and gone to professional conferences thanks to the Society of Women Engineers. It doesn’t matter what you get involved with, as long as you get involved! Below is a picture of a pretty seagull I saw in San Francisco while traveling for Women’s Ambassadors.

2. When on campus- LEAVE YOUR DORM! Go to events.
Not just events that the organizations you joined (see tip 1) are hosting, but the ones that the campus hosts. The Avion, our school newspaper, will occasionally give out free donuts. Touch-N-Go, our entertainment division, gives out a lot of free stuff too! People will also play sports in the common area between New Res 1 and 2; from my experience, people are always looking for new players. Plus, leaving your dorm gets you a breath of fresh air.

3. If needed, go to tutoring.
It’s free and the tutors are great! I’ve gone to tutoring for math, physics, and chemistry when I needed help. Your grades will thank you. Freshman year is the time that you’ll learn the foundations of your major. Things will only build from there. In engineering, you’ll build on your freshman and sophomore year math and physics classes, so it’s important to have a strong foundation.

4. Apply for internships!
Internships are SO. MUCH. FUN!!! They will also teach you about the jobs in the industry that are available so you can find out what you like and don’t like. I’ve had three internships and they’ve all been very helpful. I’ve learned a lot about the industry while getting paid, which was awesome. The picture below is from my summer 2023 internship with Boeing in Oklahoma City. There was a free public airshow while I was there, which meant that I had to go! Plus, internships will give you an opportunity for networking…


5. Network and find a mentor!
Networking is different than mentoring. Mentoring is more focused, where you’re looking for advice or help on a specific situation. Networking is broad, where you’re meeting people who you can ask for help (and who can ask for help from you). Mentoring is usually available through career-based organizations like the Society of Women Engineers, whereas networking can be found and done with anyone. You can definitely network with people from organizations- this year’s seniors will likely be entering the workforce soon, so you could ask them about their jobs.

6. Start (and preferably finish) your homework early!
I know it seems odd coming from a student but I’ve stayed up until 11:59 PM hoping that my assignment gets done and… it’s not the greatest feeling in the world. I do, however, like finishing an assignment early and having time at the end of the night to fully relax. If you finish your homework, then you can also attend the pop-up events in the community! I was studying with a friend at a coffee shop in One Daytona once, and when we took a break, we discovered it was the middle of the NASCAR Hauler Showcase! So we took a two-hour study break to watch the band perform and take a look around the area.

7. And last but not least… have FUN in college!
College has been the best four years of my life, and I attribute that partially because I made myself get out and do things I thought were cool. I did things that I thought I’d never do that still sounded fun, and it really enhanced my college experience. Embry-Riddle is a very special place- there’s a lot to do in the Daytona Beach area and there’s new airplanes to see every month. I hope I’ll see you here one day- and if not, I’ll see you in the next post!


My Favorite Classes I’ve Taken

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With love from a senior.

The aerospace engineering program here at ERAU allows you to pick from between four tracks: aeronautics (airplanes), astronautics (space vehicles), jet propulsion, and rocket propulsion. Currently I’m in the astronautics track, and here are a few of my favorite classes I’ve taken so far:

AE 313 (Space Mechanics)
This was my favorite class I’ve ever taken. It’s an introductory orbital mechanics class, so you get to learn about transfer orbits and creating trajectories. I also got to learn Systems Tool Kit (STK), which is a software that helps visualize the orbit. It’s a software I’m using right now in my senior design class. My professor was funny and engaging, so that was a plus too!

AE 427/425 (Senior Design)
I really like my senior design class- it’s broken into preliminary and detail design classes, but you’re supposed to stay with your team in the same class for a whole year. Our project deals with space situational awareness and we are designing a theoretical CubeSat to take pictures of objects in the geostationary orbit belt. I also have a great group that’s full of hard-working friends, which makes the class so much more fun.

AE 315 (Experimental Aerodynamics Lab)
Although I’m more of a space person, I loved my experimental aerodynamics lab. The professor who runs the lab requires a do-it-yourself group project, and my group chose to put a model 737 fuselage in the wind tunnel. This project takes place after you do five pre-designed experiments and you split each lab section of 10 students into 2 groups.

AE 426 (Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics)
I loved this class- even though people abbreviate it at SAD. My professor taught it in a real-world application method, letting us do a final project to put together what we’d learned. It was a fully theoretical do it yourself and like a miniature senior design class without all of the requirements. The class builds on AE 313 and talks more about an individual spacecraft’s attitude rather than an orbital dynamic.

AE 434 (Spacecraft Controls)
This class builds on AE 426, and my professor did a semester-long project to go along with the class. He gave us a scenario about a satellite and had us model controllers for it, starting with the attitude control and moving to basic controller design.

I am more of a project lover than a test lover as you can probably tell, but I find them less stressful and more applicable to the real world. People aren’t going to hide your textbooks, and engineering is a group effort, so you can ask other engineers if you need help. I hope you enjoyed this post, and I’ll see you in the next one… and hopefully at Riddle!

The 2024 Rolex 24

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Try saying that three times fast!

Two weekends ago I went to the Roar Before the 24 and then wrote about it in my last blog post. This weekend was the real race – the Rolex 24, also known as the 24 Hours of Daytona. True to its name, it lasted a full 24 hours, from 1:40 PM on Saturday to 1:40 PM on Sunday.

Unlike last week, parking was scarce! I’m a fan of things that are free, and the free parking was at the Volusia Mall. It took a couple of laps around the parking lot for me and my friend to get a spot, and then we had to walk to the speedway. If you ever end up going to the races, be prepared for a long walk, and factor that in to the time it takes to get there. We entered on the east side of the speedway in Tunnel 4 only about fifteen or so minutes before the race started.

We ended up getting to the stands a few minutes after the race had started and they were packed. Everyone was excited to watch the race, especially since all of the cars were grouped up together. It was just a whiz of race cars one after another, and there was so much energy all around. It was definitely a thrill.

View from the stands at the start of the Rolex 24

I watched from the stands for a bit and then noticed a normal-looking car go out onto the track. I later learned that it was the safety car which is brought out during incidents. Everyone else has to follow them, and it was odd seeing a bunch of race cars following a normal-looking car that an ordinary person could buy.

I had gotten the tickets for free as part of my involvement in the Women’s Ambassadors. The events coordinator at IMSA, who was running the race, had reached out to us asking if we’d like free tickets, and I was lucky enough to get one. The attending ambassadors met up with her at around 3:30, and it was awesome to see other women doing well in male-dominated industries like motorsports. She also brought up that there were several female drivers and a few all-women teams in the race.

My favorite car in the race.

One of the all-female teams was racing in this pink car, which was my favorite one in the race. The IMSA coordinator also explained about her job and how she got into motorsports before showing us around the infield. Part of her job included the logistics of the event, and it was cool to see everything come together and all of the empty car garages just waiting for cars.

After that, everyone went their separate ways. I checked out the food court with my friend who I had come with and watched the race on the big screens. It was news-style coverage following a car (or a group of cars) at once. The food was a bit expensive so I decided to not get anything and just eat at home.

Once we were done for the day, my friend and I walked back to her car, and somehow, the walk felt longer at the end of the day. I headed back to my apartment after that, and I unfortunately didn’t end up getting back to the race like I wanted. Since it’s a 24-hour race, admission is open- once you have a ticket, you can come and go as you pleased. One of my roommates went early in the morning to watch the sun rise at the race track.

The Rolex 24 was a great experience, even though I didn’t stay the whole time. If you come to Riddle, it’s definitely worth going to, even if it’s just once, for the experience. I don’t know much about motorsports, but I enjoyed the social aspect of hanging out with my friends, walking around, and learning a little bit about the sport. When I move for my new job I’ll also be keeping an eye out for any races that I could go to. I’ll see you in the next post… and hopefully at Riddle!

Adopting A Pet As A Student

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Hello, Radar… cute kitten pics incoming!

So, a few months ago, I adopted a cat! A lot of my other friends at ERAU who live off campus also have pets, and I’ve been wanting a cat for awhile. As a kid, I always had at least one cat, and going to college was my first time without one. My roommate last year had a kitten, so I got to experience the student life with a pet in the apartment, and this year, I finally decided to get my own!

I adopted my cat, Radar, from the local humane society in September. The adoption process was relatively simple. I found a cat I liked, filled out the paperwork, got approved, and then paid the adoption fee. They do ensure that every cat that passes through is spayed/neutered, so I had to wait a few days before I could take him home. Once he was ready, then I simply went back to the humane society and picked him up.

Radar the cat!

Thankfully, cats are relatively low-maintenance pets, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t additional considerations. I’ve made plans or chosen to stay over school breaks so I can take care of him, and added his food, litter, and other supplies to my budget. My apartment complex also requires pets to be registered and for me to pay pet rent, which isn’t too much of a big deal. I have three roommates, and all of them were happy to have a new addition to our apartment.

As I mentioned previously, I had cats as a kid, but I didn’t have responsibility for them. Ultimately, they were my parents’ pets. Now, as a full-time cat owner, I’ve had to do all the not-so-fun parts too, like scooping the litter box. To help me, I bought an automatic feeder (around $50) and a water fountain (about $20) so that my kitty could be on a regular schedule. My class schedules differ throughout the day, so I wanted to establish a constant schedule for my new furry friend.

I’ve also had to consider what I want to do with him when I’m gone, like for break or Women’s Ambassadors travel. That’s part of the reason I got an automatic feeder and waterer. If the trip is really long, I’ll pay one of my roommates to shovel his litter box. It requires a little bit of planning ahead, especially for long breaks like winter break, but I’ve been able to make it work.

I’ve also added a bunch of cat things to my apartment for him- my roommates have gotten used to having random cat toys on the floor. I also bought a cat hammock to put in my window that is held up with suction cups. He enjoys sitting there and watching things run around outside. The hammock is also right next to my desk, which is very nice when I need a study break.

Radar in his hammock!

Since it’s winter in Florida, it’s quite nice outside- nice enough to keep the window open. It’s not very humid anymore and the temperatures are comfortable for both people and their pets. I like to keep my window open on days when it’s nice out so Radar can get fresh air. My apartment complex also has a balcony, so when I’m in the common area I’ll open the door and let him sit out there, too.

He’s also a great support to have when studying. Radar loves to cuddle, so when I study, he will sometimes sit on my lap while I’m at my desk. Of course, he’s still a kitten and will frequently leave to go run around my apartment, but it’s nice to have a study buddy at home. He also likes to sleep at the foot of my bed, and when I’m ready to sleep I sometimes feel badly about disturbing him.

It’s definitely been an adjustment to have a pet, but it’s a welcome one. I’ve already been looking at pet-friendly apartment complexes for when I move to my full-time job, since Radar is now part of my family. I’m so glad I got him. It’s been fun to watch him grow over the past few months. His birthday is in late April, so I may be throwing a birthday party for him later this year. I hope you enjoyed reading this post, and I’ll see you in the next one- and hopefully at Riddle!