You may wonder, what is my life like besides being a student? Maybe you don’t, but it seems to me that life as a student is probably pretty self-explanatory, and at times, pretty boring. So, allow me to write about everything but the classes.
To start, I’ve been an RA since Fall 2022. I was in New Residence Hall 2 for Fall 2022 and Spring 2023, then moved to Doolittle for Summer 2023. After that, I went back to New Hall 2 for Fall ‘23 and Spring ‘24. I lived in New Residence Hall 1 as a freshman, so I’ve seen my fair share of different dorms on campus. I’ve also lived on campus for three years, obviously, and I will say, it’s certainly got its benefits. For example, if I wake up a little late, no worries! Class is a brisk 5 minute walk away. But if I didn’t live on campus, I’d be telling a different story. One thing I will say that I wish I had was a full kitchen, but hey, you win some, you lose some. Overall, life on campus is pretty nice, and I’m gonna miss it next semester when I’ve got an apartment somewhere in the area.
Besides being an RA, I get involved in pretty much anything I can. I am a member of SGA as a student senator for the College of Business! With the Student Senate, I am the Senate’s secretary, so I keep track of a lot of stuff from our weekly meetings, and I work very closely with the SGA Vice President. As College of Business Senator, I work to make the college a better place for fostering learning and connectivity. I also act as a liaison for the Center for Faith and Spirituality, and I help out there where help is needed. My time in this role has already taught me so much, from time management, to working better with others, Robert’s Rules and Parliamentary Procedure, and how much the SGA really does for the student body.
Speaking of SGA, I also spend a lot of time with one of the divisions of the SGA, The Avion! My favorite thing to do with The Avion is our weekly broadcasts. Every week, me and my co-anchor, Kyle, head to the weather studio in the College of Aviation and record for the upcoming episode. We talk about all sorts of things, from weather to campus life, to sports, and even sharks. I’ve had such a blast anchoring since the beginning of the fall, and I’m so excited to see the broadcast come to life in a new and improved form this semester. In addition to the broadcast, I’ve found some fun in writing articles for the monthly issues that The Avion produces. For Issue 1, which was distributed Wednesday, January 31, I wrote two articles titled “Being the Main Character” and “How Barbie Changed my Life.” To me, it doesn’t matter if no one reads those articles. It does matter that I was passionate about something and took the initiative to channel some creative energy into it. I love what I get to do with The Avion, and I do it purely because of that. I don’t get paid, I don’t get discounts. I just get to do something I love surrounded by people who have supported me from day one.
I am also a member of a sorority called Sigma Kappa. The sorority has allowed me to meet tons of new people and get involved in all sorts of things on and off campus. I’ve gotten to do all sorts of service projects and fundraising to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, gerontology research, the Inherit the Earth initiative, and the Maine Seacoast Mission. I also get the opportunity to help other Greek organizations in their fundraising and philanthropic efforts. I joined Sigma Kappa as a freshman in Fall 2021, a little less than two years after the founding date of Sigma Kappa here at Embry-Riddle. It’s been such a joy to watch the chapter grow and improve into so much more than we ever thought a “new” chapter could be.
This may sound like quite a lot to be doing while also taking classes full time. However, I would definitely recommend it! Sometimes class gets a little boring or not super demanding, or you just want to do something fun with your free time! This is just a few examples of things you can do here at ERAU, and there is so much more to get involved in too.
