I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and is ready for the new year! I know I am! It was great to be reunited with my family and friends. I turned the big two-one on the 22nd but I definitely do not feel any older. I was anxious to get back to Daytona as I prefer the warmer climate but upon returning to the campus, I knew I was in for a surprise. The entire country is in deep freeze. Good thing it is starting to break up and we will be getting back into the sixties and seventies by the end of this week!

Over the break, I began my two NASA competition projects. I’m almost finished with one of the competitions, which is the same one I competed in last year. This particular contest calls for students to either hand draw or digitally create an artistic render of what they depict life and work on the moon will be like in 2050. This year’s render is going to be more futuristic and imaginative than last year’s entry which was based on already developed technologies and concepts. While I can’t reveal much of my work yet, I will be uploading a hi-resolution image after the deadline ends which is in just a few months.

The other competition is to construct and design tools that can be used by both astronauts and robotics to aid in the exploration of the moon. This will require much of my focus as I have to come up with the design as well to document my research and write a report. Again, more on my progress will be delivered in the upcoming months when I’m nearing the deadline for completion.

On top of that, I updated my resume, gathered my transcripts, and wrote essay responses to apply for my first internship opportunity with NASA! I’ll be sending this out shortly and I will be keeping my fingers crossed! The only thing I can do is wait to hear back.

I enjoyed my time off but it is nice to be back in the swing of things. Much more to come as my second semester unfolds. Until then, see you out there!