BRR… I hate to say this but Florida is actually getting chilly! The past two weeks has been really chilly, not the average temperature you would expect for Florida. But it seems to be warming up again, but boy was that a surprise. I miss the beach so much and I can’t wait for it to get back to the 90’s.
Along with dealing with the crazy weather, it’s now Homecoming week…YAY! There are a lot of activities planned and I am so excited to experience them. We have a school spirit competition going, also the Alumni fly-in, and the parade on Friday. For the past couple of weeks, we have had a few events on campus that if you attend, you get Bonus Bucks. Bonus Bucks are used in the “Silent Auction” at the end of Homecoming.
I am so happy to say that in two more flights, I’ll have my solo check ride! YAY, I am so excited and I can’t wait to solo. My instructor has been helping a lot over the past couple of weeks and now that my check ride is right around the corner, we are putting emphasis on making sure my maneuvers are up to standard and that I won’t have any problems on my check ride. Wish me luck guys! In my other classes, I am doing great. The semester is coming to an end soon and in just a few weeks we are going to be taking final exams. It’s getting a little hectic now, trying to get our major papers done and making sure we stay on top of assignments and doing all that we can to get the grade that rewards our efforts. On Thursday I have a test in Private Pilot Operations, and I have two papers due on Wednesday for my English Composition and Literature class. I also have a big research paper due next Monday for my Intro to Computers class. At this point in the semester, if you haven’t structured yourself with good time management, it’s going to be a real task getting things done. Procrastination is not a good thing, because before you know it, everything is all piled up and you have no time to get it all done.
I am still active on TFO and First Generation, but as for the Avion, I took off for a while because production takes a lot out of me and I had a few big papers to work on. I go back to production this coming Sunday and I can’t wait to get back and edit the Campus page! For First Generation, we participated in an event called Making Strides which was a 3 mile walk for Breast Cancer awareness. We had so much fun walking around Daytona, and at the end of the 3 miles, we felt like we did something positive for our community.
HALLOWEEN passed last Friday and it was a lot of fun. Our campus had kids from the community come on campus and had several events to keep them entertained. In my dorm we had trick-or-treating, and me and my roommate gladly signed up and participated. It was so much fun to see the kids in their costumes and the excitement on their faces when we gave them candy. Sadly, the Doolittle Haunted House didn’t go on for an unknown reason. Hopefully it will be up and running next year! That night, my cousin from Jacksonville came down to visit me. I haven’t seen her in a few years and it was so good seeing her.
My roommate took his solo check ride last Friday and HE PASSED! I am so proud of him and all of his hard work paid off. He is scheduled to have his actual solo hopefully this Wednesday, and I wish him luck!
Well, Thanksgiving is coming up soon, and as some of my friends go back home for Thanksgiving dinner, I will be here on campus doing some flight lessons. I miss my family so much and I can’t wait to see them again this Christmas.
*In my last post I said that there was a jetBlue A340 on the ramp on the airport, it was an A320, I made a little error and apologize for this mistake.
For those of you guys that have contacted me, thanks for talking to me and I hope that I was of help to you. The rest of you guys, don’t be a stranger. Until next time!
It is already November. That is unbelievable. Classes have been very demanding recently, as projects, homework, and tests are piling up. Last week I took a test over Microsoft Excel in IT109 and a test over the Depression (1929)-Martin Luther King (1960’s) in SS120. I studied hard and pulled an A on BOTH tests. I was very excited that my hard work paid off, and these scores will certainly help my overall grades! However, those small victories are short-lived as I have 2 major papers and 2 major tests this coming week. I am studying and writing my butt off, but hopefully I will be able to get it all done and do well.
On Sunday, October 26, I was lucky enough to attend the NAS Jacksonville Air Show. The event and parking were free, and the displays were amazing. I got to see the Blue Angels for the first time, and they lived up to every expectation! Some of their maneuvers are simply jaw-dropping. There were also many other military planes, along with a bunch of aerobatic planes and pilots. They even did an air combat simulation with explosions and all! Because I love commercial aviation, I really liked some of the static displays on hand, including a Craig Air BE1900 and a FedEx Boeing 727. It was in the seventies and sunny, with hardly any wind: the most beautiful day anyone could ask for. It is so nice being close to Jacksonville, Orlando, and the Space Center, because there is ALWAYS something going on, and Riddle students can enjoy the best of each city.
Recently I have shown my school spirit at many Riddle sporting events. The club hockey team has played home games against FAU and Georgia Tech that I have attended. These games are one of the greatest things to do on the weekend, and hundreds of students go to each one. The crowd is obnoxious, and some of our chants are hilarious! I truly believe the other team must get annoyed, because our fans are ridiculous (which makes it a lot of fun). Yesterday I also went to a Volleyball and Soccer game on campus. Both teams played against SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) and won. The volleyball game went to the 5th set and ERAU won by 2 points. It was intense!
What an experience this has been. I think it’s just starting to sink in that I am in college now! I finally get to live my dream of becoming a pilot. The past couple of weeks were just simply amazing. As I said in my last post, I have started my flight training and it has been the best experience of my life. I am learning so much from my instructor and I have a blast during my lessons. Now I can’t take my mind of flying, I am so addicted. In my other classes, however, we are starting to get into the core of the course and the real heavy-duty work is starting to emerge. I already have a few big papers due and I am pretty nervous. I have to do a 7 page paper for my IT 109 (Introduction to Computers and Applications) class. I also have a 2 page paper due for my COM 122 (English Composition and Literature) class. I also took a few tests. Last Thursday, October 2, I took my first test in Pre-Calculus and today I had my second test in Private Pilot Operations. I have no doubt that I passed them!
Outside of school work, there is so much to do on and off campus. I am still involved with the newspaper, TFO and First Generation. First Generation had its first trip to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral this past Saturday October 4. I was unable to go but a few of my friends did and they enjoyed it! TFO is starting to get a few things started on campus. We are currently looking at ways we can gain more members and also ways in which we can fundraise. And as for the newspaper, The Avion, things are getting crazy! 
We are usually in the newspaper every Sunday from 1 till whenever, slaving to produce the newspaper for which our staff has won so many awards. Even though it consumes so much of my time, it’s a very rewarding experience and it makes you feel proud when you see your name in print. Apart from clubs, I and my friends have been to the beach a lot! We play volleyball, play on the sand and do some reading or just for fun, dig a hole and bury someone in it! Sometimes when we are bored in our rooms, we either play flight simulator or play musical instruments.
Even though I am having so much fun on campus, I still think about home a lot. I am starting to accept that I am away from family, and I realize it’s not a bad experience. Being far from home is teaching me a lot about being a responsible person and being able to take care of myself. I call home a lot and everyone there is so proud of me, and that motivates me every day to get up and get my work done.
My roommate is a member of the Embry-Riddle club Rugby team, and today a group of us went to see one of the games. I don’t know much about rugby, but it is a lot of fun to watch. The girls played first against South Florida and then the guys played Florida State. Although both teams lost, they played really hard and it was VERY intense. My roommate hit an FSU player so hard his left contact fell out! I now understand why my roommate comes back from the matches so sore!!!
Throughout this first month, I have certainly found many pros and cons about campus. The thing I love about Riddle is how relaxed it is. Although we do a lot of work, it is still a great place to chill and hang with friends. Whether you’re reading by the pool, joining a random volleyball game, or hanging out in one of the student lounges, it is always nice to kick back for a few minutes and take a break. The main annoyance I have found thus far is just a personal issue. The toilet in our room has broken down three times in two weeks and has left myself and my suite mates without bathroom facilities for more than 90 hours. However as I always say, there are two ways to look at every situation, and the broken toilet has brought many laughs and a lot of priceless memories. (And our next door neighbors have been very gracious about allowing us to use their facilities!!)