April
April 30, 2009
Classes are over and grades have been posted; now summer can start…Yippee! My finals went alright and, even though I didn’t do as well as I had hoped, I’m glad to be done. My mom and sister arrived on Monday to help me pack my stuff and to do some sightseeing. We went to the beach, the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, and miniature golf. I think they have enjoyed being in Daytona, but I’m so ready to hit the road towards Illinois. As my last journal entry, I figured I would answer a few common questions from a student’s perspective and give a few pointers to incoming college freshmen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s a typical college day like?
This was a little different for me because I’m in AFROTC and have to wake up early for training. Also, it all depends on what your schedule is like. You will receive your schedule sometime in August and if you have any problems you can talk to your advisor when you arrive at school. Some people I knew went to class on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 to 5 and then on Tuesday and Thursday would only have one class. Another thing your schedule depends upon is your major, business students will most likely have two or three classes per day. Most clubs get started in September and club meetings are usually held once a week sometime during the evening. The other time you can spend in the library working on homework, eating in the UC (Student Center), or hanging out with friends.
Do I ever get to leave campus?
My freshman year I didn’t have a car in Daytona and I still made it a point to go do fun things every now and then. The mall is within walking distance along with a few restaurants. Many people do have cars and are willing to take other students places like the beach or Walt Disney World. This year I had a scooter and enjoyed being able to leave campus whenever I had some extra time. If you are thinking about bringing a car down, it’s about $35 a year for a parking decal and there is limited parking space.
Do you ever get homesick?
I was nervous about leaving my family behind and coming some place where I didn’t know anyone; so, I made sure to bring lots of pictures and things that would remind me of home. I brought a couple of my favorite movies and music to watch and listen to when I needed to have a reminder of home. The best thing for me was being able to call home and talk to my mom and sister. However, once you get immersed in school the feeling goes away and the semester flies by. Do make sure you decorate your dorm room to look like an actual room and not just a dorm room.
Pointers
- Be positive—remain positive when things don’t seem to be going exactly the way you had hoped.
- Get involved—many people will tell you this, but it is true. Join a few clubs and you will be able to meet so many more people.
- Don’t hibernate in your dorm room—meeting people is a good way to keep from getting homesick. Go to the buffet or student center and eat with a new group of people, you just might meet your next best friend.
- Don’t slack off on your homework—waiting a day or two to do your homework will just mean you have to play catch up later in the week or on the weekend. This can cause you to be overwhelmed and stressed and result in you not enjoying your time in college.
I hope that you all have enjoyed my journal entries this year and I hope that they were helpful. Good luck to everyone that has chosen to attend ERAU!
Kaleigh Sides
April 19, 2009
Only four days left of classes, yippee! This semester went by really fast and looking back on all the things I accomplished, it's no surprise. However, the semester may be winding down but that doesn't mean the fun stops! Next week, I get to go to Patrick Air Force Base and go for a ride in a C-130. I was supposed to get to do this last year but the plane was grounded for maintenance issues; hopefully, this year we will get to fly! My sister and mom are going to be here in eight days and I'm looking forward to that!
I've almost finished another semester of AFROTC! We have our Pass-In-Review Ceremony on Wednesday and that will complete the semester. On the 18th, we had Dining Out which is a dinner that everyone attends and we wrap the year up with a video and awards. We finally found out our dates for Field Training and I'll be going to Maxwell Air Force Base on July 4th till August 1st. I'm glad that's when I'm going because it means I'll be able to attend my brother's wedding. A lot of cadets in our detachment are going to this encampment, so the chances of me knowing someone in the flight next to mine are high. I mentioned in my last entry that I was waiting on approval to start my masters in a year, well I got the approval! I'm so glad because I think I'll be able to either finish or be very close when I commission in 2011.
Last weekend, I was in Phoenix, Arizona with Silver Wings for NATCON. As I mentioned before, our Chapter was running for National Staff and we won! This means that I'm now the National Treasurer and next September I get to travel to Washington D.C. and spend five days there. I'm pretty excited about that! Silver Wings has been such a great opportunity because of the people I've gotten to meet and the opportunities I've had. If you have any questions about Silver Wings or other clubs here on campus, feel free to send me an e-mail! While I was in Phoenix, I attended my first major league baseball game-the Arizona Diamondbacks versus the Los Angeles Dodgers. I sat next to a lady that has sat in the same seats for the past twelve years! She was really nice and gave me a wonderful history of the stadium and some of the players. Next year, NATCON is going to be in Seattle, Washington and as National Treasurer I'm required to attend, but I think it will be a fun trip! At NATCON, we decided on our service project for next year-Go Green! This means that a majority of our service projects will be focused on helping the planet and becoming more environmentally friendly. We have already planned a tree planting project, road clean-up, and a camping trip for next semester.
My first final is on Wednesday in International Business, so I'm going to start studying today! Then, I have two finals on Saturday, two on next Tuesday, and my Business Law final is a take-home. I don't think any of them should be too bad because, thankfully, none of them are cumulative. My last presentation was on Friday and it went pretty well; the teacher told us afterwards that it was A+ quality. I think my hardest final will probably be Corporate Finance; I plan on studying for several days for it. Next semester, the classes that I will be taking are: Air Force, Strategic Management, Aviation Insurance, Aviation Labor Relations, Management of the Multicultural Workforce, and Professional Selling. I think all of these classes sound pretty interesting, so I think it will be a good semester!
I hope that all of you that came to the Preview Day had a good time and saw what a great campus this is. For those of you that couldn't come, check out the website and e-mail me if you have any questions at all. I know I had a lot of questions before I came to Daytona Beach, so don't be afraid to ask!
Until next time,
Kaleigh
April 05, 2009
Happy late April Fool's Day! The weather has been really nice lately with the temperature in the high 80s for a couple of days. The warm weather makes me feel happier and ready for summer! In fact, we only have about three weeks left of classes, which is exciting. These past two weeks have been pretty busy and the next few are looking even busier, but I'm looking forward to it all!
On Wednesday, April 1st, we had our QFR (Qualifying Fitness Review) for ROTC. This is the fitness test that matters because the results precede you to Field Training and you are ranked against the other cadets in your flight by these scores. I was thrilled with my run time of 12:30 and overall very happy with my final score. I believe that I gave the run everything I had, but I hope to eventually have it down in the 11:20 range. We still haven't received our dates for Field Training but the rumor is we will find out on Monday. I want to know when I am going so badly because I want to plan out what I'm doing this summer. On another note, we did receive our packing list so we can go ahead and start buying the items we need! In my next entry, I'll let you know when I'm going and how the packing list is coming!
Relay for Life was held this past weekend on Friday thru Saturday. I learned how much work goes into the event from being a part of the committee. The whole event was a success even though it did downpour for about a half an hour. Also, I slept in a tent for the first time in my life and found it to be pretty comfortable surprisingly. Hopefully, next year will be bigger and better!
Registration for fall classes was on Wednesday and I found out that next Spring I will be done with my undergraduate degree and able to start work on my MBA. I was pretty excited when I found that out, but first I have to meet with the Colonel to make sure everything works out with the Air Force and their stipulations. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best! My course load for next year is going to be pretty heavy with 18 credits and on Tuesday and Thursday I will be in class from 9:45 till 3:30. I think I'll enjoy my classes quite a bit and am looking forward to being busy.
On Friday, I had to give a group presentation in my Air Force class and I enjoyed getting up and talking to people about Operation Iraqi Freedom. In the Air Force, I want to be in charge of budgets and deciding where the money should be allocated so I know I'll be giving lots of presentations later on in my career. Therefore, I'll take advantage of all the public speaking opportunities I can get now! Many of my classes are winding down and the gearing up for finals is about to begin. I will not procrastinate on studying this semester. (I'm keeping the fingers crossed on this one too!)
Next year, I am going to be living off-campus but still in campus housing-the Chanute Complex. I was able to get a studio apartment which means I won't be having a roommate. After having roommates for two years, I was ready to see what living on my own would be like. One part that I'm looking forward to is getting to decorate the place to look more like my home. Also, I'm going to be getting a tv so I can watch all my favorite shows but I don't know if I'll have the time next semester. Oh well!
In four days, I'm heading to Phoenix with Silver Wings in order to attend NATCON-the National Conclave for Silver Wings and Arnold Air. Basically, it's a three day conference where Silver Wings and Arnold Air talk about business and decide on plans for the next year. It's my first year going and I'm looking forward to getting dressed up because every day you have to wear suits and one night you have to wear a formal dress. Plus, the ERAU Silver Wings chapter is running for National Staff and I'm a part of that because I'm running for National Treasurer. I hope we win and I'll let you know how it goes!
Some miscellaneous stuff that has happened recently includes having a panel interview for a scholarship (we still haven't heard the results) and winning the 2009 Diversity Paper Competition hosted by the College of Business. I was pretty surprised that I won the competition and it just proved to me that you should always enter a contest because you never know what might happen. Also, I went to Busch Gardens with a friend of mine to celebrate my birthday and I had so much fun. I love roller coasters!!
I'm looking forward to the end of school but I plan on enjoying these last few weeks because a part of me is always a little sad to see the year end. If you are having a hard time making a decision about colleges, send me your questions and I'll be happy to answer them!
Until next time,
Kaleigh
March
March 22, 2009
Spring Break was wonderful and now I feel refreshed and ready to finish out the semester with a bang. In fact, I felt so revived that I stopped procrastinating on my Business Law paper and actually started it. The amazing thing is I finished it too, so now I have that out of the way! As you know already, my sister came to visit me for Spring Break and we had a good time. She even got to go to some of my classes with me and I'll let her tell you about her experience...
Hello! I am Kaleigh's sister, Katelyn, and I visited during her spring break. Kaleigh told me that the ERAU campus was small, but I was still surprised at how small it actually is. I think that there are many benefits to a campus of that size. For one, you are close to all of the buildings and would be able to get to class on time very easily. I went to two of my sister's classes with her. International Business was interesting and the class size was small. The teacher knew everyone by name and most everyone participated in the class discussion. Since it was Friday, Kaleigh was dressed in her Air Force uniform and I got to watch her being inspected. She had to stand at attention while other cadets looked over her uniform and her shoes. She passed inspection. I am glad I was able to sit in on her Air Force class. Five cadets gave a briefing on planes and the history of the Gulf War. It was a really professional type of class and atmosphere.
Of course, we also went to the beach while I was in Daytona. It was really pretty, but there were a lot of seagulls. We went to Daytona Lagoon and raced go-carts, played miniature golf, and laser tag. I got to sample chocolate at Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory on Beach Street. One of Kaleigh's friends took us out on his boat on the Intercoastal Waterway. We walked on the boardwalk and went shopping, I discovered a store I really like called Maui Nix. My sister and I love ice cream and we visited Ritter's Custard and the Dairy Bar. The flea market was huge and had about everything a person could even think about buying.
Overall, I was very impressed with the Daytona Beach Campus. I told my sister I would love going to a school where it was warm and palm trees surrounded me. She does not realize how lucky she is! Everyone I met on campus was really friendly too. I am so glad I was finally able to go and visit my sister!
I really enjoyed having my sister come and visit me! I'm looking forward to the end of the semester when she is going to come back because there are several things we didn't get to do. Next time, she is going to go to the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and we are going to play miniature golf at a place called Pirate's Cove. She really liked the campus and the fact that there are palm trees everywhere!
I was telling you in my last journal entry how the week before Spring Break was Operation Bottoms Up (OBU) Week. Well, my job as Operations Support Squadron Commander kept me pretty busy and I enjoyed the learning experience. My primary job was to execute Lead Lab on Wednesday morning and I was so happy that it went well and everything went according to schedule. Now, I just have a couple weeks left of Field Training Preparation. One big event that is coming up is the QFR (Qualifying Fitness Review) it's basically another PT test, but the scores follow you to Field Training. I went running everyday over Spring Break with my sister and I plan on continuing that, so hopefully my run time will be really good.
I hope everyone is looking forward to the rest of the school year and summer! I know I sure am. If you have any questions, send me an e-mail. Be sure to take a look at the pictures I posted!
Until next time,
Kaleigh
March 8, 2009
Warm weather and sunny skies are what I’m hoping for this coming week. My sister arrives on Thursday and some friends and I are driving to Orlando to pick her up. I can’t wait for her to be here!! My friends and I have made an itinerary of all the things we are going to do while she is here. I’ll make sure to post pictures of all the fun we have!
ROTC has been keeping me even busier because of Operation Bottoms Up (OBU) Week. OBU Week is a week where the 200s take over the wing and plan and execute everything for that week. To be on Wing Staff, you must submit an application packet and go to wing boards—basically an interview by upperclassmen. I submitted an application packet because I thought it would be good leadership experience and the whole packet took me about five hours to complete. The next day they said the boards would be held on Friday. When I found that out, I was torn between a rock and a hard place because I could either stay in Daytona, participate in the boards, or I could go to Georgia with my best friend to see his family. I thought about my decision and decided to go to Georgia. I don’t regret my decision and I still got a good position for OBU. I got OSS/CC which is Operations Support Squadron Commander. My primary job is to plan and execute Lead Lab on Wednesday morning. If anything goes wrong that morning, then it will be on me and my staff. I’m looking forward to next week!
At the beginning of last week, I met with my training officer for my mid-term evaluation. I think it went pretty well and I’m so glad that we have made it through the halfway point. I had to pick up more uniform items in preparation for Field Training. I can’t believe how soon it will be here! The training officers had a supplementary instruction session to give tips for Field Training and I learned some interesting things. When you come to college, go to events that you believe you will gain something from and go to some where you don’t think you will because you might be surprised. I went to Patrick Air Force Base and got my military id last week, so now I have proof that I’m part of the Air Force!
Classes are going well, but I’m a little disappointed in myself because I still haven’t started on my Business Law paper. I’m such a procrastinator! This week I plan to set a goal for myself to get all of my research done. I have two tests this week: Corporate Finance and Organizational Behavior. I did some studying over the weekend and I’m going to study tomorrow night, so I think I’ll do well.
Silver Wings is getting ready for a joint meeting with Arnold Air this week. We are going to discuss NATCON and play some games. I bought my ticket for NATCON last week, so I’m officially going to Phoenix in April. This weekend we had a joint road clean-up and then we all went out to lunch afterwards.
Well, I hope everyone is having a good semester at school and are looking forward to Spring Break. If you haven’t already visited Embry-Riddle, now is a good time to come because the weather is beautiful and you can check it out before you make your final decision. Next journal entry, I will cover Daytona Beach and Embry-Riddle from a newcomer’s perspective.
Until next time,
Kaleigh
February
February 22, 2009
It's almost March and the semester is already halfway over!! The past two weeks have been pretty hectic with me getting sick and having to keep up with school and ROTC stuff. On February 12th, I had that feeling where I knew I was going to get sick because my whole body just ached and I was really hot feeling. Well, I went to PT Friday morning and felt alright but when I got back to my dorm room I could barely walk around. I recovered somewhat and went to class; I was feeling better around mid-afternoon, so I decided to go to the beach with a friend. Afterwards, I took my temperature and it was around 102°. Needless to say, the rest of the weekend was spent taking it easy and sleeping. I feel 100% better now and I believe that I had just overworked my body which is why I got sick.
My tests went pretty well-Organizational Behavior was an A, Principles of Aeronautical Science, Corporate Finance, and International Business were all three B's. I was pretty happy overall and I think I'm going to do well in my classes this semester. Currently, I am working on my Business Law midterm which is a take-home exam. Sometimes take-home's are a lot harder than in-class tests because the teachers expect you to put in twice the amount of time and effort. I still need to start on my Business Law paper but with all my other classes it has been pushed to the back of my to-do list.
This weekend was Project Charity House. Project Charity House is where you build a house out of cardboard boxes and then you sleep in it overnight. Silver Wings built the wad of money from the Geico commercial-I posted pictures on my website. I didn't sleep outside overnight because it was pretty chilly and I didn't want to get sick all over again. Throughout the night the participants also play games and in the end the points are added up and a winner is chosen. Silver Wings took home second-place this year!
AFROTC has been keeping me extremely busy because this past week and this week I have had a position. I have been in charge of making sure my flight knows their knowledge for the week as the Flight Academics Officer. Every two weeks the jobs rotate among the cadets and some weeks you'll end up not having a position. Last week was Big Week, which is when all the cadets who are graduating in a year and want to be pilots find out whether or not the Air Force is going to let them fly. A lot of my friends got good news and are going to be pilots! I was really happy for them! Cadets also find out navigator and combat systems officer positions during that week which is why it's titled Big Week. Operations Bottom Up (OBU) Week is coming up and that is where my class takes over the entire wing and we run everything from Lead Lab to PT that week. I'm looking forward to it and I have to submit an application packet this week in order to receive a position. Also, this week is the PFA and I'm hoping for some warm weather because it helps my run time!
This weekend, I went and saw the movie Confessions of a Shopaholic. I thought the movie was really good and I would definitely go see it again. This coming weekend I am going to go out of town since I didn't get to go last weekend; I'm looking forward to that! Well, I need to get to some homework because the mountain seems to be growing. If you have any questions, please e-mail me. If you are thinking about coming to Embry-Riddle and are having a hard time making a decision, send me an e-mail and I can answer your questions.
Until next time,
Kaleigh
February 8, 2009
Happy Valentine's Day!! I am pretty excited for Valentine's
because it is a three-day weekend and I am leaving Daytona Beach for a
road trip. The Daytona 500 is that weekend, so I'm going to miss out on
all the crazy traffic. I found out some good news last week-my sister
is coming to visit me during Spring Break! I am pretty excited about it
and we have already started making plans for all the adventures we are
going to have. She has never seen the school, so I plan to take her on
a personalized tour of campus. I can't wait to see her!
This Saturday was the Bud Shootout (a race) and Silver Wings
sold pizza on the corner of the street. We sell the pizza for $2 a
slice but we always meet people who want to drive the price down. Some
people would buy it and complain about how cold pizza is so terrible,
but they always ended up finishing off the slice and sometimes coming
back for more. Last year, Silver Wings sold the pizza in a parking lot
but this year we ran into some problems with the race track management
and had to move to another location. I sold pizzas for about 8 hours
and was pretty exhausted from walking back and forth down the street.
Last weekend, I went to the basketball game on Friday night
and it was Coaches vs. Cancer which means everyone is supposed to dress
up and wear sneakers. One of my friends and I wore dresses, blue jean
jackets, and Converses. We didn't plan it and when I saw what she was
wearing I was like, "What a coincidence!" I posted a picture of us on
my site. On Saturday, I attended the Relay for Life Team Captains
University which was basically a gathering of people from the area to
share ideas on fundraising, how to get members on your team, and how to
spread the word. I had a good time and we got some really good ideas.
I had Round One of tests last week-a test in Organizational
Behavior and one in Corporate Finance. I think I did pretty well on
both of them, but I will for sure do better on the next one because I
now know what to expect. Round Two is this week with a test in
Principles of Aeronautical Science and one in International Business. I
really need to study for my International Business test because it
contains an essay question and the test is worth 30 percent of my grade.
I have a few study tips to share with you that seem to help me:
highlight in the book, check out the practice quizzes on the book's
website, read the chapter, form study groups, and study ahead of time.
Highlighting helps me remember key phrases and when I only have ten
minutes to study, I study the highlighted stuff for a quick review. I
also write out the key definitions because if I write them then I have
to read them several times, so it sticks in my memory better. The
practice quizzes can help because a teacher may pull some of their
questions from there. I just go online fill out the quizzes and print
them off, and then I go back through them and highlight the answer. Buy
several highlighters and multiple colors because if you lose one you
have another on hand! I read the chapter at least once so I can get a
grasp of the whole picture. Study groups are essential because telling
someone else helps you remember it more and if you don't understand
something they might be able to help you. Lastly, study ahead of time
because there is too much material to cram at the end. If you study
along the way, you will not feel so overwhelmed at the end. As you read
the chapter, highlight and write out definitions; therefore, the days
before the test just go back and review that material. I hope these
tips help somewhat!
Some upcoming events that are on my calendar are a possible
Beach Bonfire, Charity House (more on that in the next entry), and the
Physical Fitness Assessment for ROTC. Still as busy as ever, but I am
finding time to enjoy myself, have a good time and still get things
accomplished. Right now, I am off to an Arnold Air and Silver Wings
picnic! I hope everyone is enjoying school!
Until next time,
Kaleigh
January
January 25, 2009
The Rolex 24 was this weekend and the good news is I didn’t have to work it! I got some homework done and hung out with some friends. It would have been nice to go to the beach, but the weather has been way too cold. Last Friday, I checked the temperature when I woke up and it was two degrees warmer back home in Illinois. I couldn’t believe it! One of the reasons I came to Florida was for the warm weather, so I hope that it warms up soon! People have been getting sick lately due to the weather and I hope I don’t catch it because I don’t really have time to get sick right now.
This past weekend we kicked off Relay for Life week with an Oozeball (mud volleyball) tournament on Sunday. I got to decorate the sidewalk with sidewalk chalk! I hadn’t done that since I was a little kid and I forgot how much fun it was! I even posted some pictures of my handiwork. We decided to do a Relay for Life week in order to get more teams signed up and get people excited about the event in March. There are activities planned for several days this week and it all wraps up at the basketball game on Friday night. I’m really looking forward to the actual event!
Last Wednesday, the officers of Silver Wings and Arnold Air got together to plan some joint activities and hopefully get the organizations together on some service activities. So far, we planned a social at the park one weekend, a trash clean-up on the highway, a joint meeting, and a beach bonfire are all in the works. The Activities Fair was on Thursday and I think Silver Wings will have a good turnout. I’m looking forward to NATCON (the National Conclave for Silver Wings and Arnold Air) which is where all the chapters and squadrons in a region come together. In fact, some exciting news is that I think I’m going to run with some people from our chapter for National Staff.
Classes are going well and my first tests will be next week. This semester has really made me realize the importance of time management. I’m trying to get as much done as possible each day so I don’t procrastinate and have to spend all weekend working on homework. I have decided on a topic for my Business Law paper—the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. I chose this topic because I was actually reading about it in my Corporate Finance book and I thought it sounded interesting. Basically, the act was created after the Enron scandal and attempts to make sure the firm’s financial reports accurately represent its financial condition. I thought it would be a good topic because there is plenty of information out there about it. I’m hoping to have the paper done before Spring Break because I don’t want to work on it over break! I’ll keep you updated on my progress and let you know how the tests go.
Field Training Preparation has been keeping me busy and with all that we do it’s almost like another three credit-hour class! It seems like every week there are two or three additional meetings, but I love being busy like this because it makes the week go so much faster. I have held two jobs within the flight already—deputy flight commander and deputy flight physical fitness officer. For the deputy flight commander job, I had to keep track of the attendance and for the other one I was in charge of Physical Training one day because the cadet who was supposed to do it was sick. I’m learning so much and it’s keeping me on my toes.
This coming weekend is the Super Bowl and I’m pretty excited because some of my friends have a 42’’ TV and we are going to make some homemade pizza and watch the game! I forgot to mention that I went to the Daytona Beach flea market on Saturday and found a charm with my name on it, spelled correctly, for my charm bracelet—it’s the first time I have ever found my name with the exact spelling on anything!
Until next time,
Kaleigh
January 11, 2009
I'm back in Daytona and have finished the first week of school! I got back to Daytona on the 5th with no problems and all my luggage arrived, so I was happy about that. It was good to see everyone again and get organized before the first day of school on the 7th. Next week will be the first full week of classes and AFROTC, so I'll probably settle into a routine and get into the groove of doing my homework—look out library, here I come! One big event that is coming up at the end of this month is the Rolex 24 at the Daytona Speedway and as a cadet in the Air Force I will get to work at the event!
I'm really thrilled with my class schedule this semester because on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I have two classes after Air Force training in the morning with the exception being Friday when I also have Air Force class. I have Organizational Behavior and International Business. Organizational Behavior seems like it will be a good class because the professor is really enthusiastic and we have our first big project due in February. I plan on getting started on it next week and since it's an individual project I can finish it whenever. International Business is going to be a lot of work because the teacher wants us to really learn and digest the material. In order to do this, he has assigned each individual person a section of every chapter to outline in detail. Then in class, we will get in groups and discuss each chapter. A neat thing he has decided to do is give us extra credit for dressing professionally every Monday. I plan to get my extra credit and it's just a coincidence that over break I bought several new suits. When going to college, make sure you bring a suit or at least one professional outfit because you never know when an opportunity is going to pop up that you need to look good for. On Tuesday and Thursday, I have three classes: Principles of Aeronautical Science, Corporate Finance, and Business Law. Principles of Aeronautical Science is just the basics of flight and the class is required, since I don't have my private pilot's license. I have been looking forward to Corporate Finance and had registered for it last semester but they cancelled the class. I really hope to learn a lot from this class and I'm thinking about getting my MBA with a concentration in finance if I enjoy the class. Business Law is going to be good too, I think. The major assignment is to write a ten page term paper on any subject as long as it relates to law. I'm looking forward to picking a topic and getting started! I think this semester will go by quickly just like last semester!
This past weekend I went out on the Halifax River with some friends. One of my friends owns a tiny boat and invited us to come out and have a cookout. At first, I wasn't sure that we would even be able to leave the dock because the boat didn't want to start. However, the guys figured it out and we took off for a place called the Disappearing Isle (it disappears during high tide). I took some pictures, so you can take a look! I built a sandcastle, while the guys grilled and played football. The water was warm and I couldn't believe that I was out on a boat, while back home I have to wait until June to go out. I had a good time and look forward to doing it again!
Air Force has started off with a bang and this semester has already provided some challenges, but I think our class will figure it all out. Silver Wings starts this week along with Relay for Life, so this week is going to be busy! I hope everyone had a good break from school and don't forget to send in your applications if you haven't already!
Until next time,
Kaleigh
December
December 28, 2008
My time at home has been enjoyable and relaxing—just what I needed! I think I have caught up on my sleep and am ready to head back to school for another great semester. The weather here has been pretty strange and unfortunately there hasn’t been any snow since the first two days I was home. Mostly, there has been rain that has turned into ice. Yesterday, the temperature reached 60 degrees and I decided to go for a run in the country. Well, it was raining a little when I started and I thought to myself “No big deal, I have run before when it was drizzling.” Turns out there was a severe thunderstorm warning and in the middle of my run it begins to pour and the winds picked up—tornado weather at the end of December, crazy! I ran a little while longer and then decided I should probably turn around and head for home; however the wind was blowing forcefully against me and I was cold and wet, so I called my mom and had her come rescue me. Next time, I plan on listening to the weather before going running!
Since I have enough college credits to be classified as a junior, the time has come for me to officially declare my Area of Concentration. In the business degree, there are three different Areas of Concentration: airline management, airport management, and general studies. Before coming to ERAU I had decided upon airport management; however, after thinking about what I want to do in the future and after talking to some people I haven’t been so sure. Now, I have decided upon general studies because I can take a mixture of airline and airport classes rather than choosing all airline or airport. So when I get back to school, I will go see my advisor (Dottie) and fill out some paperwork. A note to all future students enrolling in the business program at Daytona—the degree has changed a little and there are now two business majors and you decide which one you want to do your sophomore year. To find out more information click on this link http://www.erau.edu/db/degrees/b-bizadmin.html. If you have any questions, just send me an e-mail.
My time at home is quickly coming to an end, but I’m cramming in as much stuff as possible—shopping, baking cookies, and visiting with family and friends. I’m looking forward to my classes next semester and I have already ordered my textbooks! You can buy your books from the campus bookstore or you can order them on line to check out and see which has the better deals. After a semester, talk to other people in your major and see if you can trade books. Otherwise, check online at websites like Amazon or eBay to save some money.
Until next time,
Kaleigh
December 14, 2008
I’m back home in Illinois and it is super cold! No snow on the ground at the moment but I am hoping we will get some this week. I had some delayed flights which led to me getting home on Thursday instead of Wednesday. What happened was the airplane arriving in Daytona was held up in Atlanta due to weather and equipment delays, by the time the plane arrived and flew back to Atlanta I would have missed my connecting flight and have had to sleep in the airport. So, I chose to stay in Daytona and spend the night at a friend’s and leave the next day. On Thursday, my flight left Daytona on time and arrived in Atlanta where it was pouring rain and many flights were being cancelled. I kept my fingers crossed and my flight took off a little late, but I made it home!
The week before finals was a busy week due to Pass-In-Review, an event held every semester where all the cadets participate in a parade and awards are handed out. I had a key position (squadron adj.) so I had to attend practice on Monday and Wednesday night. On Wednesday, Silver Wings had elections and I ran for the position of Chapter and Squadron Chief of Protocol (CSCOP). I got the position and now I am basically the liaison between Arnold Air and Silver Wings. Also, I get to plan joint events and I have some good ideas that I am hoping to try out. I’m looking forward to taking on the position! Thursday, was Pass-In-Review and it went really well! Next semester for AFROTC, I will be going through Field Training Preparation or more commonly referred to as FTP. The semester is more intense and it’s supposed to prepare you for the summer when you go to Field Training. All of the 200s (sophomores) are separated from the other cadets. Friday was study day, so we didn’t have any classes. Silver Wings had their Initiation Dinner that night and Arnold Air had theirs on Sunday—I posted some pictures. One of my friends had a small Christmas party and we exchanged gifts; it got me into the Christmas mood and I had fun.
Finals went well—I had two on Monday, one on Tuesday, and two on Wednesday. I thought for sure I would have a few B’s this semester and maybe one C because a couple of my teachers didn’t post the grades for any assignments, so I was just guessing what grade I had and a part of my grade was participation and I’m never sure what I’m going to get for that. Well, I did a lot better than what I had anticipated and came out of the semester with all A’s! Hopefully, I can keep it up for next semester too. My classes for next semester are Air Force, Principles of Aeronautical Science, Business Law, Corporate Finance, International Business, and Organizational Business. I think I will really enjoy these classes and I’m looking forward to next semester.
If you have any questions about living on campus or campus activities, send me an e-mail!
Until next time,
Kaleigh
November
November 30, 2008
Amazing is the word that I would use to describe the past two weeks. I am amazed that I finished and presented all my group projects with no major hiccups. In fact, the presentations went really well; one teacher told me I did a good job and looked completely comfortable talking in front of everyone. I was glad she said that because I used to get quite nervous getting up and speaking in front of a class, but I have figured out that the more prepared I am the less nervous I am. Time management is essential in college and it’s something that I’m constantly trying to work on. For example, sometimes I should go back to my room and study; however, I end up sitting in the UC talking to people or back in the dorms visiting with my neighbors. Due to some of my choices over the last week I ended up not studying as much as I wanted to for my math test and now I have to take the final. Oh well, you live and learn!
I left Daytona on Wednesday with some friends to go home with them for Thanksgiving. We headed up to Georgia and spent actual Thanksgiving there and then we went to North Carolina for another Thanksgiving on Saturday. I had a good time and ate a lot of wonderful food! We spent quite a bit of time driving but that was good because it allowed me to get some homework done and catch up on some much needed sleep. I talked to my mom and she told me that it snowed back home, so when I go home in nine days there will hopefully be snow on the ground!
In my last entry, I mentioned how I was going to the Silver Wings and Arnold Air Society Regional Conclave since our school was hosting it and I am the Regional Vice-President. The conclave is a gathering of all the Silver Wings chapters and Arnold Air squadrons in a region. We had people attend from Florida State University, University of South Florida, and a few other schools. The event kicked off on Friday and we all headed to Daytona Lagoon for three hours of laser tag and go-karts. I hadn’t been to Daytona Lagoon before and I had so much fun racing go-karts! Saturday, we had meetings all day on how everything is going at each school and we shared community service ideas. That night, I got to get all dressed up and attend the formal dinner. The dinner was good and we got to listen to a retired Major General talk about some of his experiences. On Sunday, everybody headed home and back to school. If you are thinking about coming to ERAU and you want to get involved on campus, you should consider Silver Wings because we do community service, help you network, and we have a lot of fun!
I decorated my little Christmas tree and have been listening to Christmas music for the past week. I’m so excited to have the holidays here again! My next entry will come after I have finished finals and am home, so I’ll probably post some pictures of snow!
If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to send them my way!
Until next time,
Kaleigh
November 16, 2008
Happy Early Thanksgiving! As of right now I only have 24 days left
until the semester is over! I can't believe how fast it has all gone
by! This upcoming week is jam-packed with projects due, presentations,
and a couple of tests; add on top of all that Air Force Finals and you
have one stressful week. Oh well, because after that is Thanksgiving
Break and time to kick back and relax before finals. This week I
decided to switch it up a little and give an overview of what is up in
all of my classes and then just highlight a few of the things I have
done over the past two weeks.
MA 320 Decision Math
I do enjoy this math class; however, I'm still pretty excited that it is
the last one that I have to take. On Friday, I have a test and it is
the last one of the semester. The final is not required if you have A's
on all of the tests and an A average on the quizzes and homework. So
I'm hoping that I don't have to take the final because it would mean one
less class to study for.
EC 315 Managerial Economics
Last week, we had our first homework assignment and it took me several
hours to research and type up. The good part was I enjoyed doing the
research because I was interested in what he was having us look up.
This week we received another assignment and I have to write a small
report on a jet engine manufacturer. I think I will enjoy that one too,
and our library on campus has some wonderful resources for research, so
finding information shouldn't be too hard. The final for this class is
cumulative-I think I might start studying some over Thanksgiving break.
BA 420 Production of Operations and Management
The project for this class was a group effort and we had to write a
report on American Airlines and their operations. I procrastinated on
this project and I think the rest of my group did too, but I know we
will have it done in time. Also, we have to do a presentation and I
know that we will rock that. Just remember when doing group projects
that someone needs to be the initiator and get people motivated.
BA 314 Human Resource Management
This class required a group paper and presentation, also. My group has
been outstanding so far and we could pick whatever topic we wanted to,
as long as it related to Human Resources somehow. We chose to compare
the business culture and some of the laws of the United States to China.
Our presentation and paper are due on Thursday, so we are going to
practice the presentation a couple of times on Tuesday and then we will
be ready to present.
BA 320 Management Information Systems
This class deals with computers and their role in business. Another
group project and presentation is required for this class. The project
and presentation are also due on Thursday-Thursday is going to be busy!
We have to design a computer network for a small business and provide a
budget, timeline, and expectations. All in all, it has meant a lot of
time in the computer lab researching and writing.
Air Force 201
All sophomores in AFROTC are required to take a one credit hour class
that meets once a week. Last week, I gave my briefing on Weather
Monitoring Sensors. We were handed a list of topics to choose from and
I didn't know anything about any of them, so I picked that one. It
turned out really well and I learned about how weather data is collected
in the Air Force. This coming week we have our final; I'm pretty
excited to be done with one class!
For the second time, I donated blood and this time I didn't get a huge
bruise afterwards! Last time, the bruise on my arm lasted for about two
weeks-it looked like someone had hit me with a baseball. Air Force
participated in the Commander's Cup and we won! The Commander's Cup is
a competition that takes place every semester between the different ROTC
branches at either a soccer or basketball game. Each branch has several
cadets compete against one another in various events such as: sprints,
push-ups, pull-ups, and tug-of-war. Everyone gets pumped up and comes
out to cheer their respective branch to victory. On Friday, we didn't
have classes and I spent the day helping get the Silver Wings float
ready for the parade. heck out the pictures I posted! I was able to
watch the parade and then the basketball game later that evening, which
the Eagles won! The rest of the weekend was spent working on homework.
I bought a small Christmas tree for my room and plan on decorating it
with lights and putting it up soon. On Friday the 14th, I saw the space
shuttle launch from a distance and it was pretty amazing! One time, I
want to be able to see the countdown clock and then the shuttle launch
because I think that would be awesome. This coming weekend is Silver
Wing and Arnold Air Society's Regional Convention, which I am going to
since I am Regional Vice-President. I let you know how that goes in my
next entry!
Any questions -send them my way!
Until next time,
Kaleigh
November 2nd, 2008
Happy November! I’m excited for this month because we have a grand total of five days off from classes! The reason we have so many days off is because of Homecoming, Veteran’s Day, and Thanksgiving. I’m not going home for Thanksgiving again this year because it’s too expensive and then twelve days later I go home for Christmas break. Some of my friends are also staying here, so we will have our own little Thanksgiving dinner. Homecoming is going to be a lot of fun—there are contests for all the clubs to compete in throughout the week, a parade, a tailgate party that Luke Bryan will be performing at, and then the basketball game. I’ll be sure to take lots of pictures with my new camera!
Until next time,
Kaleigh
November 1st, 2008
On Monday, I had my Economics test and I think I did a pretty good job. The last test had essay questions and I wasn’t too prepared for them, so this time when I was studying l tried to focus on those questions. Overall, I think it helped because I know I aced the essay questions this time! This semester I started something new and on Tuesday and Thursday mornings I go to the gym for about forty minutes. Last year, I didn’t take advantage of the fitness center and I only went a handful of times. I have found that exercising on the days that I don’t have PT helps to wake me up and get me motivated for the day. In my BA 320 (Information Management Systems) class, we were assigned a project and it’s due right before Thanksgiving. In all of my classes, we do major projects that include a paper and/or presentations. Personally, I don’t mind it because I like projects and would rather do them than have assigned problems every night for homework. Engineering majors are more focused on the assigned problems because their classes deal heavily in math and science. On Wednesday, we had Lead Lab earlier than normal (6:00 instead of 7:00) and it was super cold outside. I’m pretty sure we could see our breath and we stood outside for two hours being briefed on first aid, cover and concealment, and how to do fire team tactics. I went to the Student Government Office after that and got a free cup of hot chocolate. The SGA office has a coffee machine that allows you to choose different types of coffee and hot drinks for free. I think it’s a pretty sweet deal! Thursday morning I went to check my mail box and found my absentee ballot! I have been waiting in anticipation for it and I was afraid that it wouldn’t arrive in time. I filled it out and put it right back in the mailbox! Also on Thursday, I registered for my spring classes and I’m pretty happy with how my schedule turned out. I carved a pumpkin on Thursday night and I posted a picture of it, so take a look! My Economics test was handed back on Friday and I got an A!!! This Economics class has been one of my most interesting classes this semester because the material is specifically related to aviation and the class has a lot of discussions. I was a cowgirl for Halloween and I went trick-or-treating with Silver Wings and Arnold Air Society for canned goods. Altogether we collected enough canned goods to fill the bed of a pickup truck! I wish I had taken a picture but I forgot to!
I hope everyone who visited campus had a good time and if you have any questions that you thought of – send me an e-mail, and I’ll be happy to answer them!
Until next time,
Kaleigh
October
October 25, 2008
Monday the weather was beautiful—it was sunny but the temperature was cool and it had a slight wind that signals fall. I had an Economics test coming up and I planned on studying with my study group again, so hopefully my grade will be as good as last time. My flight played volleyball against another flight on Monday night (there are two sand volleyball courts on campus). We all had some good laughs because a few people had never played before, so they were still trying to figure out the techniques involved. I went to an ERAU basketball game on Tuesday night as one of the people in my flight is on the team. Unfortunately, ERAU lost by several points but there was a guy on the other team that was 7 feet 8 inches tall. I was surprised when he stood up against some of the other players and they only came up to his waist! One time he had the basketball and went to make a basket and it looked like he didn’t even have to jump to get the ball in; just a slight tap. PT on Wednesday was held on the Speedway along with the Army and the Navy. We all ran around the track and I think it was a total of three miles. Then, the Air Force got a picture taken of all of us standing in formation. My favorite part of the run was the end when we stood in formation and recited the Air Force Cadence and the Airmen’s Creed as a wing. Friday after classes some friends of mine and I went to see High School Musical 3. I thought the movie was really good and I enjoyed the music so much that I think I’m going to get the soundtrack. Also, I went to my second hockey game and this time I was able to watch more than two minutes because the ice stayed frozen! On Saturday, I spent most of my day in the library studying and doing homework. This year I have found that I am most productive when I am in the library instead of my room because of all the distractions and the fact that I would rather sleep than do homework. A bonus for studying in the library is that my flight gets so many points for the number of hours we study in the library and every flight is competing against one another. Last week my flight won and we hope to keep winning!
Until next time,
Kaleigh
October 19, 2008
Today the weather was perfect-it felt like fall because the
sun was shining, the wind was blowing a little bit, and the temperature
was in the low 70s! Halloween is fast approaching and I'm hoping that
some of my friends and I will have time to get together and carve
pumpkins. I haven't carved a pumpkin for several years and I think it
would be fun to do it again. Silver Wings is going trick-or-treating
for canned goods on Halloween, so I need to think of a good costume and
soon!
If you have any questions, send an e-mail! To all who are
coming to campus on October 25 for the Open House, have a good time and
if you see me feel free to stop and ask me any questions.
Until next time,
Kaleigh
October 18, 2008
On Sunday I got to go flying with the Civil Air Patrol on an Incentive
Flight! Last semester, I was able to do this also and I had a really
good time. Air Force ROTC gives Incentive Flights to people who have no
flying time or people who have some flying time but haven't received
their Private Pilot's license yet. Through the program I have been able
to log 2.4 hours of flying time for free, which if you ask me is a
pretty sweet deal. We flew from Daytona Beach up to Flagler and landed
at a little airport, then turned around and came back. On Wednesday, I
had part one of my math test and I didn't think it would go very well
because it involved using Excel and on the past two quizzes Excel
decided not to work correctly or I put the information in wrong. Well,
the quiz went really well and I got a perfect score!! Right after my
test, I had my Mid-Term Evaluation with my flight commander and
unfortunately it didn't go as well as my math test. I have some things
that I really need to improve upon in order to be a better cadet. In the
Detachment, there is a bulletin board that is divided into sections and
each flight gets a section to decorate with pictures and motivational
items. My flight decorated our section on Wednesday night with some
recent pictures and then Thursday night we went out to dinner to stock
up on some carbohydrates for PT. PT on Friday was the Physical Fitness
Assessment which involves one minute of push-ups, one minute of sit-ups,
and a 1.5 mile run. I was really happy with my run time because since
last fall I have been able to shave off 2 minutes! Friday night I went
kayaking with Air Force people and I had a good time, except for the
part where I fell in and lost my camera. Hopefully, I'll get a new
camera soon because I do enjoy taking pictures. Today, I went to a
picnic hosted by Arnold Air and Silver Wings and I played bocce ball
which is a game like croquet and bowling combined. I had a good time
but now I need to do some homework!
Until next time,
Kaleigh
October 11, 2008
On Tuesday, my flight got together to review our knowledge
and prepare our uniforms for Mid-Terms. We played the Jeopardy game
that another cadet and I put together, which was a lot of fun! Also, we
shared shoe shining and uniform tips with the freshman. We all answered
our knowledge questions correctly during the Open Ranks Inspection on
Wednesday and we did alright on the quiz. Thursday was quite
interesting because towards evening it got really cool compared to what
the temperature was that day. I was in the library and when I looked
outside I thought the sky looked kind of green and I heard someone
mention the word "tornado," so I decided I would head back to my room.
The sky looked like tornado weather and then I heard the safety people
say, "Take shelter. A tornado warning is in effect." Everyone was
pretty fascinated with the weather and we stood near the windows and
doors to watch, (not the brightest thing to do!!) and safety wasn't too
happy about it. All in all, we were stuck on the first floor of my dorm
for about thirty minutes. The funny part was people were already
planning on what they would do if we didn't have school on Friday.
Tuesdays and Thursdays I go to math tutoring and that Thursday was no
exception. Since I am a regular at tutoring, I usually see the same
people in there week after week and that day I started talking to
someone new; I enjoy meeting new people and it gives me another reason
to go to tutoring. PT on Friday was pretty intense because we did all
static (pushups and abs) for about 40 minutes. The next day my arms
were sore but I got to go shopping in Orlando, so they didn't bother me
too much! Orlando has a huge outlet mall and some of my girlfriends and
I decided we needed to do some serious shopping-Daytona Beach has a mall
located across from campus but it's not that big. We had a good time
shopping and hanging out! I also went to my first hockey game that
night but I only got to see two minutes of the game because a generator
broke and the ice started melting, so they had to stop the game. I'm
looking forward to the next one!
Until next time,
Kaleigh
October 5, 2008
Wow, it’s hard to believe that we are already half way through the semester! I’m always amazed at how fast time flies once classes get started because the first two weeks seem to take forever, then you blink and the semester is already over. This coming week we are having Air Force mid-terms which means an inspection and knowledge quiz. I remember for my first mid-term I was nervous because I didn’t know what to expect for the quiz, so this year another kid in my flight and I are putting together a game of Jeopardy to help everyone study. For this journal entry, I’ve decided to try out a new format to shake things up and hopefully include more information; however, if you want to know something more about college life or AFROTC feel free to send me an e-mail.
Until next time,
Kaleigh
October 4, 2008
I think all of the sleep helped because on Sunday I was feeling a little better and I went to the Arnold Air Beach Bash. Every year Arnold Air puts on a picnic at the beach and invites everyone in AFROTC and Silver Wings. I played some beach volleyball and had a good time hanging out with friends. That afternoon I went to Extra Drill and found out that I would be in charge of marching the flight on Wednesday. I was pretty nervous about it because I didn’t want to make a lot of mistakes in front of everyone. So I practiced a little at Extra Drill and decided not to think about it too much and focus more on my upcoming Economics test. My study partner and I met up in the library and studied for a couple of hours. The day of the Economics test arrives—I get the test and see the questions and think to myself, “I can do this! I know the answers to these questions!” Anyhow, my studying paid off because I got a 94% and I was so proud of myself! Wednesday morning—marching the flight—I did an okay job overall, but I did make a few big mistakes and several people let me know that I was not doing things correctly; however, I know what I need to work on so next time I can do better. Silver Wings participated in the Heart Walk on Friday night and I forgot to take my camera, so I don’t have any pictures. The Heart Walk is a community event that raises money for the American Heart Association and many Embry-Riddle clubs participated. After walking on the beach, we went to UNOs—a pizza place—because Arnold Air and Silver Wings were holding a fundraiser there to raise money for our conference in November. I had a good time eating pizza and talking to friends. The Women’s Center hosted a trip to Kennedy Space Center on Saturday and I had a really good time. I had only been there one time before, when I was six, and I didn’t really remember anything. I posted some pictures so take a look!
That pretty much sums up the past two weeks and the next two weeks look like they will be just as busy! A note to all high school seniors—start turning in your college applications and think about visiting the campus on October 25 for the Open House.
Until next time,
Kaleigh
September
September 27, 2008
The Relay for Life committee met on Monday and we are now trying to recruit all the clubs on campus to sign up and have a team. This coming Monday we are going to be holding Early Registration, so it’ll be exciting to see how well our recruiting efforts worked. In my last entry, I mentioned how my group for Management of Production and Operations class was waiting for our topic to be approved. Well, we got our topic—American Airlines—which means it’s time to get started on the paper. We all decided to have the paper completely finished by November 1st; in order to turn it in early and have time for revisions. I need to get started on my research this week! For PT, we were supposed to go on a Beach Run but the tide was too high and instead, we had to run around campus. On Wednesday for Lead Lab, we had a Warrior Competition between all the flights and my flight WON! The competition consisted of marching around campus to various areas and then participating in drill evaluations, proper uniform wear, and spirit competitions.
Airport Management Club had their meeting at the Daytona International Airport and we got to hear the Director of Aviation speak about his job. I enjoyed listening to him because he has been working at the airport for a long time and was able to tell us how some of the advancements in technology have made his job easier and harder. I’m so glad that I joined Airport Management Club because it allows for me to connect with people in my major. For instance, my Managerial Economics class is pretty hard and I needed someone to study with but there are only ten people in my class and I don’t know any of them. However, a girl in Airport Management Club is taking the same class, only at a different time, so we made plans to study together. On Friday, a group of girls and I decided we needed to take a break from all the boys and have a Girls Night Out. We went out to dinner and a movie—Nights in Rodanthe. I thought the movie was really good, but next time we are going to go see a funny, uplifting movie. The next day I woke up and my throat was extremely sore and I had a really bad headache. Unfortunately, everyone has been getting sick. You walk into the computer lab and everyone is coughing or sneezing and then the germs just sort of spread to everyone. I was able to study a little for my Economics test, but I spent most of the day sleeping.
Until next time,
Kaleigh
September 21, 2008
Happy fall! My favorite season of the year would probably be fall because it’s when the leaves start to change colors, combines are out in full force harvesting corn and beans, and the weather starts to cool off. Unfortunately, here in Florida the seasons don’t really change and there is no corn to be harvested. Thankfully, my mom realizes how much I miss the seasons so she sent me a bunch of fake leaves to make my dorm room feel like fall! In case you didn’t already know, I’m from the Midwest—Illinois—and my hometown is surrounded by cornfields for miles. I am so glad to be in Florida come winter time because I don’t have to walk across campus in below zero weather with snow blowing in my face.
Silver Wings has gotten off to a good start this semester. After the Activities Fair, we had several nights of fun so potential members could get to know members and ask any questions they might have. We went cosmic bowling and I enjoyed bowling, even though I’m not very good at it. On Saturday and Sunday, four Silver Wings members participated in the Second Annual Great Eagle Hunt sponsored by the Embry-Riddle Resident Student Association. The Great Eagle Hunt was a scavenger hunt that took place all over Daytona Beach and lasted for twenty-four hours. There were 208 clues and after figuring out the clue you had to find the item or location and take a picture with half your team in it. I had a lot of fun but towards morning I was pretty worn out.
Our team didn’t place in the top three; however, I did get to know the people on my team really well!
For September 11th, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University hosted a remembrance ceremony. I wasn’t able to attend because I had class at the exact same time, but I heard about it from my friends that went. There were replicas of the twin towers raised at the same time that they were hit and the towers were constructed out of plywood boards that clubs had decorated. Each club on campus could pay $25 to decorate a section however they wanted to, which I thought was a really good idea. The best part was all the boards were sold before the decorating even started! I was able to go by the field later on that day after classes and see the two towers standing, so check out my pictures.
The United States Air Force celebrated its birthday on September 18th and to celebrate the Detachment hosted Airpower Day on the following Saturday. Airpower Day is where every flight comes and competes against one another in various competitions. Some of the competitions were a 1.5 mile run, relay races, knowledge questions, Ultimate Frisbee, and tug-of-war. My flight didn’t win but we had fun and got sunburned! Physical training is going well and I think our beach run is coming up soon—I’m looking forward to that!
My classes are going well and this past week I had quite a few tests, so it will be nice to see how well I’m doing. My math class is getting a little more challenging and the last homework assignment took several hours which made me realize I shouldn’t put it off till the night before. My group for Management of Production and Operations class is still waiting for the professor to okay our company for the research project. Hopefully, we will find out this week because I want to get started on it soon. In my Human Resource Management class, my group decided to compare labor laws in the United States to those in China. I think it is a really good idea and I hope to learn a lot, but the research isn’t going too good, so I hope the library will have more information or we might have to pick another topic.
Lastly, I have decided that my classes and Silver Wings weren’t keeping me busy enough so I joined the Relay for Life planning committee. Last year was my first year to participate in Relay for Life and I was a little disappointed that more people didn’t show up for such a good cause. This year I think that will change because everyone on the committee seems super motivated and excited. Also, I decided to be the Luminaria chair and I’m looking forward to getting started. I’ll keep you all updated on what’s happening and our ideas.
Send me an e-mail if you have any questions at all!
Until next time,
Kaleigh
September 7, 2008
Hello! My name is Kaleigh Sides and this is my second year at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and my second year writing a journal. I’m majoring in Aviation Business Administration with a concentration in Airport Management. Also, I’m involved in Air Force ROTC (which I will talk about more later on), Silver Wings, and Airport Management Club. Some of my favorite things about Embry-Riddle are the sound of airplanes constantly flying overhead, the nice warm weather with no snow in December, the small campus where you can be guaranteed to walk anywhere and see someone you know, and of course the classes.
This semester I am taking mainly business courses, which I really like because that’s my major. My classes are: MA 320 Decision Math, EC 315 Managerial Economics, BA 314 Human Resource Management, BA 320 Business Information Systems, BA 420 Management of Production and Operations, and my Air Force Class. I am taking my last math, economics, and computer classes which I’m pretty excited about! My math teacher is the same one that I had last semester and I think she does a really good job teaching, so I am lucky to have her again. However, I still go to the free math tutor for help because it’s free and I like to work on my homework with other people because it keeps me focused. Economics is not one of my strong suits and I have heard that this class is pretty hard. The only grades are from tests and the final is worth 40% of your grade! I plan on studying really hard and maybe finding some other people to study with. Human Resources is a class I really like because it can apply to any job and the textbook is easy to understand. My Business Information Systems class is my last computer class and we don’t even get to use the computer because it’s more on understanding key functions of the computer rather than applications like my other two computer classes. My Management of Production and Operations class is taught by the same teacher as my Principles of Management class that I took last fall. I like when I get a professor that I’ve already had because I know their teaching style and I have a heads-up on the layout of the tests. My Air Force Class is going to be on the history of airpower and I am looking forward to it because I like learning about history. Overall, I think I have a pretty good schedule and I’m enjoying my classes.
Air Force ROTC is going well and I am enjoying being a 200 because now I get to share my knowledge with the new freshman. PT (physical training) was cancelled last Friday because of the weather and the Monday before was a holiday, so we have only had one session and I enjoyed the workout. Over the summer, I ran with my sister several times a week out in the country and I think that helped me to stay in shape. Last year, I hated running and towards the end of the year I got to the point where I could tolerate it; now I enjoy running and I want to participate in a 5K sometime. This time last year I was completely overwhelmed with AFROTC and I couldn’t imagine how I was going to remember—let alone memorize everything, but this year it seems so much easier because everything is not completely new.
Silver Wings is getting started this coming week and it looks like it’s going to be a fun-filled week. On Tuesday, the Activities Fair will be happening and it’s where all the clubs set up and you can find out about any that you are interested in joining. Wednesday we are having our meeting, Thursday we are going to play wiffle ball, Friday we are going bowling, and on Saturday we are doing a beach cleanup. I’m looking forward to the events because I’ll get to meet new people, which is one of the reasons I decided to join Silver Wings! For all of those who don’t know, Silver Wings is a professional co-ed community service organization that is affiliated with the Air Force Association.
I think that’s all for now. This entry was mainly an overview so you could get to know me, but the next one will focus more on what’s happening and what’s going on in my classes. If you have any questions, just send me an e-mail.
Until next time,
Kaleigh Sides
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Name: Kaleigh Sides