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Major: Aeronautical Science Age: 18 Hometown: Queens, New York Career Goals: To become either an airline or commercial pilot working for either FedEx, jetBlue or Air Jamaica Activities: Volleyball, Track and Field, Newspaper staff, Task Force One, photography. Why I chose Embry-Riddle: I chose Embry-Riddle because of the reputation it has in the aviation industry, I want to be the best and Embry-Riddle can help me become the best. Aim: dreamdrethecool7 MayMay 6, 2009 Hey guys. The spring semester has officially ended and I can't wait for Summer A Classes last semester were awesome, especially grades. Finals went really well and were as smooth as possible. I will enjoy my all-female professor schedule for the summer and fall, haha. I am excited to take AT 200 (Air Traffic Management I) and BA 314 (Human Resource Management) for the first summer session. For BA 314, my professor already assigned us homework on Monday!
If you guys have any questions at all about anything at all, please feel free to email me. I appreciate the guys that have emailed me and I am glad to answer your questions. I am here to be a good resource for you guys so if can assist in any way please let me know. Tuition deposit was due May 1st, you can still make the deposit ASAP, and the housing deposit is due June 1st. Remember to file your FAFSA and contact admissions if you have any questions about the application or financial aid in general. I wish you guys luck in your admission process and hope to see you on campus in the fall. Best wishes and safe skies, AprilApril 23, 2009 Finally freshmen year is over! I had my last class of the year yesterday and I am doing my final preparation for finals! I can't believe my freshmen year went by so quick. It was full of different adventures, I explored new things and most of all, enjoyed it. I had a lot of great professors this year, they were all there for me whenever I had a question on something and they all had good advice. I can't wait for the summer now to get my ATC required courses started. Summer A session I will be taking AT 200-Air Traffic Management I and BA 314-Human Resource Management. Summer B session I will be taking WX301- aviation Weather and HU141- Western Humanities II. I am so excited to take these classes. I have heard nothing but good words about the professors teaching those classes and I can't wait to be back in class May 7th.
ERRSA had their spring semester banquet last night at the Shores Resort and Spa. It was so much fun! We had awards, food, dancing, slideshows from all the events this semester and initiation of the new Exec board. I was a really nice night out with the organization and I can't wait for Summer B when they start up again for the 2009-2010 school year.
April 13, 2009
I will be doing summer classes this year in an effort to get certain classes out the way that are required for my new major. Seeing that I switched this semester, I think it will put in the place I need to be academically for the fall. I will be going home at the end of this semester for 4 days before I return back to Daytona to start summer classes. I am looking forward to taking these classes and spending time with a few friends that will be here for summer.
Many of you know that Sneak Preview will be held on April 18th. I will be giving tours as an ERRSA member. I suggest those of you that haven't registered to attend to do so ASAP if you are able to make it to the area. I can't wait to go back home to see family for a few days before summer classes. I miss them so much.
Best wishes, MarchMarch 22, 2009
Classes are great. Before the break, I took a test in Instrument Pilot Operations and got an 83%. It's not exactly the score I wanted but I did my best and it is a really good grade. All my other classes are going well; In two weeks, I may be going to Jamaica for my cousin's wedding. I am so excited and really hope I get the chance to attend. The main issue right now is booking a ticket, I will be traveling American Airlines but they do not offer flights that would get me there in time to attend the wedding. I am currently looking into other airlines and seeing if I can get a flight that suits my travel better. Right now, of the many organizations on campus that I am a part of, I am focusing a lot on ERRSA and First Gen. I know each time I make a post it's always a different combination. But when you get involved with a lot on campus, at times you have to pick and choose what you can do over a given period of time to fit your schedule. I am running for an Executive position in First Generation for next school year. I am planning on running for Secretary, it's the only Exec position that I have ever run for and held and I really like the position. My plan B is to run for the Public Relations position, I think I am qualified for both positions and would do a very good job. In ERRSA, we are currently working on our bid to host SAACURH [South Atlantic Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls]. If our bid wins, we will host the conference in the fall of the 2010. I am working on four of the ten bid sections, but very active on the Sponsorship section. I am currently working on writing up those bids and presenting them to our NCC [National Communications Coordinator] for approval. We also have our April outing and Spring Banquet coming up. Over the summer, we will be attending the NACURH [National Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls] conference hosted this year in Arizona. The conference should take place from May 22nd until the 24th.
I know it's about that time when you guys not only have to select schools, but do financial aid. I know from experience that the FAFSA isn't the most fun form to fill out, and that picking a school that is right for you is really tough. If you guys have ANY questions at all on any topic from housing to weekend life or even scholarships, send me an email. Those of you guys that have sent me emails, I enjoy reading them and I hope my responses have helped you. A lot of you guys have been asking a lot about financial aid and scholarships, remember to contact your admissions counselor or financial aid counselor if you have questions about aid. Stay safe! March 12, 2009
We got our lottery numbers this week! Lottery numbers are numbers that housing gives out to students at random and is used when picking your hall for next semester. Once you do a contract, you are eligible to get a number and the range is from 1 to 1300. My number was 662, so it’s not too bad. This week we also had the Xi-Man competition. The competition is a fundraiser done by the Alpha Xi Delta sorority and it is like a male pageant. Delta Upsilon placed 4th, mainly because of our t-shirt sales which was also a part of the fundraiser. I know that it’s time that you guys are getting your financial aid letter, or should be getting them. Please be sure that you file your FAFSA for the upcoming school year if you want Federal Aid. It’s never too late to apply so do it when you get the chance to. If you have any questions about it, please feel free to shoot me an email. I hope you guys are doing great. Thanks to those of you that asked me questions the past few weeks. Keep them coming, if there is any way that I can help you, just ask, I’ll be sure to answer as best as I can and also get you to the right resources. Stay safe! Andre’ FebruaryFebruary 22, 2009 Hey guys! Hope you are all doing well. I am so excited that February is done. Next month is March which means Spring Break! I am so excited because I will be going to my friend Derrick's house in Rhode Island for a few days before going to my house in New York City. I am looking forward to going there and just relaxing and having fun. So far classes are going great. Took a few tests the past week and did very well on them. Classes can be tough at times but it's not something that can't be done.
I am sorry to report that I have changed my major from Aeronautical Science to Air Traffic Management. It was a tough decision, but after thinking everything through, I decided that I would rather not be in too much debt with better job security than to pay a lot of money for flight training and not know whether or not I can get a good paying job or a job at all. I am taking flight as a minor as soon as I am financially stable. I am still active with TFO, First Gen, and ERRSA. Also, I am pledging Delta Upsilon in the fall. I want to take some time to build my GPA up higher so I have a cushion in the event my work load gets too much. This Wednesday is the colonization ceremony. I will not be a part of that, but my bid still stands and when I am ready I will be initiated in. We held elections as to who will be the exec board for the Fraternity and my friends Derrick, Darryl and Mack all got elected as VP's!!! YAY!!! I am proud of them and give them all my support and blessing. There isn't much going on this time around, but if you guys have any questions, please feel free to email me. Thanks to those of you guys that did, I am behind schedule so do not think I am ignoring you if I haven't gotten back to you as yet, I promise I will. Until next time... February 8, 2009
It's Black History Month guys!!! For the past week I haven't been able to talk to family as much because my mom lost her cell phone! It's the main means of communication I have with my family and I have to wait until next week when she gets a new one. In the meantime, we have been communicating through my cousin's cell phone and email. My grandma is spending some time in Jamaica and just earlier this week she called me. We talked for a long while time. I notice that this semester I am a lot more responsible and self-sufficient. I don't miss family as much anymore and I am currently earning, so I am not totally dependent on my family for the bulk of my financial needs. Just a quick update on the plan me and my friends had for spring break, we are not going on the cruise. Instead, I am going to go to Miami with my cousin for the weekend, and then I will be flying up to Providence, RI to spend the break with Derrick and possibly travel to New York City to spend a day or two with my mom. We really had our hearts set on the cruise, but at least we have other alternatives. There is a lot going on campus this semester. We have a lot of home basketball games, track meets, and lots of social events. We also still have our weekly movies done by Touch n' Go, and lots of community service events. There is a lot to do and many ways to become involved and make a difference. Next weekend I will be going to Fort Myers with Derrick to his grandparent's house and spent the weekend. I am so excited and I can't wait! So far the semester has been going really good. I am confident in my classes, having lots of fun, and most of all enjoying the experience. To all you guys that sent me emails, thanks so much for reading my journal posts. I know that it's just around that time when ERAU sends out acceptance letters. If you guys have any questions, whether it is about financial aid or housing, residence life, anything at all, feel free to ask. I will try my best to answer all your questions and any comments that you have are welcome. Until next time... JanuaryJanuary 25, 2009 The spring semester got off to a great start! I couldn’t ask for better. Things have been working very well and I feel a lot more confident in myself. So far classes are going great, and I love all my professors. This semester I have all female professors…woot woot! It’s a new refreshed feeling compared to last semester where I had 2 female professors. I feel like I’m learning a lot now and love the learning opportunity. I have my first exam of the semester next Monday in WX 201. So far, in that class, we covered the atmosphere, solar radiation, and seasons. The professor is very low key but fun and knows a lot about weather and geometry and tries her best to make sure we understand the facts and concepts. With my flight training, I’m currently on financial hold [yes the economy is hitting hard on my pockets], but while I sort out my financial situation, I am doing observer flights with my best friend and now third roommate Derrick, and will be doing landing clinics on Saturdays at 8:00 a.m. to keep up to speed. I am also preparing to take my Private Pilot Written exam by late next week. A few of my good friends, Darryl and Kayla, just started working on their private pilot license and are having a blast so far. I am so proud of them and wish them all the best. They have been really good friends to me so far and I know they are going to succeed in their endeavors.
This weekend, we had the Rolex 24 at the Daytona Speedway! It was very loud and you could hear the crowd cheering. It was a cool experience. We got to see the private jets parked up on the ramp and even saw a few take off Sunday afternoon. Saturday night there were fireworks! I am looking forward to the Daytona 500, which lasts an entire week and is a bigger event. So far, I haven’t really missed family as much as I did the beginning of last semester. I still talk to my mom a lot and every once in a while a cousin or aunt. I have become a lot more responsible and even though I have the cushion of student loans and work and parents helping me out, I am learning to appreciate what I have and to live within my means. Not because the resources are available does not mean one should go out and be impulsive. Even though it’s really early, I and my friends are planning a cruise to the Bahamas for spring break. It’s still in the planning stages, it looks like a go and I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I’ll keep you guys posted. [For those of you guys that didn’t know… Barak Obama is now President… WHOOO HOOO]
One last thing, on Sunday, my girlfriend and I celebrated 8 months of being together. Even though she is still in New York City and I’m here in Daytona, we still have our relationship going. Remember, if you guys have any questions or comments, I appreciate them a lot. Thanks to you guys that emailed me. I wish you guys all the best, and until next time, be safe! Andre’ McIntosh January 11, 2009
AS 221-Insrument Pilot Operations
So far, I have been focused on getting settled in for this semester. Thanks to all of you guys that emailed me and responded to my posts last semester. I look forward to your emails this semester. And to the rest of you guys, if you have any questions, please free to ask, I will be happy to answer your questions. Until next time. DecemberDecember 19, 2008
Finals went well. I passed my finals and got some really good grades in my classes. However, with flight, I am still not done with course. Before we left campus, First Generation had a little Christmas dinner in the Doolittle Annex. It was fun as we all ate together and shared funny stories about what we encountered during the semester. It was the final meeting for the club this semester. The Avion also had a banquet, which unfortunately I could not attend. But from what I heard it was a really fun event.
I also went to visit my old high school. It's a surprise what the school has become. I got to see my friends that are juniors and seniors and my old track team, teachers, principal and peer group leader. It was a nice feeling going back and seeing the people that help me become the person I am today. I must thank you guys for reading my journals for the past semester. It has been my pleasure. Thanks to all the people that sent me emails, I appreciate them a lot and hope I answered your questions to your satisfaction. Please don't be a stranger, if you have any questions about Riddle and classes, etc. shoot me an email and I will gladly answer your questions. Happy Holidays and have a wonderful New Year! December 1, 2008
Thanks for reading my posts for this semester and I really appreciate those that have sent me emails. I hope that I answered all your questions. If any of you guys have questions, don't be afraid to ask me, I'll be more than happy to answer. I will be writing posts over the break so I'll keep you guys posted. Until next time! NovemberNovember 17, 2008 It's almost Thanksgiving! Finally we get to go home for some good home-style cooking. That's one thing you miss out on when you are in college. The food is good here, but there is nothing better than a nice home-cooked meal on Thanksgiving Day. A lot of people have already made plans for their travel back home. As for me, I'm still not sure as yet. I had decided to stay here on campus to catch up on some flight training, but at the last minute, there seems to be a chance that I can go home for that weekend. It's not a sure thing but I do hope I get to fly back home! In the meantime, it's almost finals and we have a lot of work that is due in the next few weeks. I have been working long and hard on a few papers and projects and I am in the final stages of them. We start registering for next semester this week and finals are coming up in the first week of December. Looking back on this experience so far, it all went by quickly. There are a few days when it seemed really slow, but the weeks just flew right by.
As the semester is coming to a close and we prepare for the spring, things are getting pretty serious on campus. Finals are coming up and the final papers are due soon. Now is the time to make a good grade or fail. As freshmen, it's a wakeup call if you haven't been working hard, but if you have, it's just a little motivation to keep you going. Thanks for all the emails, don't be afraid to ask me questions. I'll try my best to get them answered.
November 3rd, 2008 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! OctoberOctober 20, 2008 Wow! It's not much of an introduction, but these past few weeks have been FILLED with emotions and excitement. I can't believe the amount of fun I'm having here at ERAU! My flight training is going really well and my classes are absolutely amazing. When I'm not in class I'm either at the Avion, at a TFO meeting, hanging out with friends or at an important meeting or maybe just at one of the fun events we have on campus. There is so much to do around here; I really do feel like I'm at college!
In TFO, I am currently an active member of all three active committees and I am in charge of doing research on a few things. As you guys know, I ran for the position of Secretary but lost by 1 point. Even though I am not in office, I still want to make a difference on campus in any way possible. As for First Generation, we have a few events planned for the rest of the semester and we are now paired up with mentors/mentees in our mentor/mentee program. The Avion is crazier than ever! I love going there on Sundays to layout the Campus page. We have so much fun just goofing around. And the food is a BIG plus!
A few weeks ago we had a tornado warning issued on campus. The wall cloud literally moved right over campus! It was so scary and exciting at the same time. People were so excited and had a blast watching it go over. It was an experience like no other.
Halloween is approaching very fast and I need to come up with some ideas of what to do for that day. There are a few stuff planned on campus that I plan to take part of. Even though college is a blast, I still miss home. It's not as bad as when I just moved in, but I think about home a lot. I think that apart from my mom, I miss my little brother a lot. We are very close and I miss not being able to hang out with him as I used to. I am getting used to the fact that my family is not here and that I have to do this on my own bearing in mind that they are behind me 100%. 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! October 6, 2008
As for my roommate, he was trying out for the flight team. However his efforts did not earn him a spot on the team, but he does have the ability to go to practices if he wants. He is a little disappointed that he didn’t make the team but he now has time to get more work done and have a flexible schedule. I hope you guys are being successful in your college search. Don’t be a stranger, shoot me an email or an instant message and I will be more than happy to answer any questions you have. Until next time! SeptemberSeptember 22, 2008
There is so much to do here on campus. So far, I am involved with the campus newspaper as the Campus Editor, I am also on TFO (which is a student government group for freshmen and transfer students), and I am also in First Generation, which is a club for students who are the first of their family to attend college. All of the clubs offer a chance to express one’s self, and become an active member of the campus population. Being on the newspaper staff allows you to be a part of the process of informing campus students with information that affects them. Our campus has an excellent readership and the staff has, in the past years, received multiple awards for the hard work that they have done. TFO, which stands for Task Force One, is a student government group for freshmen and transfer students, allows you to become involved with student government and be a part of many activities that builds leadership skills. First Generation is also a great opportunity to get involved on campus. They provide many trips, workshops, and meetings in which you can earn points that counts towards a scholarship program. I also tried out for the track and field team. Even though I tried my best I didn’t make the team because I had an injury, and my plans to play intramural volleyball didn’t come through either because it would become very demanding in my schedule. But even though those plans didn’t work out, there are still a lot of ways that I can keep up with my fitness.
Even though I am having so much fun on and off campus, there are times where I still feel a little homesick. It takes a while getting used to being away from home, but I am slowly but surely getting used to it, and being involved on campus helps you to make a new home here. There are a lot of programs here on campus that is geared to making your transition to college life a success. Well its now my 5th week here at Riddle and it’s a blast, I’m trying to keep my head in the books as well as have a little fun. I’m glad I chose ERAU! September 8, 2008
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Name: Andre McIntosh
to start! Check-in for dorms started yesterday and continues thru today and classes begin tomorrow. I can't wait for this summer. I already started having fun. The past two days I flew with friends to Tampa and visited Busch Gardens, walked around St. Petersburg and went to the mall in Brandon. It was a fun 2 days away from campus. 
So far everything is going great. I move out of my room in McKay to my summer room in Adams. I am not looking forward to moving because I have so much stuff! It's going to be a challenge and it has to get done. I will be a busy traveler this summer and also a studious student. I am going to enjoy the next few months as much as possible.
Over summer I will be traveling quite a bit on the weekends seeing that we have Fridays off during the summer. I will be going back home for a weekend or two, I will be going to Milwaukee and Puerto Rico! I will also be going to various places in Florida including Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Orlando.
This past weekend, Undergrad Admissions hosted a Sneak Preview event here on campus. Coincidentally, there was an Ooze ball competition hosted by Order of Omega that same day. I played ooze ball with First Generation and we got as far as the third round. Unfortunately we got beat by 3 points by my fraternity Delta Upsilon. We all had fun playing volleyball in the mud. 
The semester and school year has come to a close. It was a long year but it was also fun. Thanks to all you guys that sent me emails over the past year. I hope that I have been of help to you guys. Still send me emails; I am here to answer any questions you may have. Remember to fill out your FAFSA forms, turn in your deposits and any other documents you need to turn in to Admissions or Financial Aid. I wish you guys luck and hope to see you on campus in the fall!
Hey guys. There are only two more weeks until finals week... wooo hoooo! I am so excited for the end of this semester and school year. So much has happened and I had a lot of experiences. I wish my freshmen year would never end, it seems like only yesterday I was just the new kid on campus. But we gotta grow up some day! It's been really hectic the past few weeks, getting final projects and assignments done and ready to hand in and also trying not to slack off at the last minute. With all that said, I only have two finals, BA 201 [Principles of Management] and PSY 101 [Introduction to Psychology]. I am working really hard to make sure I do exceptionally well this semester.
So far, ERRSA has been great. We are still working on the bid process to have the SACURH conference on our campus for 2011 [changed from 2010]. This week we selected our committee chairs and assigned people certain assignments to have done by the next meeting. First Generation is also great. At Relay for Life, we placed second overall for the team with most spirit award! It was 6 of us that stayed from 6 p.m. Friday night until 6 a.m. Saturday morning. We ran and walked a lot of laps. All together we did about 96 miles for the entire night. We have a lot of activities planned for the next 2 weeks to wrap up a fun filled semester.
Again guys, if there are any questions that you have about anything at all, please feel free to email me. I am here to answer to the best of my ability, any questions that you may have. For those of you that accepted your admission to Embry-Riddle, congratulations, I hope to see you in the fall. Remember to get your FAFSA applications in and also to send in your housing contracts and all fees and documents needed to finalize your admission. Thanks to all of you guys that emailed me, I appreciate the comments. Keep on reading and always strive for the best in whatever you do.
Hey guys. I'm back from Spring Break! I had so much fun back home with friends and family in New York, I spent half the week relaxing with family and the other half out with friends. I did a program at my old high school for kids interested in aviation and I talked to them not only about Embry-Riddle but about the field of aviation and the jobs and careers that are associated with the field. It went really well, I got a few people that were interested in not only aviation, but Embry-Riddle! I also did a program on college prep, mainly focusing on the transition from high school to college. The day before I left New York, I went to a track meet and watched my old team compete. They got so much better since the last time I saw them run. I am so proud of them. I am happy to be back at school to complete the last month left in the Spring 09 semester.
I think my grades this semester will be better this semester than last!
Friday is Relay for Life. For those of you that do not know, it is an event done by the American Cancer Society in an effort to raise money for research and cure of cancer. The event is an all night event from 4 p.m. Friday night until 5 a.m. Saturday morning. There are going to be a lot of events going on that night to keep people occupied and also to fundraise. Also, Sunday is Adopt-A-Road which is a project put on by our SGA and what we do is we go to a specific road that the school has adopted and we clean it up! However long we stay out there counts as community service and we also have the opportunity of winning prizes. This week is Student Employment Week!! It's just a week when Student Employment honors the student employees on campus. We get free food and prizes all week long! It's also room selection week. This is when we get to choose who our roommates and actual rooms will be next semester.
It’s Spring Break time!!! This is the final few days until we go for Spring Break. I am so excited, I am going back home to be with family and old High School friends for an entire week. It doesn’t sound like much, but when you’re away at college, it makes you appreciate the opportunity to see family, no matter if it’s 3 days or a month. My mom is looking forward to me coming back home, she is so excited; she is taking off from work that day! Even though the excitement for the break is high on campus, we still have classes going on. On Friday before I leave, I have a test in Instrument Pilot Operations, which I think is the hardest one yet! I have been studying long and hard for it and I think I’ll do great.
Outside of classes, we had Greek Week last week. It was a lot of fun. The end of the week, I participated in the Up till Dawn Finale event as a Morale Captain. Up till Dawn is an organization that does fundraising activities, the proceeds of this go to the St. Judes Research Hospital that helps kids with cancer. The event was 12 hours, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. It was a long night but we had dances, food and a ton of activities. We had trikes and a bounce-a-bout and also a black jack table. We even played Gatorade pong! This week we also had the ERRSA Elections. The elections went very well, and everyone that I wanted to be in office got in. First generation will be having their elections in about two weeks.
Last weekend, Derrick and I went to his grandparent's house in Fort Myers for the long weekend. It was so much fun and we really enjoyed it!
It's February already, it seems as if the year started yesterday. The past month has been a blast. The weather here in Daytona has dipped down way into freezing temperatures. It got so cold that students that fly early in the morning couldn't go up because of ice. It has started to warm up a bit, it's not too hot and it's not freezing... which is good! The cold weather hasn't stopped me and my friends from having fun. It also hasn't stopped us from going to classes either! I had a few test so far in AS 221 and WX 201 and will have my mid-term for BA-201 on Wednesday. In AS 221 I got an 88% and in WX I got a 76%. In both classes I only have three tests for the semester so I am in good shape so far. I am looking forward to the midterm in BA 201 because I know the material and it's a pretty big test because it's only a midterm and final for that class. Wish me luck!
I am still on financial hold for flight until next week. I got a loan from Chase to help cover the expense to at least finish my private pilot license. Darryl and Kayla are making great progress with their training; I am so proud of them and am supporting them 100%. I did a landing clinic last week so I could catch up on my landings, and it went very well. Even though I had to land in a crosswind, I still was able to deal with them, keeping in mind it was my first time behind the yoke since December 11th last year! I will be taking my written next week so I can get that out the way.
As for clubs, I am active with TFO, First Generation and ERRSA. This weekend, ERRSA had another retreat [FARH]. There was a selected group of people that went and, from what I heard, it was a fun experience. My friend Derrick and I are pledges and founding fathers for a new fraternity on campus, Delta Upsilon! The fraternity is all about leadership and service, and focus mainly at building leaders and promoting diversity. We painted the spirit rock and campus and have a whole week of events planned. We already have 8 guys committed and need just a few more to make a colony. I am so excited about the fraternity and am happy to have this opportunity.
The Daytona 500 is here! It's going to be a crazy week. Already, there are a few jets parked up on the ramp. It's going to be quite noisy and a lot more intense than the Rolex 24, but it won't be too bad until the weekend.
As for clubs, I am still involved with First Gen and TFO. I will return to the Avion this coming Sunday in hopes that I can still have the same editor position I had last semester. Also, my third roommate Derrick and I joined ERRSA last Wednesday. ERRSA stands for the Embry-Riddle Resident Student Association. It’s basically a way for students to represent their halls and try to fix some of the problems we have in the dorms such as infrastructure, Internet etc. It’s a very good association to be a part of, and a great way to be involved on campus and for community service hours, and just for the individual that wants to make an impact. Just this weekend, ERRSA had a retreat and went to a vacation house in Orlando. Sadly I and Derrick were not able to attend because of the time that we joined and budgeting issues. However, they all had fun and enjoyed the weekend away from campus.
My friends Kayla and Hemali got their cartilages pierced last Thursday, while last Friday, Derrick and I got our ear lobes pierced! It still hurts but not bad. Today, Kayla got her hair stuck in the earring. Derrick and I sat her down and took it out, it was a painful experience for her but she appreciated our help.
2008 is now gone and 2009 is here! It’s a new year and a new semester. It’s a perfect opportunity to start fresh in the world of academia and learn new things. Christmas break was awesome. Seeing family and friends again was really good. It was cold and it snowed quite a bit but I enjoyed it a whole lot. But as we all know, all good things come to an end, and as soon as January 5th came, I had to come back to Daytona to start the spring semester. This semester feels a lot different than last semester, I know my way around campus, I know people on campus and it’s almost like my second home.
While home, I visited my old high school, hung out with my friends and went to a track meet to watch my old high school’s track team run. I also went shopping a lot! It was a blast being back home. Even though it was just 3 weeks, it seemed a lot longer because I was having so much fun.
I am so pumped for this semester. Now that everyone knows everyone, it makes finding something to do a lot easier. Since I’ve been back we went to a hockey game, basketball game, and watched the Embrear’s that US Airways has brought in to service to Daytona. As for the classes, this semester I have all female professors… woot woot! I feel positive about this semester as my professors are very experienced in their fields of study and have a lot to teach. This semester I am taking:
I am so excited to take these courses. I am currently taking a break from flying to focus on taking my Private Pilot Written Exam and also to give me some time to straighten out my loans. In the mean time, I am doing some observer flights with my friend Derrick so I can keep up to speed.
I'm finally home!!! Finally, after an entire semester, I'm back home in NYC where it's freezing cold! It feels so good to be able to be with family and friends. It was a really short semester but we had to get a lot done within that time. I accomplished a lot over the past 6 months and got involved with a few clubs on campus and earned 27 credits so far. 
When I get back I only have a few flights then my checkride! I can't wait. But I am concerned that not flying for a few weeks will affect my performance when I get back. I am sure it will all work out, but sometimes being away on break is not completely good.
I'm back in New York. My mom moved from the Queens to Freeport Long Island. I left the wonderful warm weather in Daytona, and now I have to wear layers of clothes and a coat when I go outside. I missed the cold so much while back on campus, but now that I'm in the cold I want to go back to the warmth. 
Since I have been here it snowed, and it should be a lot of wintry weather for the next few days. It's not too friendly with the weather in New York, but being with friends and family makes it a lot better. Most of my friends aren't done with their semester yet, so I have to wait a while till they get back. Last week, a friend of mine from back on campus came to NYC to visit me. He lives in Rhode Island and it was his first time in the city. We had so much fun that day, it snowed and we almost froze to death! 
It's the last week of the semester, and you know what that means...FINAL EXAMS! Thanksgiving break was not so much a break; it was a huge homework and study session. While most of my friends went back home for Thanksgiving dinner, I stayed here on campus. It wasn't too bad, just a little quieter than I needed it to be. I really missed family and friends from back home, and it made completing my assignments harder than they were. I also got a chance to take advantage of flying here while everyone else is gone. That way I get to fly with fewer restrictions on time, and also have more airplanes available so I could pretty much fly whenever I wanted to. But today we all came back from the break and had to wake up early for classes...YAY. Including today, we've only got 4 more days of classes, Study day, then finals start on Saturday. And as we all know, the end of the semester means term papers are also due and the last assignments of the year are due. This is the make or break period of the semester, and if you slip up, that's it. So far it's going pretty smooth. 
I am also happy to say that I may be done with my private by Christmas! I am so excited. It took a lot of work and dedication to get to where I am now. It wasn't easy balancing flight with my academic courses, especially seeing that I doubled flight activities almost every day this semester. However, I was able to through it all and still do well. I completed my dual cross countries and am going to take my solo check ride this week so I can do all my solos all at one time. My instructor is so proud of the progress I have made so far, and I am too. It feels good to go up and fly and each day I learn new things. It's an awesome experience.
Clubs right now are basically done. This is the last week of the semester and most clubs had their last meetings last week. There may be a few clubs that meetings this week but I doubt it. For First Gen, two weeks ago we got the chance to go to the President of the University's house for dinner. It was an awesome experience. We got to meet a few of the board members of our school along with the president and his wife and a few of the faculty and staff at ERAU. It was a chilly night but it was worth going. TFO had a BBQ that same week and I wasn't able to attend because I had my night cross country. From what I heard it was a huge success.
Everything here is pretty much wrapping up now and coming to a close for the semester. The biggest thing right now is getting ready for finals and FAA written and practical exams to take place in the upcoming week. Basically... campus is dead! I can't wait to go home for Christmas so I can see my family and friends.
A few weeks ago, we had our Homecoming weekend celebrations. Homecoming at ERAU is so much fun. We had a parade, comedy show, tailgate party, concert, sports games and also an air show! We got lots of free stuff and partied a lot. There is a lot of school spirit during Homecoming and everyone is just really cheery and excited! It was a very fun experience and I am looking forward to next year's Homecoming.
Flight is just a blast right now. I am amazed at the things that I am learning right now. Every day is a new experience and I learn to adapt to the changes with the help of my instructor. As each day goes by, I become more and more independent in my training, as I am putting to action what my instructor has taught me. I have my first cross country tomorrow and I will be flying to Jacksonville and back. After that I will be doing a night flight and then back to cross countries. I am really excited about where I am so far in my training and I can't wait to learn more!
As far as clubs, I am still active in TFO and 
Flight, so far, has been AMAZING! I love getting up in the mornings on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays to fly. My instructor is so amazing; he makes my flights both fun and informational. I have learned so much from him so far and I can't wait to learn more about flying as the weeks go by. In my ground school, I have been excelling. I passed the last test that I wrote about in my previous post and had a test today. I also have a Pre-Calculus tomorrow. And as for papers, I have a 7 page paper due next week in my Intro to Computers and Applications class. I am researching Artificial Intelligence and so far I am having a lot of fun writing this paper. 
Outside of classes and clubs, I and my friends just keep coming up with tons of things to do to have a good time. We go to the beach every Saturday and play volleyball, and then at night we go out to eat somewhere around town. During the week, we basically try to get our class work done.
That weekend, we spotted a jetBlue A340 over at the ramp on the airport. No one knows exactly why it was there but it was really good eye candy for the pilots that were able to taxi past it for takeoff or after landing. It was very inspirational and encouraging for me because I hope to fly for jetBlue at some point in my career.
For example, my dorm would be having some children from the community come to our dorm and trick-or-treat. I and my roommate are so excited to be a part of this. We got some candy and decorations and today I went costume shopping. There are a few more activities planned, for example, Doolittle Hall will be hosting a haunted house. Then after, I am planning on going to a Halloween party latter on that night! 
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.
It’s amazing the difference two weeks can make. Since my last entry, so much has changed. Classes started becoming more intense, the work load became greater, but at the same time there was enough time to relax and have fun around campus. It suddenly went from hey, we’re at college to work, clubs, a job and finding time to relax. It isn’t bad, the work is still manageable and exciting but there is still a lot expected from you so there is no time for slacking off. I have already taken 3 major tests in 3 of my classes and I got a B on all 3. Each teacher has a different method of teaching and that was what made studying a little challenging. I am a flight student so I have begun my flight training on Thursday, September 18th. Students usually start flying the first day of their scheduled flight block, but my TSA clearance took longer than expected and put me back a little in my training. I really like my flight instructor. He has been in the industry for a long time and is giving me a lot of advice on the best way to be successful in the aviation industry and is training me in a way that would help me become a very successful airline pilot.
My roommate is also involved on campus. He is currently trying out for the 
I never thought that I would be in college so soon. Even though in high school I was dying to get out and experience college life, here I am at Embry-Riddle, the best school for aviation in the world, and I am in such awe. I didn’t think I would like it, going away from home for the first time and being on my own, I thought I would hate it but I was wrong. The day I met my roommate was the day I knew that I would be able to let go of the people that I knew in high school and build new friendships and memories. It started with a few messages on facebook and grew to a group of 15 guys, who I can now call my college buddies. Things are really beginning to fall into place. Hi, my name is Andre’ McIntosh and I am a freshman here at Embry-Riddle 
My life has been filled with changes; growing up with my dad in the army, losing my grandfather, moving to America at the age of 14 from Jamaica W.I. to New York City, and finally, graduating high school and attending college. But the transition wasn’t what I expected. I thought I was going to cry my eyes out and beg not to get on the plane to Daytona, but I didn’t. I was calm and collected and was excited to leave New York, but in the back of my mind I was still a little scared to come to ERAU. But as soon as I stepped on campus, I immediately knew that I was going to have fun, the school has so much to offer and there are so many opportunities to get involved.
My first week here at ERAU has been the most exciting week of my life. Me and my new friends hung out a lot and had so much fun and we also experienced our first college classes. Classes here at ERAU are so much fun, the professors aren’t too strict but they are very friendly and easy to talk to. The work load isn’t too much, it’s bearable and they don’t assign 10 page papers on the first day! As each day went by I learned so much stuff, met a lot of people and most of all, began to get used to being away from home.
My second week here at Embry-Riddle I started looking at ways that I can become involved and I was really surprised at the many 
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