December
December 14, 2008
 Holy Cow! The semester is already over. It seems like I just arrived on campus, yet I have already earned 26 credits. My involvement on campus, my new friends, and my interesting courses have helped make these four months the best of my life. When I decided on Embry-Riddle at the end of last year, I was very concerned about the distance from home. However, since I arrived in August, the thought has hardly crossed my mind. I am always busy, but I have truly enjoyed every minute.
On Tuesday, December 2, I was invited to the incentive dinner for Touch-N-Go Productions. Because I gave substantial time to the organization over the semester, I got to eat dinner at P.F. Chang’s in Orlando. I had never been to a P.F. Chang’s, and they didn’t let me down. I got to eat Kung Pao chicken, Buddha’s feast, and a small cheesecake desert. It all tasted SO great, and it was nice eat somewhere other than campus. Best of all, TNG covered the tab!
I finished taking my finals Wednesday morning, and I am pleased with my results. I spent a lot of time studying, and it paid off. In SS120 I did so well I became the first student in three or four years to get a perfect score on an American History exam! A 100% was a great way to end the semester in my favorite class. If anyone has the chance, enroll in Dr. Dorn’s courses. I would almost guarantee you would enjoy any class he is in charge of. His exciting and amusing style of teaching has allowed me to view history in a whole new (and more exciting) way.
 The weather the last few days in Daytona was just amazing. The day I left, it was in the mid-eighties and sunny. One day I got to go down to the beach and spend some time relaxing. Being from the Midwest, I can’t get over how beautiful the weather can be in December. When it’s that nice I walk out the door and can’t help but smile. The great weather definitely symbolized the end of a great semester. I just hope when I come back in January it will be just as nice, so it can thaw me out from the cold winter back home!
I am flying back to Missouri for the next three and a half weeks, and I will be working and hanging out with old friends and family. It is nice to catch up with people back home, and I am also excited about earning some extra cash. Between Christmas and New Years, I will be going down to New Orleans to spend time with my family there. I know in January I will be ready to return to my new life at ERAU in Daytona Beach!
If you have any questions or want to learn more about classes, people, or life at Riddle, feel free to shoot me an e-mail. Thanks for reading and have a great Holiday!
Until Next Time,
Mack
December 1, 2008
The semester is coming to a close, and there is still so much going on. Semester-long papers and projects are nearing their due dates, and finals start on Saturday. I don’t think I realized how much free time I had at the beginning of the semester, and now I don’t have a minute to spare. Although there is a lot to be done, I am determined to keep up my good effort and finish strong. One such project is a 6 page paper in SS120, which covers the novel “The Ugly American.” Although it is quite a long report, I have enjoyed the book and its message. Once again, my SS120 teacher has made what may seem like a boring subject (American foreign policy in Southeast Asia) VERY interesting!
 The Friday before Thanksgiving, Task Force One (TFO) held a free BBQ for anyone on campus. We served hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, and drinks to anyone who stopped by. I was in charge of one of the grills and cooked tons of food! We had a great turnout and had a lot of fun in the process. Besides the excellent food, there were also games and even an inflatable jousting arena. Each semester, campus organizations are required to hold an event that benefits the campus, and this was our event. Overall, it was very successful and all who attended had fun.
On November 19, freshmen were allowed to begin registering for classes online. I was ready to hit “submit” on my registration form when it popped up and said I wasn’t allowed. I went to bed frustrated with no hope of getting into my classes, and saw my advisor the next morning. She was (once again) very helpful, and we quickly figured out what the issue was. She helped me register for classes on paper rather than online, and with a little finagling I got into every class I wanted. On top of that, I took the very last open seat in 4 of the 5 classes!!! If that isn’t lucky, I don’t know what is. So at the moment, my schedule for my second semester looks like this:
- MWF – 9:15 - WX201 (Survey of Meteorology) – Barry
- MWF – 10:30 – BA201 (Principles of Management) – Hinebaugh
- TTH – 8:15 – PS142 (Intro to Environmental Studies) – Cabiac
- TTH – 9:45 – MA112 (College Math for Aviation II) – Collins
- TTH – 11:15 – COM221 (Technical Report Writing) – Jacowitz
 I had a great Thanksgiving back in Missouri last week. It was nice to see my friends and family, and catch up on life back at home. My sisters and I have been more like friends than siblings, so it was a lot of fun hanging out with those two again. I got to eat two delicious home-cooked meals, and I also got to eat at my favorite restaurants in my hometown. I spent a lot of time talking to friends about their college experiences, and I am pleased to officially say I think I have made the right choice. Riddle fits my personality well. At the end of the week it snowed in Missouri, which was fun to see. On Sunday I had some major difficulties with my flights, but I made it to Daytona and I’m enjoying the last 2 weeks of my semester.
If you have any questions let me know. Once again my e-mail is meansm@erau.edu. Wish me luck on my finals and projects, and I hope everyone completes their semester well. I look forward to giving details on my finals.
Until Next Time,
Mack
November
November 16, 2008
 Hello everyone! I hope November is treating everyone well. November
has been fun around ERAU. Last weekend was homecoming on campus, and
there was so much going on. On Friday Touch-N-Go held the tailgate
party before the basketball game. Luke Bryan held a concert right on
our parking lot and food from Bubba Gump's and WingZone was served.
After the tailgate, we went inside and watched our Eagles beat up on the
opponent. Saturday, we had a comedy show on campus featuring Greg
Giraldo. It was tons of fun and I laughed A LOT. Also that weekend, I
attended the parade and the air show put on by the Student Activities
office on campus. By the end of the weekend I was worn out, and I
thoroughly enjoyed the extra day off on Tuesday (Veterans Days)!
Earlier this week Wood Hall had some fire alarm issues. The alarms and
sprinkler systems went off on the fifth floor and water went everywhere.
About 8 hours later, the same thing happened on the third floor, and
water came creeping into my room on the second floor. Currently my
carpet is still damp and my room smells a bit moldy, but maintenance is
promising to fix all the problems. Although this incident was difficult
to deal with, we all were laughing and got a break from our homework and
studying. No one on my floor lost anything to the water, so we could
all relax and try to embrace the situation. Let's just hope it doesn't
happen again...
 I got to go to Titusville this weekend and experience a space shuttle
launch first-hand. I have always wanted to do this, and I had a good
time. It only took about an hour to get there, and the weather was
perfect for the launch. We found a place on one of the causeways where
we had a great view of the launch pad. At exactly 7:55, the shuttle
took off and lit up the whole town. I was so relieved to see everything
go off without a problem. I got to shoot a video of the launch, and I
took a few pictures. None of them turned out perfect, but I'll try to
get the video posted for you. The whole experience was unique and I
think everyone should experience this at least once in their lifetime.
My friends and I went to the beach yesterday and got to play volleyball
on my favorite court. We enjoyed what may be our last day on the beach
for a while, as it is only supposed to be in the sixties this week. I
know that may not sound bad to some Northerners, but that's rough for
us. As usual when we were playing volleyball, we found some other
Riddle kids and they joined our game. There are so many people to meet
and I have found some really good friends here. It is so much fun to be
able to hang out with a group of friends who come from all walks of
life. My close friends are from Georgia, Wisconsin, Iowa, Germany, New
Jersey, New York, and everywhere in between. That is one great thing
about ERAU: you meet people from everywhere. Having such a variety of
friends has opened my mind and I enjoy being around all of them.
These next two weeks are going to be a blast for me. I get to go back
to MISSOURI thanksgiving week!!! I never thought I would be so excited
to say that. It is funny how you react when you move away from home. I
really miss my friends and my mom's cooking, but I may very well miss my
dog the most and I can't wait to cuddle with my 150 lb Bloodhound again!
I am going to be so cold, but I am sure I will enjoy my 5 days back
home. When I return to campus, I have 4 days of class and then finals.
This semester is almost over and it seems like it just began. Wow! I
hope everyone has a GREAT Thanksgiving! I know I will!
Until Next Time,
Mack
November 2nd, 2008
 It is already November. That is unbelievable. Classes have been very demanding recently, as projects, homework, and tests are piling up. Last week I took a test over Microsoft Excel in IT109 and a test over the Depression (1929)-Martin Luther King (1960’s) in SS120. I studied hard and pulled an A on BOTH tests. I was very excited that my hard work paid off, and these scores will certainly help my overall grades! However, those small victories are short-lived as I have 2 major papers and 2 major tests this coming week. I am studying and writing my butt off, but hopefully I will be able to get it all done and do well.
Along with this work load, I have another major event this week: Homecoming. Touch N Go (TNG) is sponsoring many events, including a movie, concert, and comedy show. We have already started preparing for these events and this week will be crazy as we finish our set-up. Task Force One (TFO) is also doing a lot of work for homecoming. We are taking part in the Air Jam contest, sidewalk art contest, and the homecoming parade. I am going to be so busy this week, but I am thrilled for the opportunity to take part in all of the excitement.
 On Sunday, October 26, I was lucky enough to attend the NAS Jacksonville Air Show. The event and parking were free, and the displays were amazing. I got to see the Blue Angels for the first time, and they lived up to every expectation! Some of their maneuvers are simply jaw-dropping. There were also many other military planes, along with a bunch of aerobatic planes and pilots. They even did an air combat simulation with explosions and all! Because I love commercial aviation, I really liked some of the static displays on hand, including a Craig Air BE1900 and a FedEx Boeing 727. It was in the seventies and sunny, with hardly any wind: the most beautiful day anyone could ask for. It is so nice being close to Jacksonville, Orlando, and the Space Center, because there is ALWAYS something going on, and Riddle students can enjoy the best of each city.
 Recently I have shown my school spirit at many Riddle sporting events. The club hockey team has played home games against FAU and Georgia Tech that I have attended. These games are one of the greatest things to do on the weekend, and hundreds of students go to each one. The crowd is obnoxious, and some of our chants are hilarious! I truly believe the other team must get annoyed, because our fans are ridiculous (which makes it a lot of fun). Yesterday I also went to a Volleyball and Soccer game on campus. Both teams played against SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) and won. The volleyball game went to the 5th set and ERAU won by 2 points. It was intense!
I hope everyone had a great Halloween, and I look forward to these next few weeks. If there are any questions you have or if there is something else you need, let me know. I will be happy to talk to prospective students, and I would like to help in any way I can. My e-mail is meansm@erau.edu and I check it daily. Have a great one!
Until Next Time,
Mack
October
October 20, 2008
These last two weeks have been hectic. TFO has been meeting weekly and
we have finally picked a board game to use for Homecoming. We chose
Battle of the Sexes, because it is unique and all of the other games
were taken. We also did our community service project this weekend. We
woke up early Sunday morning and cleaned up litter along Bellevue for
Adopt-A-Road. Despite waking up early, I had a great time and found
MANY interesting things along the road.
 Odd things have been happening around here. First of all, our toilet
has broken two more times, and our bathroom light broke. The
maintenance crew has now been to our bathroom eight times, and that has
to be a record. After bribing them with candy, the maintenance people
finally admitted we needed a whole new toilet. I am keeping my fingers
crossed that the issue will be resolved before November. Also, we had a
tornado warning in Volusia County. Normally when there is a tornado,
people get to shelter. However, a college campus full of pilots, air
traffic controllers, and meteorologists find it important to run outside
and watch it. It was very exciting and reminded me exactly why I love
this campus. The tornado never touched down, so all remained safe and
had fun watching the cloud.
I finally got to observe a flight with one of my friends.  I decided to
go with Andy, and it was quite an experience. It was my first flight on
a small plane, and I quickly learned they are VERY different from
commercial jets. Although there were some crosswinds, my captain did a
great job and it was a lot of fun. I also enjoyed listening to the
communications with the tower, as I have declared a minor in Air Traffic
Control. You learn so much by just sitting in the plane and
experiencing the whole operation, and I will hopefully be doing it
again.
Last week I decided to become a member of Touch-N-Go (TNG) Productions,
the entertainment group on campus.
TNG brings movies, comedians, magicians, bands, and all kinds of other
activities to campus for the students to enjoy free of charge. In the
past, they have brought to campus Carlos Mencia, Third Eye Blind, Jamie
Kennedy, and Gym Class Heroes, just to name a few. Every Thursday they
also show a free movie, most of which are not available for purchase
yet. Last week they showed Step Brothers and had a large turnout.
Upcoming movies include The Dark Night, Pineapple Express, and Tropic
Thunder along with others.
 With all this activity, I still find time to play volleyball and tennis.
My intramural volleyball team is unfortunately still winless. However,
last week we lost in the third game by two points. It was SO close and
we continue to improve, so I am still thoroughly enjoying it. Playing
volleyball on the beach is fun too. My friends and I try to make it to
the court on the beach every Saturday afternoon. We have a lot of fun
and the scenery is great (check out the pictures).
Thanks for reading, and let me know if you have any questions!
Until Next Time,
Mack
October 5, 2008
It is already October. I am amazed at how fast this semester is flying by (no pun intended). Classes continue to progress, and it is sometimes hard to keep up. However, I have done enough studying and I haven’t missed a single class, so I am pleased with my grades. One of my classes continues to give me more troubles than the others, but I am working very hard to fix the problem.
Task Force One is really kicking into high gear. In our last two meetings we have discussed all sorts of things. One thing we are preparing for is homecoming, where we will be competing against other clubs in chalk-art and float building contests. Each club on campus has chosen a board game (the theme of this fall’s homecoming) and has to use that theme for their creations. Also, we have proposed t-shirt designs and discussed our first campus and community service activities.
 My mother and sister came to visit this past weekend from Missouri. They visited campus and my dorm room and met a few of my new friends. Although I am not homesick, it was very nice to see some familiar faces again. We had a lot of fun, and they enjoyed their tour I gave them of Daytona Beach. Also, I finally had someone to cheer with me for the Mizzou Tigers football game!
My intramural volleyball team has played two games so far this fall. Although we have lost both games, one of them was very close. We continue to improve, and one of these weeks I am hoping for a victory. Intramural sports are a great way to get involved and have fun. I have met a lot of people by playing volleyball, and it is great to be active during the week. It is amusing to watch some of the volleyball matches because there are teams with differing amounts of skill. Some teams have obviously played competitively, while others are pretty much terrible. However, everyone has a good time.
 I thought I would give another update on our toilet situation. After writing my last journal, the toilet proceeded to break down the next day. After A LOT of laughs, we sent in our maintenance request and the toilet was fixed the next day. Two days later, and the toilet goes out of service AGAIN. At this point we know the maintenance workers and they know exactly what has happened when they see our room number. Once again it was promptly fixed the next morning. Since then, our toilet has been running for almost 10 days! How great! The positives of this situation: we know exactly how to fill out a maintenance request and we are in close contact with our Resident Assistant.
 Although I didn’t mention it, my friends and I went spotting in Orlando a few weeks ago and I thought I would include a few pictures for the airplane lovers (like myself) to enjoy. The weather is still great in Daytona and I am still very happy at Embry-Riddle. Let me know if there are any questions I can answer.
Until next time,
Mack
September
September 22, 2008
Things are really starting to pick up around here! It seems like I have no spare time. It’s funny how involved you can become so quickly. I am a member of Task Force One (TFO), and this week we elected our new officers. TFO is a group of first year students who work with Student Government to help get the younger voices on campus heard. We also plan social events and do group community service projects. I have a lot of confidence in the new officers, and I am excited to begin planning some of these activities.
 My roommate is a member of the Embry-Riddle club Rugby team, and today a group of us went to see one of the games. I don’t know much about rugby, but it is a lot of fun to watch. The girls played first against South Florida and then the guys played Florida State. Although both teams lost, they played really hard and it was VERY intense. My roommate hit an FSU player so hard his left contact fell out! I now understand why my roommate comes back from the matches so sore!!!
Classes have become a lot more demanding recently. The work load is becoming larger and larger, and I have begun taking some pretty important exams. I had a large exam in HU140 this week, and I have exams scheduled in the next few days in SS120, IT109, and MA111. It is very difficult to study for the first test in each class, because each professor has their own format. With all this required studying, time management is becoming crucial, and I am starting to appreciate the weekends a lot more!
 Throughout this first month, I have certainly found many pros and cons about campus. The thing I love about Riddle is how relaxed it is. Although we do a lot of work, it is still a great place to chill and hang with friends. Whether you’re reading by the pool, joining a random volleyball game, or hanging out in one of the student lounges, it is always nice to kick back for a few minutes and take a break. The main annoyance I have found thus far is just a personal issue. The toilet in our room has broken down three times in two weeks and has left myself and my suitemates without bathroom facilities for more than 90 hours. However as I always say, there are two ways to look at every situation, and the broken toilet has brought many laughs and a lot of priceless memories. (And our next door neighbors have been very gracious about allowing us to use their facilities!!)
I hope in these next days I do well on my exams and allow myself ample time to study. I am optimistic that our toilet is fixed for good (although I am not convinced) and this week goes by with few distractions.
Until next time,
Mack
September 8, 2008
Wow! What a transition this has been! I never thought college would become part of my life so soon. It seems like just yesterday I was walking the halls of my small Missouri high school as a new freshman. And now I am a college student at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. It seems so unreal, but I am very excited about my new life.
 Living in the dorms on campus is a lot of fun. I am in Wood Hall (the BEST freshman dorm) in the Student Village, and there is always something happening. I have kept myself busy with the Comedy Show (hilarious), a Task Force One Meeting, the Orientation Luau, a few tennis matches, and a countless number of sand volleyball showdowns. When I can’t be found on campus, I am usually down at the beach. I use every minute of every day.
When I am not busy socializing and playing games, I am in class or doing homework. This semester I am in Principles of Aeronautical Science (AS120), College Math for Aviation I (MA111), American History (SS120), Intro Computers & Apps (IT109), Western Humanities I: Antiquities –Middle Ages (HU140), and College Success (UNIV101). I am in a wide variety of classes, but I am generally enjoying the class work. Let me tell you about a few in detail.
AS120- This class is a general class for students not majoring in AS. I have only been in this class for 4 days, but I have already learned so much. We’ve talked about the history of aviation, the Daytona Beach Airport, parts of the airplane, and different types of aircraft and licenses. This is very interesting to me, and I have never had the opportunity to enroll in a class like this. The class work and my Professor’s deep love for aviation make this one of my favorite classes.
SS120- I never knew American History could be so interesting. My Professor gives such great lectures; I find it almost hard to take notes. The way he presents history is almost like an action movie: full of suspense, twist and turns, and hair-raising scenes. Who knew the Pullman Strike could be so fun? Attending the class is always an adventure, but I am very nervous about the first test. We have already learned SO much.
 I look forward to continuing my classes and meeting new people. I am sure these next four years will be the best of my life, and I am excited to share my story. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask (meansm@erau.edu). I would love to hear from prospective students, and I am willing to answer ANY questions you need answered.
Until next time,
Mack
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Name: Mack Means