Hey, hope everyone had a great summer!

I know the word “school” usually has a negative connotation; but to me, hearing it makes me super excited. Ever since I started attending ERAU, “school” has had a different meaning to me. Yeah I’ll admit, sometimes waking up for my 9am class- Macroeconomics can be challenging, but once I arrive on campus and sit down in class, I am very excited to start learning. 9am may not be too early to many of you; especially to our flight students here at ERAU, but when you are up late due to homework or clubs, every minute of sleep becomes so precious!

I have only four classes this Term. Starting with Marketing on Mondays and Wednesdays with Dr. Sobotta. She is an amazing professor and she is also my academic advisor for Aviation Business. I enjoy her classes, she always provides us with as much information as we need to finish our projects and assignments. As of now, we are already formed into groups of four. I have a solid group, I am very lucky! I may be the only girl, but I guess you get used to that quickly in this school 😉  Our group had to come up with an original product, or at least one without a patent that is feasible within the next 5 years. We chose a product that will advance our abilities in electricity. We have “created” a magnetic electricity strip that can be placed either above or within the baseboards of your home. And this gives you the ability to plug your appliances in anywhere you please. The concept is like an electric toothbrush, it is also charged through magnetic ability. Of course there is the challenge of getting new plugs and making sure you won’t get shocked, but we are ironing out all those kinks. It’s actually very exciting!

My other three classes are on Tuesdays and Thursday (leaving my Fridays open! WOO HOO!). I start early in Macroeconomics with the wonderful Dr. Carreras! Some students find him very difficult/challening, I will admit I did as well last year. But this year is almost a complete 180 for me. I am understanding all the concepts, perhaps the change of attitude helped change my understanding? I came into class with a positive attitude and I have not missed any of his classes yet. Last year, due to relationship complications, I ended up missing a handful of classes; which probably left me in such a cloud of darkness. How I ended up with a B is beyond me. I guess I did understand it, I just needed extra practice to fix the errors. Anywho, I now enjoy that class a lot, only problem I have is getting my lazy bottom out of bed in the morning!

After Economics, I have an hour and a half break to get some homework and such done, then I go into Deceptions with Professor Lohn. I have always liked her. I love psychology a lot, and have taken a couple classes. (In college and high school) Deceptions is about how people lie and deceive others. She discusses the cues that one can look for and why people lie. It is very interesting and a fun topic.

My last class is accounting with professor Joliet. I am usually very good with numbers, but this class is already starting to confuse me. Hopefully with more practice, it will someday click! Thank goodness I have a good friend already in all my classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. STUDY BUDDY! 😀

If I have learned anything from my first year of college it is to 1. Don’t be shy. Do not be afraid to ask for help and ask to study with a classmate. They are not going to bite you and there is only like a .01% chance they will deny you in a mean way. Either they will say yes, or they may be “too busy”. Never have I been told they just don’t want to study with me because they don’t like me. *Knock on wood*. haha. The more people you get to know and start to study with, the more help you can get when you really need it. And hopefully you can make really good friends, the kind that will be there during emergency situations! The second important tip is getting involved! Not only do you want to get involved with classmates, but join a club, frat/sorority, or sport! Not only will this open your social opportunities, it helps clear your mind and keeps “school” as a positive image!

This year I am finally getting involved. I am joing a new Christian club on the campus, I am also getting involved in the Horizon Newspaper, Nerf Warz club, Sky diving, hang gliding, Paranormal Club, and archery. Granted, I may not end up as a solid member in every club, but at least I am looking into them. I am also looking into this new physics club, I think that may help me to decide whether engineering is a good match for me or not.

That reminds me, I have not said that I am very confused on what I want to study. I have been thinking about my future and what I want to see myself doing. I am thinking about the navy, since there is an amazing naval program available; but my degree is what worries me even more. I know I have ALWAYS been good at math and science, which sounds like engineering to me. I love math and science, but engineering never appealed to me. I also adore psychology and sociology, always have. The human body and brain is so fascinating and exciting to me. Aviation and business is still important to me, but I don’t know what I want to do with that degree after graduating. I’m not huge on the business. I do love the economics and aviation part, but being an entrepreneur has never been in my check list of goals. Hopefully I’ll figure it all out soon, I am close to being done with the basic required classes! :O

 This brings me to a point that getting involved can also help with this type of confusion. I know many students who still do not know what they want to do after college, or what degree/area of concentration they want to get into. Trying a class is an option, but it can be a very expensive option. But a club is usually cheap or even free. Take advantage of all the clubs and resources the university gives to you, you can only get more experience by getting involved yourself. No one will force you anywhere you do not want to go, just try it out. Take it from the girl who did not get involved at all last year and is definitely regretting all the times she missed! My first year experience could have been just as good as this year! Don’t let anyone hold you back, no matter what! 🙂