Take My Advice: Wisdom from a Senior (as in graduating this year!)

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Jeffery

As the sun began to peak through the window of my room at 5:30 am breaking through the night’s previous invasion, I couldn’t help but think to myself “How do people in this state survive during the summer when they are awakened at such an early time?” Before I could even get overly grouchy, a surge of excitement filled my body. This was it! This was the beginning of a new start. This was the start of my adulthood. I was no longer in my childhood home, I was in college.

At first, of course, it’s a little intimidating but I knew my parents had done everything they could and more throughout my childhood to prepare me for this very moment. Going off to college is an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling experience and now as a senior, as I look back to 2012 when I started my very challenging and rewarding journey in obtaining my bachelors degree in Aeronautical Science, I realize that there is honestly no more exciting year as Freshman year.

To this day my best and most profound memories are from when I first started my journey here at Embry-Riddle – seeing new faces, experiencing a new state, experiencing a new culture. It was all incredibly exciting.

Ok, so the first day isn’t only exciting, there are moments where things are a little scary but I’d argue that actually helps the college experience. It challenges you to get out of your comfort zone and really be who you’ve always wanted to be. This is a new start; this is a new chance for you to get it right. High school is over; you never have to worry about working on assignments that you feel are pointless, well only your humanities class work, but you’ll soon realize that those classes are an easy GPA booster (so don’t blow them off).

Ex Sedona! plore everything that Prescott has to offer.
Don’t be afraid to jump in your car and just spontaneously drive to every corner of this impeccable state. Arizona has an incredible landscape. You can drive 50 minutes north and feel as if you just entered a Christmas wonderland with all of the pine trees surrounding every corner of the city of Flagstaff. Then you can drive 60 miles south and really experience what it’s like living in a true inferno (Phoenix) which will lead you to jumping in a tube and floating down the famous Salt River. This is just the beginning. You have so much to accomplish here!

Introduce yourself to Friends. people you see around campus. We really are a family oriented campus. You will soon realize this once the fall semester comes to a close and you’re back at home thinking life is so boring without your ERAU “crew”. The people you meet at this school will truly become your extended family and will be the people who help you build memories that you will carry with you for the rest of your life.
The friends I have made at this school continue to remind me that I made the best decision in choosing Embry-Riddle as my place of study.

Fall 2015. Senior Year. Capstone. Yes!

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Cherie

Hey there fellow students/potential students here’s an update on how my first month back has been! So, as you know, I am a senior in Aerospace Engineering and this semester I am working on the Preliminary Aircraft Design course of my Capstone Project. It has been pretty fun so far but is definitely hard. The courses you take prior to the capstone do help out a lot in your preparation for designing an entire aircraft from scratch. But really how cool is that — an entire aircraft from scratch!

I am also continuing to pursue the research I was working on over the summer. Hopefully, the data processing will allow us to write a paper on the research. If we are able to write it then I am hoping that the project will help me in my professional career in the Air Force.

Yes, I am in ROTC here and it rocks!! I am in my fourth year and I have the position of female cadet retention in the detachment. It is super fun because I get to meet cool female cadets, encourage, advise, and PT with them!

That’s pretty much all that I’ve been up to this semester so far, keep checking my blog for more updates, fun, facts, and useful info! If you have any questions for me please feel free to comment below 🙂

How to Succeed as a Student-Athlete at Embry-Riddle

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Carlos

ERAU Wrestling!

Soccer, wrestling, and volleyball are just some of the sports Embry-Riddle has on campus for any student to join (see all of them on our sports website). Mostly the head coaches from our teams go out to do recruiting around the U.S. or in my case another country (remember, I’m originally from Mexico), with the purpose to bring them together in a team. Many student-athletes are chosen to get a scholarship to help them pass through college. Even though getting a scholarship in a sport is a great success it also brings many responsibilities and challenges to those who agree to take it. I know this because I’m proud to be on the ERAU Wrestling team (check out my signing notice).

Student-Athletes will have many challenge and responsibilities. One of the most challenging obstacles to overcome is finding the balance between college (homework, meetings, projects, etc.) and training (rest, eating habits, trips, etc.). Time-management becomes a critical skill for student-athletes. This skill will help you find time for every single activity you have to get done between college life and athletic life, also allowing you to give 100% in the school and 100% in the training.

In my personal experience, this skill took me too long to understand and develop to an optimal level. For example, early in the semester I made my schedule for homework, training times, rest and recovery times, etc. Everything was ready for the following week, but on Wednesday when I was supposed to sleep at 10:00 PM because I had training the following morning at 5:30 AM, a friend invited me to go watch a movie. “No big deal,” I thought to myself, but the movie started at 10:30 PM and ended at 12:00 AM, and so by the time I was back home it was already 1:00 AM! You can imagine what happened – I got 4 hours or so of sleep. I was tired for my training the follow morning, tired for the classes after training and too tired to keep doing the things I was supposed to get done in my weekly schedule. Time management is the most critical skill in college life. Ironically, our worst enemy is our self. In college, nobody will chase you telling you when to sleep, eat, or do homework, all of those duties are up to you.

“Conquer first yourself, then the world will fall at your feet.” -Augustine

Another area I consider critical for student-athletes is the balance between homework/classes and the sports season. Fall sports have already started. For example Cross-country is going to have its first trip-tournament in couple of days and Volleyball has already traveled.

Volleyball at Embry-Riddle

These student-athletes have some challenges to break down. First, they will have some days away meaning homework, lessons, notes, and precious time in the classroom is going to be missed. They have to make prior arrangements with the professor before the trip to ask them for homework and maybe even time extensions for due dates. The good thing is that faculty here at Embry-Riddle really support us and are helpful. Another good option is to ask friends in those classes to back them up with notes and help with homework. Second, if they got the assignments, notes, and help from their friends they still have to get them done before or after the trip and keep up with training and practice. I know, it sounds hard but it is possible and totally achievable! I’m proof.

The Embry Riddle Prescott Campus Golf Team

To be continued…Part 2 coming later this week.

It’s my Senior Year!

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Jeffery

Hi! I’m Jeffery. I can’t believe my Senior year is already here! I will be blogging about all the amazing things I’ve done since coming to Embry-Riddle and looking forward to my future. More to come…

Join Me in My Journey Through College!

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Maddy

Hi everyone! I’m Maddy and I’m beginning my sophomore year here at ERAU Prescott. I’m an Aeronautical Science (Fixed-Wing) major with a concentration in Airline Operations, minoring in Meteorology, and I’m currently working toward my commercial pilot’s license. All my life I’ve been in love with all things aviation, and it’s my dream and goal to fly for a major airline such as Southwest. Being at Embry-Riddle has been an amazing experience so far, and I’m so proud to say that I’m attending the most well-known aviation university in the world.

Me in front of our competition Cessna aircraft

I grew up in sunny Orange County, California, and I’ve got to say Prescott is just as scenic as the coastlines of SoCal. At first, it was tough going from sea level to 5000 feet, but now I can say that I’m fully adjusted to the mile-high city. It seems like just yesterday I was transitioning into life at Embry-Riddle Prescott. Time has truly “flown” by! (pun intended).

Besides taking classes and flight training, I’m also a second-year member of the Golden Eagles Flight Team, a member of the APLA Ace Club, a member of Women in Aviation and a member of the Archery Club. There’s never a dull moment in my life, but that’s just how I like it!

I personally invite you to follow me on my sophomore year at Riddle. I’ll be sharing more about my activities and adventures in the near future, so you can see what life is like here at Embry-Riddle Prescott. Let’s embark on this journey together!

Follow Me Through my Freshman Year!

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Megan

Hi everyone! My name is Megan and I am a freshman here at the lovely Prescott, AZ Campus ERAU Home of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. I am originally from Renton,
Washington, which is about twenty minutes outside of Seattle, and very different from Ari My home in WA zona.
Coming from a rainy part of the US, the sun took me by surprise, but I can honestly say that I have fallen in love with Prescott, the sun included.

During my time at ERAU I will be studying Global Security and Intelligence and plan on double majoring in Global Business as well. I am studying GSIS because I want to make a difference in people’s lives, and help them feel safe and secure no matter where they come from. This is something I have known since I was little, and finding ERAU has given me a path way achieve my dream. After college my top goal is to work for the Department of State as a U.S. Diplomat.

Outside of the classroom life is pretty busy. An organization I have been Sorority fun very involved in already is Chi Alpha. This group goes on adventures during the weekend and has helped me build a community in my short time being on campus.
Recently I have also had the privilege of being offered a bid from Alpha Xi Delta, and will soon be a new member of this wonderful sorority! Because of the recent club fair I am becoming involved with the Mountain Club, and Engineers without Boarders. There are truly hundreds of clubs to join and things to get involved in. Which makes life here even more fun. Even though I am new to campus and Prescott I already feel as if I have a strong community surrounding me and I will be able to achieve my goals.
Since college New Friends! is a time for new opportunities, stress, and an enormous amount of fun I invite you to follow me through my freshman year. We can go through the challenges and triumphs together, so that if you are considering ERAU or another university you will have an idea what the life is truly like as a freshman.

I’m An Official Freshman

Posted on August 27, 2015 by Carlos

by Carlos Apodaca

Since I have been here in the USA, I have learned that English as a second language school is never easy. We need time to learn all the ways we can write a sentence and realize the strength that those combinations of words give to the meaning. I can say that this is not an easy task. I have had many problems giving sentences the meaning I wanted to, and as you can see I am not perfect, but I know that through time everyone can master this wonderful language.

Last semester I started an English course at Embry Riddle to improve my English skills and pass an international test in order to enroll this fall as a freshman. I am so happy to say that I accomplished my goal and now I am ready to start college! I, and other international students, had troubles so I know that we will never forget that test. If you passed TOEFL (the test) already, let me tell you that I know how happy and grateful you feel! I certainly went through the same thing. For those who are still stuck at this test, please don’t give up, you will eventually get it. Look into the ERLI program here. It is a big help!

Now that the semester has started at Embry Riddle (a thing that make me so happy), I feel that from now on there will be many good changes in my life. As always, since the time I started here in ERLI, I have never been alone. I have had so many questions about my fully accepted status, my status as an international student, payments methods, and how and which classes I had to choose. Staff, my academic adviser, and the CIPS office were always there to lead me through all these changes. I encourage you if you have any questions about something, ask them, they will be more than happy to help you.

CIPS staff and me

Some days ago a friend asked me if I am ready and fully prepared for what is coming. Of course I said yes without hesitation, but then thought, am I ready? I made a really fast analysis of myself. I realized that no one is totally ready, we are here to keep learning and developing skills, and for internationals students, to keep developing our English skills.

For me, the transition from being in an English course to be actually in a college program is going to be hard and probably I will be frustrated more times than I can imagine. I am saying this because the first step to solve a difficult situation is to accept it. I encourage you to prepare yourself as best as you can before college starts. Through summer I kept preparing myself doing some homework like reading, writing these blogs, listening to very formal audiobooks, and more than anything never giving up on anything.
Attending college is not going to be easy but it will be challenging and this is the beauty of it. We keep improving our skills, becoming better and better until we get at something called “Perfection.”

Don’t let anybody say you cannot do something.

“Whatever you think you can, or you think you can’t, either way you are right” – Henry Ford.

I’m here doing it — I’m an official Freshman at Embry-Riddle. Enjoy college!!!

Oficialmente alumno de nuevo ingreso. (I am an official Freshman)

Desde que llegue a U.S.A, me he dado cuenta que el Ingles como segunda lengua nunca es fácil para un extranjero que esta en el proceso de aprendizaje. Siempre necesitamos mas tiempo para crear una oración y darnos cuenta de la fuerza que esa combinación única de palabras le dan a la oración. Esto no es un trabajo fácil. He tenido muchos problemas al momento de elegir las palabras para darle a la oración el sentido y la fuerza que quiero. Aunque practico todos los días el Ingles, aun me falta camino por recorrer para dominarlo al 100 porciento.

El semestre pasa me tome un curso de Ingles en Embry-Riddle en donde el único propósito es desarrollar el Ingles a un nivel de universidad y poder pasar un examen obligatorio llamado TOELF. Estoy muy feliz de decir que pude alcanzar mi meta y ahora estoy listo para empezar mis estudias. Algunos estudiantes internacionales, incluyéndome, tuvimos mucho problemas al querer parar TOELF y yo que ellos ni yo nunca vamos a olvidar ese examen. Si alguno de ustedes paso el TOELF quisiera decirte que se que tan feliz y agradecido te sientes. Yo pase por lo mismo. Para todos aquellos que todavía no lo han pasado y que ya lo intentaron varias veces, se los digo que corazón no se rindan, ustedes pueden.

Ahora que el semestre ha empezado en Embry-Riddle ( cosa muy emocionante), presiento que va a ver muchos cambios en mi vida para bien. Como siempre, desde que empeze en el programa de Ingles el semestre pasado, nunca he estado solo. En ese entonces, tenia muchas preguntas acerca de mi estatus como estudiante, mi estatus como estudiante internacional, los métodos de pago, que clases debía elegir, etc. Personal académico, asesores y como siempre la oficina CSPI (Centro y Servicios al Programa Internacional) estuvieron siempre ahí para apóyame y dirigirme a través de todas mis preguntas y procesos. Te propongo que vallas al oficina CSPI si tienes alguna pregunta o duda acerca de cualquier proceso que no entiendas por completo.

Hace unos días, un amigo me pregunto muy serio que si estaba listo para entrar a la universidad. Yo le respondí sin basilar que si, que estaba totalmente listo para cualquier reto, pero después me puse a pensar mas seriamente, “De verdad estoy listo?” Me analice rápidamente y me di cuenta de que nadie esta totalmente listo para la universidad, y si así fuera no abría ningún propósito en asistir a una. Me di cuenta que estudiantes internaciones están aquí para seguir desarrollando sus habilidades en el Ingles, para estudiantes normales e internaciones para seguir desarrollando habilidades.

La transición de estar en un programa de Ingles a estar en un programa de bachillerato va ser probablemente un poco duro y creo que voy frustrarme mas veces de las que puedo imaginar. Estoy diciendo esto por que yo se que el primero paso para resolver un problema es aceptarlo. Les propongo a ustedes estudiantes internacionales que están por entrar a la universidad que se preparen lo mejor que puedan antes de que empiece el ciclo. Durante todo el verano me estuve preparando leyendo algunos libros, escribiendo este blog ( en ingles), escuchando audiobook, y sobre todo nunca rendirte ante nada.

Ir la universidad nunca va a ser algo fácil se los puedo asegurar, pero el reto es lo bello de esto. Desarrollar nuestras habilidades cada día, seguir moviéndonos asía nuestras metas, seguir mejorando asta que lleguemos a un punto llamado “Perfección.”

“Nunca a nadie decirte que no puedes lograr algo ”

“Tanto si piensas que puedes, como si piensas que no puedes, estás en lo cierto.”

-Henry Ford