Freshman Dorms

Posted on October 13, 2013 by Cherie

A topic which I get a lot of questions on while doing campus tours with incoming students is what are the dorms like? Well, you have asked the right person!! We have 14 residence halls on our campus, of these halls the break down is as follows 🙂

5 Freshman Halls- Each of these halls (1-5) has 3 stories and the dorms are arranged in what is called a suite, there are several suites on every floor. In each suite there is a lounge which includes a refrigerator, a two burner cook stove shelving units, cabinets, a coffee table, entertainment center, 2 couches, free WiFi, and free cable TV. In the rest of the dorm there are three bedrooms, there are two people to each bedroom. All of the bedrooms have two bunk beds with large desks, two dressers, two filing cabinets, and closet space. There is also two bathrooms, well equipped for 6 people to share and a hallway with more cabinets and a closet for longer hanging items.

Additionally each room in the suite has its own climate control system. These dorms are really nice to live in and quite spacious in fact. I really enjoyed living in them during my freshman year and I hope that you will too!

The other halls are 5 upperclassman apartment style rooms, where you and 3 other students would live. These include a larger closet space, a larger lounge, and a full kitchen. There are also suite style rooms in the upperclassman halls where you and a single roommate share a room, and you share a community bathroom with 3 other students. These suites do not have their own kitchens but, there is access to a community kitchen in the hall.

The remaining 4 halls are for international students, transfer students, and overflow housing. These rooms have access to a large community kitchen and are shared only with one roommate. In addition all of our halls on campus have access to a large laundry room where students can do their laundry.

Staying Healthy

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Cherie

Its that time of year again everyone! The weather is cooling down and all of our favorite winter coats are being dug out of the closets and worn throughout campus. Unfortunately, this also means that the cold season has also returned. So here comes my list of tips and tricks to stay healthy and succeed in school this winter.

1. Vitamin C- this can be found at literally every store in a variety of different forms. Vitamin C boosts your immune system and gives you energy.

2. Hydrate!! No matter who you are and what you do it is important to hydrate properly as this helps prevent illness and also helps you focus/ stay awake in class.

3. Stay Warm- wear layers and lots of them. If you get too hot you can always take off a layer and put it in your backpack. Gloves are also a great thing to have so that your hands do not get dry, crack and bleed. This can be a painful problem to deal with while taking notes in class.

4. Multi Vitamins- these just supplement your nutritional values. In other words, they help keep your body balanced so that you can perform better in school and keep yourself from getting sick.

5. If you do get sick, the best thing is mixing emergen-C supplements with orange Gatorade, it tastes like orange soda (YAY) and the combination boosts your immune system, electrolyte levels, and energy. This really helps you recover quickly from any illness, it works 9 times out of 10 in my personal experience.

6. Wash your hands!!! I know you hear this all the time but, it is a serious issue!!! You can cut down on the spread of germs by 90% by just washing your hands. Please, please, please do this, it is simply gross if you don’t!!

7. Cover your moth/nose- if you have to cough or sneeze cover your mouth or nose to block the spread of germs that go flying. It is best to do this using the inside of your elbow so that you don’t spread germs by using your hands to cover a cough/sneeze. If you do use your hands then WASH THEM. Better yet carry hand sanitizer 🙂

8. Throw tissues away- if you have a runny nose, make sure you throw your tissues away and immediately wash your hands. This cuts down on the spread of germs!!! And you don’t have to pick up nasty tissues.

9. Wash the dishes- Don’t leave any dishes laying around, and wash them using HOT soap and water. This will eliminate germs and keep dishes clean.

10. (Last one I promise ) Wipe down door handles and frames- this is best to do if oyu or someone you live with is sick or has been sick. It removes germs from the surfaces that we most frequently touch so that they cannot be spread to others.

Overall, just be considerate of others. No one likes to be sick so keep that in mind, and if you do become sick and need more information or would like a check up then stop on by our Wellness Center on campus. Good luck in school everyone, stay healthy!!!!

October West Festivities

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Cherie

So as most of you probably know October West started this week and its been going great so far!! We are all very excited for the Air show to start tomorrow, myself and a few of the others bloggers will be out there so if you recognize us please feel free to say hi 🙂 The coolest part of October West this year, besides the planes of course, was the unveiling of the Prescott campus’s very first completed Jet Dragster!!!!

We are all very proud of the work that this team has put in to produce the first Prescott dragster, just 4 years after the project all started here at our campus. The recognition of this hard work started with a fly over, speeches by the chancellor, Chris Larsen (the founder of Larsen motor sports), and finally a demonstration by Elaine Larsen.

The demonstration was so cool!!! At Riddle we love jet engine nose and this car was all engine!!! Intense flames poured out the back as it rolled its way across the tarmac and fans roared, it was seriously amazing!! If you were lucky enough to be at the event you could even feel the pulses from the engine firing. Some sweet pictures are included below, please look through and enjoy. If you can be at the Prescott Airport tomorrow, be there so you can have a look at that dragster and join in the festivities 🙂

Fall is Finally Here

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Cherie

Even though the leaves aren’t changing yet, you can feel it in the air here at Embry Riddle Prescott: Fall has arrived!!!! The monsoons have been gone for about 2 weeks now and the winds have returned making it a little bit chilly out there. So for all of you newbies its time to break out the cold weather gear, and if your from California like me, you might have to go buy some.

I would just like to share with you what my favorite parts of fall are and see if maybe you would like to share with us here at Embry Riddle as well 🙂 So the top things I like about Fall are:

Scarves- They are warm and stylish!!

Hoodies- comfy for class and studying

Cookies- In the upperclassman dorms we have ovens to make them in!!

Stew- Reminds me of home, and its a delicious way to warm up after a long day

Hot Cocoa and Tea- Relaxing and awesome.

Pie-Just because pie is awesome 🙂

and………(Drumroll please)….Halloween!!

I really have no idea what I will wear for Halloween this year, although last year my friends and I dressed up as skittles 🙂 We ran out of colored T shirts though and I ended up being the random skittle in the bunch, but it was still a ton of fun. During my freshman year we had a few engineers who made their own costumes and wore them to classes, so if you love fall as much as we do then this is the place for you!!!

Please stop on by and visit us here in Prescott, we would love to have you join us in our Fall Fun. To schedule a visit just click here!!!

The Dreaded Midterms

Posted on September 28, 2013 by Adam

Midterms, the dreaded midterms. Nobody really wants to take them but they are there and will be there for a very long time. I will go over what midterms are like, some great study tips and how to stay sane when you have been studying all day.

We all have to take them at one point or another, the question is when should I start to study? Well first off most teachers that teach an engineering level course will allow you to bring one sheet of paper with whatever notes you would like, so take advantage of that. So when should i start to study, well usually you will be pretty busy as it is without the upcoming tests. So personally I start my studying the day before the review class. Yes teachers hold a review class. This way I know what is going to be covered in class and I will know what I have missed. Sure the leaves only about 3 days of studying that should be plenty of time if you have finished most of your homework.

Depending on your major you will need different study techniques. For example if you are taking a physiques exam, you should probably understand: 1. The equations and 2. When to use them. Where as for an English exam you will need to understand the rules of writing or even be able to comprehend a paragraph. Furthermore taking that into account you will come to find the best ways to study by personal experience.

Some people learn visually requiring a textbook or some other kind of visual aid, others may be able to retain and comprehend the information just from class. The biggest misunderstanding I see is the difference between studying to retain versus studying to comprehend the information. There is a big difference of the two. Most of the time you should study to comprehend the information, this means understanding why, when, and what you are doing. Don’t forget to take a break and let loose every now and again, the weekends are the best time to take advantage of this. The weekends are much better after a hard week.

Ruck at Riddle

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Cherie

What a Ruck looks like

Good Morning everyone!! I just completed a 5K 40lb ruck for PT this morning and I’m feeling great. It was seriously so much fun!! So I was just curious to see how many of our readers are veterans, current military/ROTC, or CAP/JROTC who have done a real Ruck march. Please comment below and share your fun/not so fun experiences about Rucking.

For those of you who do not know what a Ruck is, it is basically a really long walk/jog with an extremely heavy backpack. It is not as bad as it sounds, if you have gone backpacking before then it is pretty similar to that. Most of the time for Rucks you will be using an old backpack and a 35-40lb sandbag, depending on the individual you may decide to do more than that however, for Air Force PT this morning the sand bags were standardized at about 40lb per person.

So my fun Ruck story from this morning begins with a lack of a proper backpack….yes not a good thing. The back pack I brought to PT was way to small for the sandbags, this resulted from the fact that my regular class backpack is so shredded that it would not stand a chance against a 40lb bag of sand. (I need to go shopping and get a new one, in Air Force ROTC you will ruin on average about one backpack per every 8 months). So rather than not going on the Ruck I grabbed a bag of sand put it on my shoulders and went for it!!

It actually wasn’t too bad, I fell a little behind because balancing 40lbs is a little bit more difficult than carrying it on your back. But, myself and the other cadets on the Ruck all finished within good time and with awesome experiences to share. I could write on and on if I wanted to but, if I would like to address more specific topics/stories/questions or whatever you would like to hear so if you would like to hear more about my morning or share your own story please comment below we would love to hear from you!!

Midterms are on Their Way!

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Cherie

Last Friday I had my first midterm exam in statics, and I’ve got two more this upcoming week. School is definitely progressing quickly around here. Soon it will be Thanksgiving and then finals time, its such a weird thing to think but, don’t let it catch you by surprise!! Start preparing now, don’t wait until the day before the exam to study, this is not high school, this is a highly respected University so don’t forget it!!

Tests are definitely something that need to be taken seriously, so like I said start preparing early by asking questions, doing the homework, reviewing up to 3 days before the exam and clarifying any topics that you are unsure of. Doing this will ensure a higher score on your exams, which will help that GPA!

Even though it can be easy to ignore what you have to do I strongly urge you to put your school first. Yes it is awesome to go out and have fun while you are in college but, don’t forget why you came here…EDUCATION. To get that degree you need to be successful academically, that is why it is so important to put studies first.

The best way to do so is to make a list of the homework and studying that you know you must complete. Do as much as you can every day and when you are finished take a break to enjoy yourself, go out and have some fun. This will really help out your grades and you will get the college experience that you wan at the same time.

So all in all enjoy yourself but, don’t let exams and classwork to catch you by surprise!!

Settling Back in

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Adam

After having an awesome summer break from school, it feels great to be back in Prescott, AZ at Embry-Riddle. My first year was awesome, although a relaxing summer break was most definitely in need its nice to be busy with school again. After having a long break I feel much more prepared for school than my first year or even last semester. I can honestly say first semester especially is difficult only because it takes time to adjust and adapt to the new environment you are in.

Getting back in the role of things was pretty easy this year, maybe because I was getting slightly bored near the end of summer, longing for the school year to start. That may sound weird but it is true. Some great things about going to school at Embry-Riddle in Prescott are the people you meet.I have met people that have inspired me in may ways. It becomes very easy to adjust when you find people like that, mainly because you are all going through the same deal. Like studying the same materials or being homesick we all go through it especially here since most students are studying the art of Engineering.

This year I live on campus, in the upperclassmen dorms. There are ups and downs to living on campus. On the plus you can take naps in the middle of the day, and walk all of one minute to the gym, and being in a close proximity of a lot of your friends makes things easier. On the downside you are always on campus. You will go crazy if you do not keep yourself busy with other things besides school. I have to say that is the biggest part of going to school or living at school in general is keeping you’re self distracted with other things. It helps you stay motivated in the middle of the year.

But back to settling in, the first year may seem somewhat crazy but the time management skills come in time, some sooner then others, it took me almost a full year. When you learn to use your time wisely, life as a college student becomes much more enjoyable. That is all I have for this blog, let me know if you have any questions.

Life as a Junior

Posted on September 17, 2013 by davidsp2

Hey Y’all!!!

So whether you’re reading this for the first time, or your a regular reader to the campus blog, welcome to my first post of the Fall 2013 semester! Life as Junior is awesome. As a member of AFROTC, I just completed Field Training over the summer, which was the adventure of a life time.

Completing Field Training was an accomplishment I’ll never forget

As an aerospace engineer, it is exciting to finally sink my teeth into my upper level engineering courses. Actually learning about aerodynamics and thermodynamics, plus all the lovely differential equations that go along with them, makes me feel like I’m starting to finally get the big picture of what aerospace engineering is all about.

Because of the new challenges of my upper level engineering classes, I’ve actually considered switching the focus of my major from aerodynamics to propulsion. This is because I’ve learned to love rockets and jet engines. What’s better then combing tons of liquid oxygen and hydrogen to create an explosion that sends man to the stars? I love studying new materials that are on the forefront of technology. If I focus in propulsion, it means that during my senior design project, I will be able to do a project such as designing, constructing, and testing a fully functional afterburner. Maybe I’ll even do a hybrid sold-liquid rocket motor similar to what a group did last year. Or maybe I’ll do a unique project like an air breathing hybrid rocket motor, or an exotic propulsion method that could send the next generation of human explorers to distant planets. The decision is really up to us students, and the possibilities are only limited by what you can envision. Someday I hope to apply what I learned here at Embry-Riddle and apply them to research that send mankind into stars for good, solidifying mankind’s common heritage of the universe.

See these shock cones? I get to study these. How awesome is that?

Life as Junior is excellent! For the first time I’m living off campus. The only downside to this is that I have to drive every day instead of walking, and gas is expensive. However, having my own house with two good friends as roommates is amazing fun. The classes I’m currently enrolled in are Digital Circuits plus the lab component, Air Force Leadership, Thermodynamics, Aerodynamics, and and MA 441 (advance mathematical methods for engineers). When I’m not busy doing homework for these classes, I enjoy taking advantage of the beautiful weather here in Prescott by inviting friends over and grilling steaks or going for a jog or hike. I enjoy the weekends by hanging out with friends and watching some football or Formula 1.

F1 is awesome. Plus being an aerospace engineer means I understand all the aerodynamics behind these cars

Overall, life is awesome as an Junior. I hope that whoever you are reading this can appreciate what we here at Embry Riddle do. I can’t wait to see where this year takes me, and I will be sure to let you know the amazing experiences I have!

Favorite TV Show

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Cherie

With all this homework I really am missing watching my favorite TV show, NCIS. The original one, not the LA NCIS however, both are pretty cool. The homework load has been pretty difficult but, once you get a routine down then it gets a little easier 🙂 Just hang in there a break is coming soon and if you work really hard on homework one day then you will have less the next. The most important thing is to stay balanced, don’t stress yourself too much but, push your limits at the same time.

Doing so will make you feel awesome by the time you get to relax and watch your shows (or whatever it is you like to do to relax). So I would like to hear from you, what is your favorite show and why? Please comment below and let me know!!

I already told you what my favorite one to watch is but, not why. Basically, when I was younger I wanted to be a forensic scientist. Obviously I landed very far from where I started and its ok if you do that too. I’d like to hear all your reasons why, there are some pretty interesting people out there and here at Riddle we would love to know you!