A Week In My Life

Posted on March 7, 2016 by Megan

Welcome to midterms! It is that time of the semester again, exams are here, and the thought of spring break is the motivation to keep working. Even though I am in the midst of midterms, I thought I would share with you what a week normally looks like for me.
Monday: Most people hate Mondays but for me they are not too bad. My classes start at 9 am and end at 3 pm with a two hour lunch break in the middle. After class, I normally study for an hour and finish homework then have dinner. The evening consists of my sorority Alpha Xi Delta’s chapter meeting, which can be a sisterhood event (fun/bonding time), programs (useful information/most often very funny), or our business meeting (serious). Chapter tends to be fun because I get to start the week with my hilarious sisters by my side.

Tuesday: On this day, I have one class and a three-hour lab. My day starts at 6:45 am because I am in class from 7:45 am -12 pm, after that it is off to lunch then I have weekly meetings with my mentor. This year I have become very close with a few leaders in Chi Alpha and they have become my mentors. After my meeting, it is off to the library to study. In the evening, I have Chi Alpha. Every other Tuesday evening we have Tuesday Night Dinner where we carpool over to one of the leaders’ houses, have a home cooked meal, and build some great friendships. On the off Tuesday, I have a leadership meeting, which serves as a time of fellowship with a smaller group of people.

Wednesday: I have four classes again. After my last class at 3 pm, I am off to do work and study. After dinner I have a Panhellenic meeting. This year I had the honor to be elected Membership Vice President for the Panhellenic community. So every Wednesday we have our meetings for all Panhellenic chapters as well as a smaller council meeting, which discusses the fun things that we are planning on campus!

Thursday: This is my easiest day! I have one class which ends at 9 am. After class you can find me doing homework, studying, or going on adventures. This is the day of the week I look forward to the most because it does not have meetings or responsibilities attached, besides one class in the morning. Last week my friends and I ventured out into the dells across the street from campus and found the Red Bridge, which is a little bridge in the center of the dells that is hard to find and a great spot to take picture, we had talked about doing this for weeks.

Friday: Final day of classes for the week and after 3 pm I am done! Friday evenings you will find me at Chi Alpha’s Elevate and the activity after which ranges from gym night to movie night.

The Weekend: I clump Saturday and Sunday together because while I have been at school I have had the opportunity to travel throughout Arizona, Utah, and California on the weekends. If I am in town, Saturdays are pretty boring, some homework, hanging out with friends, and most likely an adventure. Sunday includes Church in the morning and brunch with friends, then finishing all the homework I have pushed throughout the week. If I am out of town, weekends are a lot more exciting. Over the last three-day weekend I had the opportunity to travel to San Diego and stay with a friend’s family for the night, the next day we headed to the beach to meet up with Chi Alpha, and on Sunday spend the day at Six Flags with some of my closest friends. Then we crammed back into a car and drove back to campus. The destination changes weekend to weekend, but the memories and friends made will be there forever.

My weeks are crammed packed with class, studying, work, clubs, and meetings. And my weekends are filled with adventure, friends, and memories. It can be hard to find a balance between school and everything else but if you look, plan, and work hard enough you can to do everything that makes you happy. Not everyone’s schedule is as hectic as mine is, while others are even more hectic, it just depends on the person. But remember, school is important, but it’s also important to do what makes you happy to enjoy life at school. School is hard and you need something to work towards, I work towards the weekends where I get to create amazing memories with my friends. What do you work towards?

1 Semester Down – 7 Semesters to Go

Posted on December 9, 2015 by Megan

It is hard to believe that my first semester of college is over. This semester has brought tears and many joyful moments, late nights and early mornings, as well as amazing friendships and hard goodbyes. College by no means is easy, but it is a crazy adventure that is worth the work.

Looking back, I remember arriving on campus in August scared that I would not make friends and that school would be too hard. But, I came out of my first semester having to say some of the hardest goodbyes to my friends who became family and the knowledge that if I put my mind to it I can be successful in college.

The organizations I am apart of is a major reason why my first semester was spectacular. Being involved in my sorority, Alpha Xi Delta, has helped connect me to other girls on campus and become more involved. I have helped collect cans for the food bank, supported other Greek organizations, and built some great friendships which I am thankful for. The other organization that I have been heavily apart of at Embry-Riddle is Chi Alpha. If you have read my other posts, Chi Alpha is the group I explore and go on my crazy adventures with. I have faced many fears and built long lasting friendships with this group. I know I have said this before, but this semester has truly shown me that getting involved on campus is important.

Friends. This is a major part of what makes college, college. Most of my close friends are a part of the clubs and organizations I am a part of. These are the people I have spent every day with for the past four months and I would have it no other way. Leaving campus to go home for winter break was almost as sad as when my parents left me in August. To send me off, my friends and I opened and seeded a pomegranate, it was an eye opening and fun experience to share with them and definitely messy. Knowing that I will not be able to tell them about my day, or share interesting meals with them, or go hiking in the dells for a whole month was a hard pill to swallow even if it’s only a couple weeks.

Since my life outside of the classroom has been so eventful and wonderful, it makes me loving my major even better. Studying Global Security and Intelligence has been my dream since I was little and having the ability to make that dream a reality has been wonderful. My professors knew who I was and noticed when I was not in class even in my larger (fifty student) class. This is something that surprised and shocked me, but helped drive me to succeed.

Although college is great and I had a wonderful first semester, it was hard. Being homesick, moving away and adjusting to the workload that Embry-Riddle requires was not necessarily easy. Classes where hard and there were many nights where I stayed up past my “bed time” to finish assignments or study, but it is worth it. Facing all the challenges head on helped me have a wonderful first semester, which is a trend I expect to carry on throughout college.

Now that the semester is over and the year is trekking on, I wanted to reach out to incoming or prospective students, if you have any questions regarding Embry-Riddle, the transition from high school to college, or anything in between do not be afraid to ask. It is a big change, but definitely worth the effort. Comment below and I’ll respond when I get back for semester #2.

No Fear – Why I Now Love Arizona!

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Megan

Arizona. If I am being completely honest, I never wanted to live in Arizona. From the sun, the snakes, and no trees I was skeptical and afraid when I moved here in August. But with the fall semester winding down, and my first semester of college wrapping up, I can honestly say that I have fallen in love with Arizona.

For one, Prescott has four seasons and trees. Perfect pool weather in August and chilly fall temperatures that makes my inner Washingtonian smile. I could not be more blessed. I love being able to walk around campus and see the leaves on the ground, with the chill of the fall breeze on my back.

Besides the weather, there are so many adventures to be had! This past week I drove up to Page, Arizona with Chi Alpha and explored two different canyons. Coming from a place filled with trees, I found the bouldering, mountain goating, and crawling through slot canyons to be truly magnificent and different.

Winding through narrow pathways surrounded by beautiful rocks, climbing over boulders that look like a scene from Star Wars, and watching the sunset over the Horseshoe Bend allows you to take a moment and reflect.

Arizona has challenged me, shown me glorious things, and gave me new friendships. The fear of moving to a place filled with cactus, snakes, and sun has left and been replaced with joy, adventure, and friendship.

Don’t be afraid of the unknown or moving to a new state, it will be scary and hard in the beginning, but trust me you are not alone. Soon the fear will be turned into other things, like it has for me, and you will wonder why you were scared in the beginning. It’s time to start a new chapter in your life, time to jump in with two feet, and know it will be worth it!

My Lake Powell Adventure – College is so much more than you think!

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Megan

Imagine getting in a car one Friday and driving four and a half hours to the border of Arizona and Utah to spend the weekend on an island with 75 of your friends. That is what last weekend was for me. At Embry-Riddle I have been highly involved with Chi Alpha which is a campus ministry group that focuses on crazy adventures, and building community.

Powell Car (Small)
This past weekend was Chi Alpha’s Lake Powell Adventure. For this trip, we carpooled out to Lake Powell, boated to our own island, and played on the water. There was boating, tubing, blobbing, water-skiing, cliff jumping, salsa dancing, campfires, great food, and even better friends.

Friday night we arrived on our island to find three campfires, dinner, and s’mores. Some of the boys decided to go night cliff jumping while the rest of us talked and hung out around the fire. That night we slept on the beach under hundreds of stars. It was beautiful.
Saturday started with a bang. My friends and I decided after breakfast to go cliff jumping. It was terrifying but worth it. Then it was on to tubing and water skiing for the rest of the day. Because of all the different water activities some people would be on the boats, others cliff jumping, relaxing, and even blobbing. If you do not know, a blob is an inflatable bag of air that someone sits on the end of, while another person jumps and catapults them into the air, it is really cool. Even though I decided not to get blobbed, there is always next year!

The day ended with a relaxing campfire again. This time some of the boys decided to create a mote with a fire in the center, which allowed us all to be together. We ate, sang, and bonded under the night’s sky.

Then we packed up and headed home on Sunday. Four and a half hours in the car is a way to build a friendship that you never thought you would have. The car ride to Powell was very entertaining. Singing to Disney, and rocking out in the convertible was an experience I will not forget!

It is hard to capture the love I have for Chi Alpha and the trip in this post. But the relationships and adventures I have had through this organization are amazing and I know will stay with me long after college.

Before you head off to college everyone says to get involved, and it is true. Being a first year student, I do not know what college would be like without the clubs and organizations I am a part of, and the people I have meet through them.

Road Trippin’ – University isn’t just about studying – get out and experience the U.S.!

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Colton

One of the greatest things about Prescott isn’t its surroundings (although they are GORGEOUS). The best thing about Prescott is its location between numerous travel destinations. Not only is it centrally located 4-5 hours between ~11 national parks, it is only 4 hours drive from Las Vegas and 6 hours drive from downtown LA. Those locations don’t appeal to you? No problem, check out Lake Powell, or SixFlags Magic Mountain in CA, the Grand Canyon, or Moab, UT, or…..

You get the point. Check out the video below to see a few of the locations mentioned above, which I have had the amazing opportunity to visit! [And remember, I’m only a freshman!]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0PuXCx6o0A

There are so many out of state road trip opportunities near to Prescott, when coupled with all the things there is to do IN Prescott you’ll never find yourself short on things to do.

What can I do when I’m not studying? – [ERAU Activities Fair 2k15 VLog]

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Colton

Alot of college is about studying to make those very important grades… but obviously you can’t study for the entire 4 years of college right? Check out this video to see a few of the numerous on-campus clubs we have to fill up your free time!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeQCUdQ_WtE&index=17&list=PL793E000DD1CD6326

Do you like these new Video Blogs I’m doing? Comment below and let me know! Suggestions and questions are always encouraged!

Embry Outreach at White River Apache Reservation

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Colton

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Something Embry-Riddle is very good at (one of the many things) is community outreach. This year I had the honor to take part in one the ERAU’s outreach programs, in conjunction with Chi Alpha (a program which I am also highly involved in), Innovation Club (also highly involved in), Rocketry Club, and ERAU Admissions. The event was created for outreach and promotion for Embry-Riddle and the pursuit for higher education in general.

Me and about 14 other people from Chi Alpha, a club on campus that revolves around making life long memories through crazy adventures and pursuing our Creator (check it out here >> http://riddlexa.org/ ), trekked off in two vans to White River Apache reservation. Our adventure would take part over two days. The first night we went to their last high school football game and put on a halftime show. It started with Freshman Lee Morris launching off a high-altitude weather balloon, soaring high into the night sky with flashing LED’s before disappearing forever. Secondly, we launched a scratch-built 5-foot tall rocket that we had built using the Student Innovation Center (Innovation club) and some expertise from the Rocketry Club. It featured a cardboard fuselage, 3d-printed fins and nose cone, and a custom motor to send it to 700 feet. It was quite spectacular, and the crowd loved it.

The next morning, we headed off to the local High school, Middle school, and Elementary school. All day, we taught classes on aviation, college, and pursuing a higher education. We were able to inspire kids to high school, to strive for their dreams and work hard to achieve them.

Watch the story unfold here…

This event was definitely one of the most memorable parts of my freshman year so far. It definitely makes me thankful for what I have been blessed with, and gives me a hunger to help those around me pursue their dreams as I am pursuing mine.