Embry-Riddle Student Blogs

Posts Tagged ‘Summer’

Goodbye Sophomore Year and HELLO SUMMER!

Thursday, May 19th, 2011

I recently realized that I am half way through my college years, how exciting! Time flew by so fast, it is incredible to know that I only have two years to go. I have been very blessed with good classes and a job here on campus. I have had a lot of fun with my friends and professors. I learned quite a bit and I am happy that I switched my major from Aviation Business to Global Security and Intelligence.

Finals went well. Every one was extra stressed for the week of finals, including me. I feel like I was a little more relaxed about finals than most, but I was still a little nervous. I knew what my grades were going to be even before I took my finals though. I ended up getting A’s in Social Psychology, Observing Asian Cultures, and History of Terrorism. I got B’s in Foreign Policy and International Relations. A few months into these classes, I knew which grades I would probably end up with. I will give my advice and evaluations on these classes. I think it may help prospective GSIS students.

I knew I was going to get a B in this class as soon as I got my first essay grade back. I messed up a lot on this essay. I did not give myself enough time to proof-read it. After that essay, my grades in my exams and later essays kept increasing, but I knew it was too late to get an A. So, I tried my hardest to make sure I could get a B. Professor Trombley was an amazing teacher, but she is leaving Embry-Riddle. But I still advise incoming students to try not to procrastinate. Write the essay a few days before and get someone to proof-read it.

In international relations I had Dr. Jones, GSIS Chair. He is an awesome guy and a good professor, but his assignment due dates continue to change. He would tell us the original assignments and due dates, but later it would be something else. He is very lenient and helpful though. He is very understanding and super knowledgeable. It was a good class overall. I would suggest skimming over ALL the chapters, otherwise you will not do well on the exams.

Social Psychology was so much fun. I learned a lot in Professor Lohn’s class. This was my third class with her, and I enjoyed it even more than her other classes. She is very understanding and enjoyable. She tries hard to make her class more interesting by adding experiments and videos. She also gives out a lot of extra credit. If you are ever struggling, just talk to her and she will help you to succeed!

Observing Asian Culture was very interesting, but it was so difficult to be in that class for 2.5 hours. It started at 6:30 and ended at 9PM. This class made me realize that I do NOT want any more night classes. I thought I disliked early classes, but I would rather get my classes over with instead of having to go back to campus to take a class. If you enjoy Asian culture and if you can handle a late and long class, this is an awesome class. Our finals consisted of a presentation and a 5-10 page essay. It was a lot of fun, but it was a challenge every Thursday night to get the energy to go to the class. (Never missed a class, even though sometimes I wanted to. ha ha.)

And the last class was History of Terrorism. This class was very interesting. We learned a lot about how terrorists operate and I feel more knowledgeable about current events, especially when terrorists are involved. Dr. Vuk was my professor and he is very intelligent, however; he is retiring. He is a nice man, but sometimes he would talk in gibberish, it was hard understanding what he was teaching at times. But it was still fun.

The main advice I have for incoming GSIS students is that you got to brush up on your history and current events. Start reading and writing more, so you can begin to enjoy it. And do NOT procrastinate, it could cost you your grade. This major is a lot of fun, and there is a little something for everyone. Personally, I love psychology the most, while others love to learn more about different U.S. policies and tactics. Just give it some time, you will come to realize what you love.

Now it is summer, that means it is time to relax and get ready for the last few years of college. I am staying here in Prescott to work at the campus in admissions office. I enjoy being here with good company and great friends.

I wish everyone a wonderful summer and I cannot wait to meet the new students and to greet the returning students in the fall. Take care and be safe!

Tags: Admissions, Embry Riddle Prescott, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, ERAU, GSIS, professors, Summer
Posted in Cassandra Logan | No Comments »

Leaving and First Week Back

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

So last week I had a few mornings to myself because my parents would go to work and my siblings would go to school. I could wake up late and sleep in, my favorite pastime of summer, although I would be expected to do chores that my Mom left for me. Laundry was the worst. For some reason, the dryer never decides to work when I am the one doing the laundry because after the designated time for drying the clothes never are dry! I think it is because a towel is in there and sucks up all the heat but never gets dry anyway. It was annoying but then after I could finish the hellacious laundry I could go to the gym or on a lunch date. I went to Eegee’s with a bunch of my friends to relish in the delicious food that I am already missing. I would meet up with Brian and hit the gym before I left and had to suspend my LA Fitness membership. Actually I just froze it and I am already missing that too. We had a last Wing Wednesday with my friend Brandon, Chris, Colin and Kevin and I know that I am really going to miss those because Wing Wednesday became a summer phenomenon. Garlic Parmesan and either Mild or Honey BBQ were the best flavors. I picked up my siblings everyday and although I absolutely hate Tucson drivers and driving in general, it was great to spend some quality time with them. On that note, I am very proud of my younger brother Michael for making Varsity Cross Country after only being at his high school for a week as a freshman! He is almost as tall as me and has to constantly ward off the tantalizing effects of the rather pungent freshman ladies at his school.

On last Thursday, my friends Bri and Natalia ‘planned’ a last minute swim party at my house and a bunch of my friends showed up to hang out for a last time before we all left. Many of them are going to NAU and some are going to the U of A so it was good to see them all again before I left. We swam in my pool, which my Dad said was lacking pH and alkalinity but it seemed alright to us. The rest of the week was devoted to planning my Dad’s 50th Birthday Party which was on Saturday, my last day in Tucson. My mom has been planning this for a while and we were all excited to celebrate his 50th. We had our cousins and relatives come over and my brothers and I picked up the mouth watering pizzas from Costco and brought them home to find the house swarming with out family. My best friend Bobby was also there and it was really glad to see him one last time before I went back. He only stayed for a bit and then left as James’ friend Raisin came over too.

Adam, Cynthia, Nati, Elisa, brandon, Christian, Calob, me and Bri !

Tags: Summer
Posted in Steven Leon | 1 Comment »

California Adventure Part 2!

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

After exploring the vast corridors of the Hotel Del Coronado, we went to this Mexican restaurant that Brian suggested and he said that it was really tasty and delicious. I forget what it was called, hold on . . . . nope I did forget. Anyway we went there and immediately got severed by some guy who we thought was the manager because he was so skilled as his job. I ordered Fish And Chips and I have never had it before except in London. It turned out being utterly delicious and I cannot wait to have it again! It was amazing and along with the chips and salsa, it was the perfect meal. We headed back to the hotel and were stuffed from all the fudge, fish and other unhealthy food that I made an effort to eat. That night at the hotel, I went for a walk and saw that some sort of luau was going on downstairs at the resort. I was given a lei and hung around for a while to watch some fire dancers and other Samoan people do some cool tricks. I fled the party before the mass of retired folks and foreigners staying at the hotel could leave at the same time. When I got back to the room the others were doing some sort of exercise using our large watermelon as an exercise ball.

The next day we went to the beach again and I was really excited to surf for the first time because Allison and Brian rented a surfboard. We swam out pretty far and just as I had stood up on the board and rode a wave, I got off the board and jumped in the water. My left foot landed on something slick and living and it darted out from under me and I felt something bite down on my foot. Scared if it was a small shark or something, I got back on the board and swam back to the shore as fast as I could and when I got on the beach, I saw that my foot had been covered in blood and I had been bitten or stung by something on my foot. Filled with adrenaline, I sprinted back to our little encampment on the beach and showed the girls that my foot was covered with blood. Lots of other people started looking at me as I showed the girls and hopped over to the lifeguard station. He told me to put my bloody foot in the hot sand and I was confused but did it anyway. A minute later the lifeguards came over and took me to the main lifeguard tower. I was forced to leave my sandals behind and in the station the lifeguard gave me a bucket of scalding hot water. Apparently it is supposed to help or something, I wasn’t paying attention to them because I have reason to believe that it actually doesn’t do anything. I sat there for 45 minutes or so and kept having to refill my bucket while I watched other stingray victims come into the station. The first was a young boy who was somehow stung on his arm and he was crying because of the pain. He sat across from my and had to put his whole arm in the bucket. Right after him came a young woman who was stung in the middle of her stomach. She was joking around trying to remain positive but we could all tell that she was in a lot of pain. She was holding her flat stomach but the sting had swollen her flesh and she joked that she looked pregnant. Not really, but I was lucky not to have it as bad as she did. Two others came in, both with stings on their legs but I feel lucky that my sting wasn’t nearly as bad as the others. After the lifeguards released me I had to walk all the way back to the Catamaran and got to relax in the hot tub at the resort to heal my foot, or whatever that lifeguard said it would do. We walked along the beach later and I saw an enormous jellyfish washed up on the beach. It was gross and we poked at it with a large stick.

Later we walked all the way to Belmont Amusement Park and because I have already been there, I knew what was the good things to see there and what was a waste of time. The others bought an all day pass and I only rode the Roller Coaster once and that was it for me. The others got dizzy from all the rides and we walked back after I was sorely tempted to buy a Funnel Cake. Instead we went to this really good Pizza Place that I have been to before and the slices were big and delicious. We went back to the Hotel and just relaxed for the rest of the night.

The next day, we rented a sailboat and took it out in the bay behind the hotel. None of us knew how to sail but Allison somehow was an expert and took the rein of the boat and was a professional sailor. It was really cool and we sailed around the whole bay for an hour or so we went back and went back to the beach but this time I didnt get in the water. Later that night we were all exhausted and Allison surprised us with another skill of hers, hypnosis. She hypnotized Brian and me and I wont reveal much but it was utterly hilarious and now I know how to hypnotize! Overall, the California trip was one of the best parts of the summer and I cant wait to see my friends again! I hope to go back and get a get rate on the hotel like we got last time and I will always remember that during my first attempt at swimming, I was stung by a stingray. I was hypnotized and almost froze in the Pacific and got to get an even tan line while waiting on the beach for the others. Oh I forgot, one of the best parts was eating guacamole on the beach with Alycia while watching Brian and Allison surf. I love California!