Avion Issue 3 Spring 2021

Spring 2021 Issue 3

Abbey Spencer PR Associate

Eagle Takeoff!

On March 4, 2021, Embry-Riddle hosted Eagle Takeoff: school spirit edition. It took place outside on the New Residence Hall Courtyard from 5-7 pm with much to offer. The courtyard was decorated with yellow and blue pennants, with stations lined up along the sidewalks.

One of the first attractions students saw upon entering was the food tables.

Chicken bites, mac n cheese, tater tots, and cookies for dessert were all served.

After the food table was the WIKD table

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playing music for the event and across from them there was a cotton candy station. Located next to WIKD was the shirt raffle table. There were free raffle tickets that were handed out which gave students the possibility to win one of the six different shirts.

In the surrounding area of the tables, there were games for students to play.

The most popular game at the event was cornhole. It was Ernie the eagle’s favorite too. Ernie was challenging students to games through-

out the night and he was pretty good at it. Two other games students played were Ladder Ball and Crossnet.

Aside from the raffle, there were two other contests. One was an egg drop competition where participants would receive one of the infamous “hold short six feet” t-shirts that were given out last semester to promote social distancing. The second was a pennant design competition. The table had bags with markers, crayons, glitter, and pennants, along

with stickers that participants could take to decorate. Marco’s Pizza was there giving away slices of Cheese and Pepperoni Pizza at the end of the walkway. Other tables that were set up were Onshore and Bellamy apartments as well as the Fitness Center. The event was a success with many students that attended over the two hours. To finish off the night, Ernie danced to the Cotton Eye Joe. It will be exciting to see what the next Eagle Takeoff event will bring!

Image Courtesy/ ERAU

Dylan Kowlessar Correspondent

On Friday, Feb. 26, 2021, a dynamic atmosphere was in the Student Union as the ERAU Musicians’ Club held their first Open Mic Night of the semester. Attended by enthusiasts and passers-by alike, the twohour event allowed the campus community to witness covers and original work performances.

The performances themselves were quite diverse. Some notable acts included one from Elena Djudaric, Fox Coniglario, and Brendan Kirkpatrick

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with “space shanties” – an ERAU take on the recent sea shanties trend well as an intense rock music session. However, there was an overall relaxed and easygoing feel as the event progressed, perhaps fueled by Ani Clermon’s original songs on the ukulele (who already releases music on Spotify, support!).

Continuing in this tone, Alexander Mannanov and Jason Nemeroff’s cohesive performance of Owl City’s “Fireflies” on guitar and drums, respec-

tively, was truly one of the most memorable moments at the event.

In true open-mic style, the night ended with an impromptu but enjoyable performance of Eric Burdon and The Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun” by some of the night’s musicians.

President of the ERAU Musicians’ Club, Kristy Veals, remarked that the event was indeed a success, especially in its goal of providing a platform for budding musicians to share their talents with an audience. Speaking from her personal experience, Kristy, for the first time, rendered an original song at the event, which gave her

the confidence and reassurance to keep at it in the future.

In all regards, through the variety of music performed and just by the sheer enjoyment and passion in the air, one can admit that the February Open Mic Night was undoubtedly a highlight in our campus’ wide range of events.

The ERAU Musicians’ Club meets on Fridays, and anyone with a passion for music is urged to join and take part in what they have to offer. Follow their Instagram account at @eraumusicians. The next Open Mic Night is scheduled for the last Friday in March, don’t miss it!

Salim Roig / The Avion

Dance Marathon: For the Kids Johan Restrepo Executive Director, Dance Marathon at ERAU

In the simplest terms, Dance Marathon is “For the Kids.” Since 1991, Dance Marathon has raised funds and awareness for local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals supporting children in their area. These programs fight to ensure that no child or family fights pediatric illness/injury alone. A year’s worth of preparation cumulates with an event that can last from multiple hours to an entire day, filled with games, fundraising, stories from affected families, and of course, dancing!

The Marathon’s point and continuously dancing/moving is to put ourselves in the shoes of the children

who are constantly battling and fighting for their health. Not only is the Marathon to signify the strength these children have, but it is also a celebration for them! We dance and party for them, hoping that someday they will be able to stand up and do the same.

This year was Embry-Riddle’s 2nd Dance Marathon, and it was a roaring success. Last year, we raised over $15,000. This year, we blew last year’s numbers out of the water and raised over $19,000 for our local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, the Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital For Children. This student

All photos by: Malik Turner / The Avion

led and run event was the largest philanthropy event on campus this year. Executive Director Johan Restrepo and Marathon Director Savanna Sheahan, both juniors, helped bring the event to ERAU and set a tradition for this university’s future.

Dance Marathon at ERAU brings togeth-

er all aspects of our community to do so much good. Fraternity/Sorority Life, Athletics, ROTC, Touch n Go, Faculty, and so many more groups on campus combined to fight “For the Kids” and made us all proud to say we are Eagles fighting for the future of those who cannot fight for themselves.

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Chirag Mehrotra Staff Reporter

This past weekend, our very own Touch-n-Go Productions hosted two drive-in pop up movies. They had a double bonanza with Avengers Infinity War playing on Friday and Avengers Endgame on Saturday. Even though they were not new movies, the novelty of the experience brought many students out. Numerous students could be seen driving their vehicles to the Earhart parking lot and enjoying the show.

This was a good experience for students, since drive-in movies are becoming rarer by the day, given the rise of streaming service. The retro theme of the 80’s was a nice touch and a new experience for students of our age. It is also one of the first big events Touch-n-Go and

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Embry-Riddle in general has been able to host since the beginning of COVID-19 a year ago.

One of the attendees was Alex Slicner from the Emergency Response Team, who completed a standby along with his crew. His thoughts on the show were positive and he said he really enjoyed the drive-in movies and it was a new experience for him. His favorite part of the show was being able to listen along on the designated radio frequency in his vehicle. He is hoping this is not the last time Touch-n-Go puts on events like the drive-in movies and is looking forward to more shows in the future and recommends making drive movies a consistent event in campus programming.

Image Courtesy / Marvel Studios

Private Pilot (121)

Instrument Rating (221)

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SPRING 2021 FLIGHT CERTIFICATIONS CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE WHO RECIEVED THEIR CERTIFICATION

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The Tutor Lab is an Essential Resource in Split Format Classes

Carly McDonald Staff Reporter

As midterms approach, many students are spending extra time studying for their classes. The pressure is on; the outcome of these exams could potentially make or break their grade, depending on the weight of the midterm in the final grade calculation. We as students are stressed out when we do not understand and sometimes, professors are busy helping other students during their designated office hours. Some professors more than others are available outside of office hours, but maybe a student’s learning style and professor’s teaching style simply do not click.

This only adds to the stress of split-format classes. While there are not as many as there were last semester, people are still adjusting to the classes that are split.

Calculus I and II (MA 241 and 242, respectively) classes are still split, and these classes provide a strong foundation for students in almost every Embry-Riddle degree field. These classes proPage 8 vide the back-

Image Courtesty/University of Miami

ground to engineering and technology, and they are something that most students will use after graduation. They are essential classes, and people are still adapting to an online learning environment.

In comes the supplemental instruction and A2 tutor lab. These resources are free, and people are free to come and go as they please. The tutors are all educated in the subjects that they provide tutoring for, and many people do not take advantage of these resources. Due to the pandemic, I believe that it is essential to most students’ success to visit the tutoring lab at least once. Even if they have no questions, the A2 tutoring lab provides a quiet place

to study one subject. In the math room, there are commonly used formulas written on the board, which provide a quick reference for students.

While some students do not want to go to the tutoring lab, I argue that it is an essential resource to student success, especially with split format classes. Some split classes may only see their professor twice (or less) per week. While some professors do post their lectures online, some students prefer not to watch them. Instead, they may resort to the posted notes, which may not be sufficient.

Personally, I enjoy visiting the tutoring lab. I have become friends with some of the tutors, and they are always happy to help me with

whatever subject is ailing me. It has really helped me keep my grades up so I can participate in other extracurricular activities.

While not every student may need it, the A2 tutoring lab provides a free resource that is essential to success in the pandemic, especially during split classes. The split classes do not provide enough face-to-face instruction for students, and the tutors in the A2 tutoring lab are helpful, knowledgeable, and more than happy to help. Unfortunately, tutoring is not offered in every class; it is offered in most lower-level core requirements. However, to be a successful Embry-Riddle student, the tutoring lab is an essential resource.

Alpha XI Delta Presents: XI Man

All Photos Christian Muller / The Avion

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Elijah Jenkins: Mechanical Korbin Martin Managing Editor

#12 Elijah Jenkins is a Mechanical Engineering major in his 4th year here at Embry-Riddle.

Elijah is a part of the Men’s Basketball team and plays as a Point Guard while serving as a team captain. Upon graduation, Elijah plans to come back to Embry-Riddle to pursue a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.

The Avion (TA): I heard that you are a 4.0 student and could’ve gone Ivy League, but you chose Embry-Riddle, so tell us a little bit about why you chose to come here.

Elijah Jenkins (EJ): I really liked how hands-on the engineering program was here, and I was really comfortable with my coaches and teammates.

It really seemed like a good family environment, and I really appreciated how Coach Ridder emphasizes our “Student Person Player” mantra. It’s more than being just basketball players or good students, we want to be the full package, and I really appreciated that about our program.

TA: What is it like playing for the Riddle home

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Photo Courtesy / ERAU Athletics

crowd here?

EJ: It’s awesome! I think that’s one of the biggest things we miss. Even if we’re allowed to go full contact here, we miss playing in front of our students, our fans, parents, all that. It’s been a big transition for us without that energy in our arena.

It’s always great to play in front of fans. You definitely feel a difference over Thanksgiving Break and Christmas Break playing home games without fans. We love playing in front of our fans.

TA: What has this semester been like with COVID-19 affecting attendance?

EJ: Our team went out to the Tennis matches on Wednesday, and there were a decent amount of people out there, especially since it’s one of the only sporting events we have on campus right now. We only have tennis, track and field, and cross country right now. We really want to make sure we are supporting our other sports when we can.

TA: What’s it like being Team Captain and having that time commitment and responsibility while also dealing with the Engineering workload?

EJ: It’s all about time management, I’d say. I’ve served as captain since my sophomore year, so this is my 3rd year. I just want to make sure I do everything I can for my teammates while also taking care of my own things off the court. For me being a captain is about being a good rep for our program, being a good program ambassador, and making sure I’m doing the right things.

Hopefully, by leading by example, the freshman and the sophomores that are behind me think, “this is what I should strive to be,” and see how they should represent the basketball program and athletics in general. You don’t want to just be seen as another basketball player. You want to be seen as a 4.0 student. You want to be seen volunteering at events in the community. It’s really important for me to be a good ambassador for the program and be a good representative of our brand.

Engineer and Point Guard TA: What’s your biggest memory playing for Embry-Riddle?

EJ: My biggest memory was definitely making the national tournament last year. We were all at our coach’s house last year watching the selection show, and to hear our name be called and seeing the emotions from everyone was unforgettable. You have people screaming, jumping up and down. You’ve got me in the back, tears coming out of my eyes. All the different emotions were there, just thinking that we were going to keep playing and go to the national tournament.

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to compete because of COVID-19, but just the feeling of “we’re moving on” and making nationals for the first time as NCAA division II was just amazing. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to experience the actual playing the game part of it, but just having our efforts acknowledged on a national scale was an amazing feeling.

TA: Tell us a bit about how COVID-19 affected you guys after nationals got canceled.

EJ: It was actually my birthday last year when Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, and the NBA shut down. The next day we left to go to Florida Southern to play, and we were practicing at this high school on the way. We were in the middle of practice when Coach tells us everything is canceled, and we had to go back.

Indoor track had their national meet around the same time, and they were up in Alabama and on the track ready to compete when they got told, “we have to go back now,” and weren’t able to compete. It’s kind of crazy how it has affected everyone. You only get so many years to play.

You have four years of eligibility, and if you one of those four and you can’t come back for grad school, that’s a year of playing a sport you love that’s gone just like that. I’m thankful and grateful I’ll be able to come back for my 5th year and pursue a Masters, but there’s always going to be that feeling of OK: my junior year, we had a chance

Photo Courtesy / ERAU Athletics

to go to nationals and couldn’t do that, and my actual 4th year we have a good team but can’t even play because of COVID-19. Can everyone come back? How do things like that work out?

Hopefully, we’ll be able to have everyone back next year, and we can run it back with our team, but for the people that might have to move on, I feel for them because this is the sport we love. It’s what we love to do.

TA: How often do you guys watch professional basketball?

EJ: I think we definitely watch a combination of college basketball and the NBA. I think when it comes to college basketball, watching Division I schools during March Madness is always a huge event. When it comes to the NBA, obviously there are the playoffs and the finals. I grew up with Steph Curry taking off. Watching him win three finals and then, this year, coming back and playing really well and averaging 30 points a game is great. We all have our favorite NBA players we enjoy watching, but I think for the most part, if you give us a choice, we might watch a good college game first before turning on a random NBA game. We can see ourselves at that level and in those same shoes, so watching that kind of gives us an opportunity to be a little better too. Page 11

Ryan Marks: Hockey Player, Korbin Martin Managing Editor

#42 Ryan Marks is a Forward for the Embry-Riddle Eagles Ice Hockey Team. Marks has been a part of the team since his freshman year (2017) and is also a member of the AFROTC detachment at Embry-Riddle. Marks made 33 shots last season as he helped lead the team to qualify for nationals for the first time.

The Avion (TA): How did you get into hockey?

Ryan Marks (RM): My dad played hockey when he was younger, so that’s how I got into it. I started pretty small, playing roller hockey and whatnot, then eventually my parents signed me up for K-2nd grade hockey, and from there, I took off. I started playing travel hockey and started my hockey career from there.

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TA: Tell us about your experience being a Team Captain.

RM: So, it has been pretty fun. The level of growth this team has experienced since I was a freshman has been pretty extensive so just being able to lead the group to the success they have had is a pretty great experience.

TA: I’ve heard that you had D1 offers for hockey, so why ERAU? RM: I didn’t really have any D1 offers. I was trying to go D1, and I definitely garnered some interest but definitely no offers. I really wanted to have my Air Force career, so I was really trying to go to the Air Force Academy for a while there. I didn’t really get the level of interest that I wanted. Hockey is a little weird when it comes

Korbin Martin/ The Avion

Student, and AFROTC Cadet to D1. They prefer guys to play juniors after high school. I really wasn’t interested in playing juniors because that would mean there’d be a decently long gap between high school and college. I was more academically driven, so I decided to go straight to school and have fun with hockey and focus on academics and my college career.

TA: What is it like to juggle AFROTC and Hockey when both have huge time commitments, and you are expected to be a leader for both?

RM: It’s been something that’s been a work in progress since freshman year. They’ve both kind of worked each other out so that they aren’t on top of each other. We have practice on different days than my training. Every morning I’m pretty much up at 5 doing either or. I’ve found time to do what I need to do for ROTC and focus on hockey at different times. It hasn’t left me with much free time, but it has definitely been a great experience so far, and I don’t regret doing both.

TA: Does it help to practice against great goalies like Max and Nico?

RM: Oh yeah, absolutely. I think that when you can hone your skills in practice against a great goalie, it definitely helps. If you are playing a great goalie in a game and you are not practicing against a great goalie, then it makes it tough to transition that from practice to the game. Being able to have those guys on our team is so helpful, and it definitely makes games a lot easier to win.

TA: Is there anything you’d like to say to the fans?

RM: Definitely, when I came in, I was not expecting the level of support we got as a hockey team. Being able to show up every night and play in front of those guys and hear all their chants and seeing the level of support has been awesome. It sucks that I haven’t been able to play a game in front of them since last year but

having those guys over the past four years has been awesome. Some schools we have played in our conference barely get a handful of fans at games, so for us to get an average of 300 to 400 fans on a given night really adds to the experience.

Korbin Martin/ The Avion

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Riddle Women in Sailing Naomi Rodriguez Correspondent

As the Embry-Riddle Sailing Team continues its growth, for the first time, it finally has enough women to field an all-women dinghy team and an offshore team which opens up new opportunities for the sailing team as a whole. As many sports are male-dominated, a women’s team helps promote women in sailing and builds leadership skills for those on the team.

The women’s dinghy team consists of eight women, which is exactly two teams that can be sent to any women’s regatta. Most programs do not have enough women to create a single team, so the fact that Embry-Riddle Sailing can send two teams speaks to their achievement. The women’s team’s first regatta would have been at USF, where they would have competed alongside its co-ed team at South Points #2 at USF. Unfortunately, due to COVID, the regattas were canceled, but they would have been the first time that the Embry-Riddle Sailing Team would have sent an all-women team to compete and represent the university.

There are not many collegiate sailing programs that own a keelboat to run an offshore program, let alone have enough women to create a women’s offshore team. This makes the Embry-Riddle Sailing Team a unique team in the South Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association (SAISA). The women’s offshore team has yet to practice on the team’s Evelyn 32-2 racing sailboat, which has been used to compete in several local regattas.

Club teams are known to not have enough women to develop a unique program which is why it is exciting to see a women’s team grow and develop, especially for a school such as Embry-Riddle, where the gender ratio reflects a majority male student body. As the Women’s Team Captain continues to develop the women’s team, they hope to compete at Women’s Champs at USF in the future.

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Image Courtesy/Korbin Martin

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Victoria Jordan Editor-in-Chief

Hindsight 2020: COVID-19 One Year Later

The year was 2020, society was ecstatic about living through a new decade. With admiration for the time of the roaring 20s, many people thought this would be the year for development. However, as the months slid from January to February to March, the word Coronavirus took on a new meaning of fear. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus a global pandemic. From this moment on the world turned upside down.

The Coronavirus, or simply COVID-19, has claimed the lives of over 2.6 million people worldwide and drastically impacted the way we live. As we have reached the one-year anniversary of the pandemic, it is wild to reflect on that time in our lives of uncertainty. We were also so blissfully unaware of how long this virus would last or how much it would impact Page 16

our everyday lives.

From a societal perspective, at the height of the pandemic it was unusual for individuals other than doctors or medical professionals to wear masks. Masks seemed so restrictive and a nuisance as the notion that a mask only protects the infected party. Now it has become almost second nature for one to grab their mask and put it on as they walk out their front door.

Now anytime you see someone without a mask, whether in person or on television shows, one is anxious about their health and safety.

Communication between one another changed instantly as schools, businesses, and workplaces closed when lockdown began to be heavily enforced around the world. Being told to stay indoors, to stay six feet away from one another, to wear face coverings, and the inability to check on elderly family members due to fear of losing them or due to lockdowns and

border closures, society was shocked to our core. We became dependent on each other to make this go away, and it still hasn’t.

Financial stability also became a major unknown in many households across the country. With only essential workers being able to go to work, it was hard to feel financially secure enough to pay bills or have enough food and supplies to support an entire family’s stay in one spot for an extended amount of time. The mental health of the world was also in question as many sat idle and isolated within their homes. Being left to listen to the inner voices whether good or bad, was a time to reflect on who we are as individuals. It’s human nature to migrate, to be in close physical proximity to one another, and to be actively doing things nearly all twenty-four hours in the day. I will say that the beauty behind this madness was the ability to pause the hustle and grind

of everyday life. The ability to check-in with my emotions, take up new hobbies, develop strong relationships, and be around those I loved the most was the most valuable experience.

If COVID-19 was a person, what would you say to them face to face? If you had to communicate with them through a letter, what would you write to them? How much hurt, frustration, thankfulness about your life due to their presence would you share?

Now that we’ve approached the milestone of one year, it is an opportune time for reflection. I challenge you to express how you feel. Share your thoughts and reflect on how your life has changed, how you have grown as an individual, and what has made you feel accomplished this past year. In the great words of Helen Keller, “although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”

Image Courtesy / Bob Eckstein

The Young and Powerful: Hunter Lyons Photo Editor

Embraer 175 Captain

From what I have learned so far, the key to success in the Airline industry is motivation, dedication, and a bit of luck. With an abundance of those qualities and that bit of luck, Karim became one of the youngest pilots at his regional airline and has enjoyed every bit of it. I’ve known Karim for a few years now, and I thought it would be worthwhile to share his story and advice with all of you.

The Avion (TA): First off, what got you into aviation?

Karim (K): Funny enough, it was an accident. For my 10th birthday, I received a karaoke machine and wasn’t a fan. When I returned it, I bought Microsoft Flight Simulator. After I started playing the game, I was hooked.

TA: How was your time as a student pilot?

K: Well, I took my first flight at the age of 13 and flew whenever I could. For high school, I went to an aviation maintenance high school. They could give you an A&P license, but while I attended, I was also learning to fly and earned my private license. After graduating, I went to ATP and earned my remaining ratings and licenses in about five months. At my local flight school, I was a full-time flight instructor until I gained 1,000 hours and went to Ameriflight for multi turbine experience.

Karim’s first job was with Ameriflight, a large cargo operation flying a fleet of Beech 99/1900Cs, E-120s, and Metroliners. Karim was typed on the E-120 for the entirety of his time at Ameriflight.

K: It was a great experience. It was the most challenging flying I’ve ever done in my life. The mixture of older, challenging equipment, challenging weather conditions, and international flying meant you had to be on your A-game all the time. It was a lot for a 19-year-old, but a great experience nonetheless.

TA: What was like switching from your cargo gig to the ERJ-145 with a major U.S. regional?

K: As you can imagine it was a big change. My previous job was so mission-oriented, we had a lot of control and were given some leeway. At my airline now, it’s so structured. There are so many moving parts like the unions, and most importantly, the passengers.

TA: What advice do you have for future riddle grads?

K: During my training, people kept telling me not to rush and to take my time. I would commonly see some of my peers dragging their feet and not putting in 110%. I honestly believe that if I hadn’t rejected that advice, I would be furloughed right now and I probably would not be a captain, especially during COVID. Seniority is everything. Get your number as soon as you can. That’s my biggest piece of advice. Also, when looking at airlines, do your research. It’s always good to talk to the older guys who have been doing it for a while but it’s also important to talk to the new guys who’ve just started because things are constantly changing. Volunteer work is also a good way to engage with your airline and make connections. I was a representative at our union and did a lot of work in recruiting. Another piece of advice is that it’s okay to take a risk. When I chose my regional airline, it wasn’t on the top of most people’s lists, but I saw potential and thankfully, I was right. My final piece of advice is simple, don’t burn a bridge. Don’t make enemies. Sometimes it’s good to be the bigger person and bite your tongue. You never know who knows who and believe me when I say it’s a very small industry. People talk, Airlines talk, colleges talk, and the peer you don’t get along with may be the one interviewing you in 10 years.”

Karim continues to fly for a Major U.S. regional airline and is currently a Captain on the E-175.

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Get Some Zzz’s or Get Some Fff ’s!

Gianna Castano Distribution Manager

There is a common misconception that cramming in hours of study the night before a big test and then not sleeping will result in a pretty good test score. WRONG! You need your sleep. Sleep is extremely valuable to your mental and physical health, even if you are the most stressed out college student and it feels like sleeping is a chore.

So, what exactly controls your sleeping patterns? Circadian rhythms!

This rhythm is otherwise known as your internal body clock, which lets you know when it’s time to rest and rise according to light changes of your environment. The circadian cycle lasts roughly

Scan the QR code to discover when you should go to sleep and wake up to complete full cycles of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep!

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24 hours, implying that our behavior and physiology are molded by the Earth’s rotation.

Your internal circadian rhythm is delicate; it needs to be balanced to function properly. When your circadian rhythm is disrupted and disrupted often, you can suffer numerous severe health complications. The first step is identifying contributing factors that cause Circadian Rhythm Disorders (CRDs). CRDs can originate: from a genetic melatonin disorder called Smith-Magenis Syndrome, chronic caffeine consumption, tumors, brain damage, and lack of exposure to natural light, such as an increase in exposure to artificial light like your computer screen. The next step is identifying symptoms that will signify you have a CRD, including having consistent difficulty falling asleep and/ or staying awake, constant lethargy, regularly occurring headaches, decreased metabolism, and difficulty concentrating. These symptoms can be quite common in college students, so please be aware and try to make lifestyle changes if you experience more than one of these symptoms, drink a lot of caf-

feine, or spend hours staring at a screen each day.

Circadian Rhythm Disorders are a result of your internal clock being out of sync with your environment. The most common CRD is called Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder, which is characterized by falling asleep later than desired and finding it difficult to wake up on time, causing daytime tiredness and anxiety. This phase disorder often interferes with work, school, or social responsibilities.

Another prevalent CRD is called Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Rhythm Disorder that occurs when the sleep-wake rhythm is not in sync with the 24-hour day, resulting in sleep times to gradually become more delayed (ex: going to sleep/crashing at noon instead of midnight). Periods of insomnia and sleepiness may ensue. This disturbance is usually attributed to low light exposure.

There are many ways to resolve a CRD, including positive lifestyle changes and melatonin supplements and medicines.

You will want to ensure that you are sleeping in a cool, quiet place, and adopt a wind-down routine; whether that be reading a book, breathing, meditating, making a

to-do list for the next day (just do not go on your phone immediately before bed!). Creating this habit will cause you to gradually fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

Unless you have a work shift during the day and would like to get some rest beforehand, avoid taking daytime naps as this may cause you to have a hard time falling asleep later. You should also be more conscious of your caffeine, alcohol and nicotine intake, especially close to bedtime as these substances are excitatory instead of relaxing. Artificial light exposure before bedtime can lower your melatonin levels making it harder to fall asleep, so try to minimize screen time as it gets later in the evening.

Melatonin receptor agonists can help with the 24Hour Sleep-Wake Rhythm Disorder, but this should only be used when severity of the CRD is on the more extreme side. The less extreme route that tends to be effective for many people are melatonin supplements which treats the Delayed SleepWake Phase Disorder and CBD (cannabidiol) supplements that are absorbed by your endocannabinoid system to promote sleep.

How to Make Small Talk Andrea Gamble News Editor

Small talk is one of the most overlooked yet necessary skills to have. Especially for those who live on campus, small talk can lead to something as minimal as having a buddy to eat with for dinner and as significant as receiving the opportunity you have been patiently waiting. The question is: what is small talk, and how do I make small talk? Here are five quick tips on becoming the most successful small talker at Embry-Riddle.

1.

Say hello - Small talk starts with merely talking. Start by introducing yourself (your name, hometown, major, any clubs or extracurricular activities in which you are involved); This can start developing a relationship by finding similarities between you and your acquaintance.

2.

Talk about the things you see - Make connections between what you know and what you see. For example, if you see someone with a cool skateboard on the elevator and you have some hidden fun-facts about boarding, share what you know and see how they react. Giving compliments is also an excellent way to begin a conversation.

3.

Ask questions- Asking questions is an easy way to start up a conversation. Questions like “How was your weekend?” or “Did you have any classes today?” are great questions to get people talking. **Stay away from yes-and-no questions. These questions will end a conversation quickly.** 4.

Don’t assume the worst in people- Are you evil? If you answered yes, please get some help. If not, then you are probably like everyone else in the world! Don’t assume that your conversation partner does not want to talk to you- assume the opposite- assume they want someone to talk to, and they have been waiting for this moment their whole life (yes, this is dramatic, but it is necessary). Go into the conversation with positive vibes, and let the rest come together.

5.

Be yourself- The easiest way to make yourself comfortable is by being yourself. Trying to be someone you’re not will show, so keep calm and relax.

This week, I challenge you to try one of these five tips for making small talk. Places like the elevator, waiting for classes to start, or standing in line for food are some excellent places to test out these tips. See what happens; There are so many people at this school, and you never know how your small talk will impact someone’s day, week, or life. Give it a try and share your experiences by emailing news@theavion.com, then stay tuned for the next issue to see the results.

Page 19

Eco-Friendly Human Factors Abrielle “Abbey” Otero Human Factors Graduate Student Abbey is a graduate student studying Human Factors and is also a student in the Research in User experience (RUX) Lab in the Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology. RUX investigates the usability and user experience of technology in our everyday world. This is a regular column that explores different technologies typically used by Embry-Riddle students.

When you think of sustainability or environmentalism what comes to mind? All the wasteful products we use in our everyday lives? Or maybe the Zero Waste movement? These things all relate to everyday human behaviors having to do with your choice in being more environmentally friendly. As a Human Factors researcher and self-proclaimed environmentalist, I’ve tried to bridge the gap between the two and have come up with a few different approaches and things to consider when doing so.

First and foremost, let’s define environmentalism in a Human Factors design context. Environmental human factors design can be defined as creating solutions that allow and encourage users to be active participants in Page 20

sustainable practices (Heibeck, 2019). This definition may seem broad, but that’s the point. It encompasses ideas pertaining to both physical and digital design implementations (product packaging vs. website design) that can change a user’s behavior to be more environmentally conscious, whether they realize it or not.

To put you into a Human Factors researcher’s shoes, I’ll provide you with two scenarios for the approaches I’ll be presenting - website design and product packaging design.

Website Design

website to reflect this.

The first approach you should follow is to be transparent with their sustainable practices and any environmental goals they may have. Oftentimes this type of information is hidden away in the Frequently Asked Questions page, but if they really want to highlight it there should be a separate page on this information, or even a separate tab at the top in the website’s menu.

This makes a clear statement to potential customers and shows that the company has nothing to hide.

The second approach is to feature the most sustainable

consumer options, whether it’s on the homepage or at the top of product lists.

For example, if your company sells drinkware made of both plastic and recycled materials, you would want to highlight the latter of the two. This exposes these options to consumers and draws their attention towards them.

The third approach is to empower your customers to think more about their environmental footprint. The Malaysian food delivery service GrabFood does a great job at this. By default, plastic cutlery is not provided but if the customer

Let’s imagine that you work for an e-commerce company that has been focusing more on their environmental footprint. They task you with redesigning their Image Courtesy / The Fun Theory

Default cutlery option for GrabFood delivery service.

finds they need it they can opt-in for it.

This makes sense as oftentimes when we order delivery we are at home and have utensils already. Another great way to do this is by displaying and encouraging the most eco-friendly packaging and/or shipping option. E-commerce websites can display the more eco-friendly option of shipping at checkout and on some websites, once you hover over the option there is a blurb about the impact you are making with your decision.

physical user experience design. Imagine you are designing the packaging and unboxing experience for a new product. In order to be more sustainable, one of the first things you want to think about is the lifecycle of your product.

Is the packaging and/ or the product made of materials that will decompose? Or will it stay in the environment and possibly harm wildlife? Something to also consider is the recycling experience of your product.

Is it or its packaging recyclable? Is that an Product Packaging easy process for consumers? These are all Design questions to considThe next scenar- er when designing a io pertains more to

Image Courtesy / The Fun Theory

physical product to make it more environmentally friendly. The last thing to consider is possibly incentivizing consumers to choose the more sustainable option. A great way to do this is through gamification.

As you can see, there is a recycling bin that has numbers attached to it to represent points. Every time someone recycles something in this bin, their point count goes up. This may seem simple and possibly meaningless, but compared to a normal recycling bin, this one had an increase of use by a magnitude of 50 in one day!

What’s the Takeaway?

All of these approaches and considerations not only encourage consumers to be more conscious of their environmental footprint, but they can also help reduce the overall human footprint on the environment. The RUX Lab hopes that whether you’re a designer, engineer, or consumer, you take a look at your actions, think about how they are affecting our environment, and consider how you can change them to be more sustainable.

Recycling bin that gives you points for using it.

Page 21

Aayush Shah Staff Reporter

The NBA All-Star weekend: three days of events, sneaker releases, and a chance for rookies to shine. This year’s All-Star game was special. Actually, that’s putting it mildly. This was a game of a lifetime. With Stephen Curry and LeBron James playing together for the first time, Giannis Antetokounmpo winning the MVP, and Curry and Damian Lillard shooting threes, this game was something never seen before.

Curry and Lillard shot the rock from everywhere, especially the logo, and more than once. Giannis put on one hell of a show. This man was laughing, joking around, and scoring

Page 22 X

Image Courtesy/ Kevin C. Cox (Getty Images)

all at the same time. Lillard and Curry is an unexpected yet unsurprising duo. Both scored 28+ points playing less than 25 minutes. No wonder Curry won the three-point challenge. Anfernee Simons, playing his second year with the Portland Trail Blazers, won the 2021 NBA slam dunk contest. Lillard and Simons brought recognition to their teams. Zach LaVine and Zion Williamson had their own little moment when they were mic’d up and interviewed each other.

The game was very entertaining and raised 3 million dollars for charity but the game was missing some worthy players. Yes, I am talking about Jimmy Butler. Butler’s performance in the last season and this season deserves the spotlight, and the all-star game would have been big for Butler’s career.

Image Courtesy/ Dale Zanine (USA TODAY)

March 14-20, 2021

HOROSCOPES

ARIES (Mar 21/Apr 20) Concern about the plight of the less fortunate could be on your mind, Aries.

You may have many questions about humanitarian issues and be wondering how to get involved.

TAURUS (Apr 21/May 21) You normally are a very active person, Taurus. Figure out ways to channel that activity into something for the greater good as well as something that can benefit you.

GEMINI (May 22/Jun 21) This week you will enjoy a break where you can relax and decompress for a change, Gemini. Maybe you can use it as an opportunity to be introspective and forward-thinking.

CANCER (Jun 22/Jul 22) Cancer, you enjoy caring for others and regularly put your needs aside to cater to friends and family. But this week you are the one who needs advice and help.

LEO (Jul 23/Aug 23)

Try to find things that can keep you occupied at home while you wait for an appointment or spend a lot of time indoors, Leo. Home projects may be an option.

VIRGO (Aug 24/Sept 22) Virgo, friends keep calling but you may not be in the mood to do the receiving.

Don’t isolate for too long, as support from others is important and beneficial.

LIBRA (Sept 23/Oct 23) Do not fight the thoughts or feelings that are running through you this week, Libra.

Some may not pan out, but something may come through that sets a new course for you.

SCORPIO (Oct 24/Nov 22) Sometimes you can be a bit vague when it comes to relationships, Scorpio.

Be clear about your intentions if you are thinking of getting into a new relationship.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23/Dec 21) Learning how to read other people’s emotions can help you learn to interact

with and support those around you, Sagittarius. Practice your skills of perception.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22/Jan 20) Capricorn, even though you have a solid game plan in place, you may experience a few challenges along the way.

Use these experiences to learn from your mistakes.

AQUARIUS (Jan 21/Feb 18) This week you may have a conversation with someone who opens your eyes to entirely new possibilities, Aquarius. Embrace this exciting time.

PISCES (Feb 19/Mar 20) Don’t avoid conflict at all costs, Pisces.

Rather, learn effective ways to face any and all events that come your way. You’ll be more well-rounded.

Finished all of the puzzles for this week? Be the first to email us a picture of your solutions to business@theavion. to get a prize!

Executive Board Editor-in-Chief Victoria Jordan

editor@theavion.com

Managing Editor Korbin Martin managing@theavion.com

News Editor Andrea Gamble

news@theavion.com

Photo Editor Hunter Lyons

photo@theavion.com

Business Manager Salim Roig business@theavion.com

@theavionnewspaper @The_Avion @TheAvion

Contributors

Photographers Reporters Malik Turner Korbin Martin Christian Muller Salim Roig

Andrea Gamble Hunter Lyons Dylan Kowlessar Victoria Jordan Aayush Shah Korbin Martin Carly McDonald Abbey Ortero Gianna Castano Chirag Mehrotra Abbey Spencer Naomi Rodriguez Johan Restrepo

Staff Advisor Jessica Murphy

Director of Student Leadership and Engagement

Page Editors

Cover Korbin Martin Victoria Jordan Campus Dylan Kowlessar Andrea Gamble Victoria Jordan Emily Parcell Malik Turner Advertisements Victoria Jordan Sports Samir Khairi Korbin Martin Entertainment Aayush Shah Industry & Technology Salim Roig Puzzles & Games Taylor Berley Copy Editors Marlena Purcel Abigail Laveroni

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