Hello! My name is Abby Easterday and I am a junior studying Mechanical Engineering. I graduated from Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy in Melbourne, Florida in 2013. My favorite class at UCF so far has been Engineering Analysis Statics with Dr. Ricardo Zaurin. It was a very challenging class that took a lot of time and effort, but it was worth it in the end because it taught me how to think like an engineer. My favorite professor at UCF so far was my Calculus I Professor Dr. Brian Moore. He was a great professor, but most of all he told amazing stories. From bear maze to rockets at NASA, I learned a lot that somehow always related back to Calculus. I love the GEMS program because it has given me the opportunity to learn a lot about my major and other STEM majors. It has also given me the opportunity to meet some amazing people such as friends, peer mentors, and professionals in industry. In my free time I like to play guitar, kayak, go to the beach, watch movies, or just hang out with friends.Work hard, go to class, don't be afraid to go to office hours, and to take advantage of every opportunity you have.