Re: Stress
 

excellent post!

before college I enlisted in the Coast Guard (4 years) search and rescue crewman. We had to do things like going out on the atlantic off florida during gales to rescue people

and one night we had to rescue a boat full of drunken fishermen from the rapids above Niagara Falls (we could clearly see the mist of the falls from where we were)

sometimes people at work ask me how I say so calm when the sky appears to be falling? No matter what happens at work (or at a regional), you will NOT be in danger of going over Niagara falls in a 44ft boat.

Perspective is wonderfull! :^)

Re: Stress
 

The last two years our team has had the same driver and operator. I was the operator. One of my best friends was the driver. Let's just say that it was only my training as a musician that kept me from cracking under the stress (especially during quarter and semi final rounds). The way I dealt with it was by compartmentalizing the match. I had learned to tune the outer world out and merely concentrate on getting one thing accomplished at a time. An extremely linear and straightforward approach which allowed me to do each task accurately and efficiently. It worked, I would consistently perform operations as if I was back at our high school practicing, and not until the end would I realize "man, there were many hundreds of people watching me". My best personal advice to someone that is having trouble with the stress is get some practice at your school (or wherever you build) if possible. Run through routines with your driver/operator, and then when you get to competition, just focus on the robot and field elements (Never look at the crowd!). When you decide what to do next in the match, you need to merely focus on trying to accomplish that goal, make that goal your entire world, nothing else matters at that moment except your goal. Try this, it is simple, yet it seems to work for me, because it clears my head and allows me to drive out most of the stressful thoughts. Good luck to everyone!

Re: Stress
 

Wow, I never realized stress was such an issue at the competition. I was the mechanism operator for team 1318 last year, and I never, not once, felt stressed about a match. I guess I knew that thinking about it wouldn't help, and I just played it cool. I did my thing to the best of my ability, and when I finished, I was done, and knew I couldn't have done better, however the match was played.

In the end, it isn't a life or death matter. You go in, you do your best, and you go out. And no one can think less of you for it.

Re: Stress
 

You know, you probably have a point. I have a very competitive personality by nature, and the driver has a very tough time making mistakes (doesnt take it very well). Between the two of us and our bellowing coach, we just get ourselves into such a mindset that it does feel very intense. That's just us, I suppose. It problably changes team to team.

Healthy...up for debate
Fun...mixed bag when your experiencing it
Worth it...Absolutely. It really just adds to the fun of the competition being able to get into it that much.