Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Hey guys,

My friends have been bagging on me for taking this competition too seriously. What's your opinion? I read the five sections of the rules (recently released) furiously, looking for changes and comparing them to the rules of last year, and some of my friends think this is doing too much.

Am I too obsessed with the competition?

What do you guys think about people who seem too "into" FIRST and the competition?

-fabbuki

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

I would say FIRST is quite an addiction.............but one of the BEST addictions you'll ever have.

On a bright note: you have to set your own boundries. Obviously there are things MORE important than FIRST, eg school, parents, family etc etc. Just make sure you set your priorities right........and than this addiction can be LOTS AND LOTS of fun :D

Imad

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

They aren't taking it seriously enough. This is real. This is hard. This, is FIRST.

Absolutely not. Have you taken a look in my direction?

I think I'm a wonderful person. :D

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Obsessed maybe. Inspired yes. :D

I think the time that I wrote this post speaks louder than words. lol

As long as you use your addiction to FIRST for either good or for awesome, then it's all good. :D

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

My friends think i'm way to serious about this stuff too, but everyone in here is right for what they have to say. It's addicting, it's healthy, and most of us on the forums are just as addicted. (check out the people still fiddling over that evil clue) I get made fun of by my fellow team members about taking every thing I do so seriously, but honestly i've never been more inspired to do the things I do now, and as my inspiration rises does does my passion, and I do more and more for the team. I can't stop. I'm addicted to FIRST. FIRST is my Anti-drug, and in my opinion if it can light a fire in your heart to burn with passion, and you can maintain that fine line between passionate and crazy; then go for it. Power to Passion.

...go FIRST!... :cool:

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Too much FIRST? Too addicted? I'm sorry... you have reached an impossible thought path... please rotate your phone 90 degrees and try again. Seriously, There is no such thing as being too addicted to something that is entirely beneficial.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

well from a purely utilitarian view point if FIRST causes a lot of pleasure for every one and pain to no one then yes there can be no such thing as too much FIRST . . but a virtueist would say that too much time spent in FIRST would push you towards lowered grades, lowered social interactions(outside of FIRST), and a generally unrounded individual. while the egoist would say what ever floats your boat.

(see mom I learn things in college)

so I would say yes you can spend too much time with FIRST . . . but not during jan - mid feb.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

but FIRST involves school, parents, family etc etc....at least it does at our house!

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

i do feel that some people take it too far, and forget that FIRST is merely a means to an end (the end result being that we completely change the world for the better). granted, this is based off of my opinion of how far is too far, so this is really a qualitative judgement.

words of wisdom, here; though often, it can be difficult finding where those boundaries lie

this is not always the case; being a member of a FRC team can be extremely involved, especially for team leaders and mentors. from time to time, i'll have students complain to me that there parents/teachers "don't understand how important FIRST is, because they want them to quit the team, and focus on there (rapidly dropping) grades"; to which i counter that maybe the student(s) in question don't realize how important their grades are. you're going to have a difficult time becoming an engineer, if your grades aren't good enough to get you into college.

FIRST can be extremely difficult and time intensive, especially if you're heavily involved in your team; your grades, and lifestyle will take a hit if you're not careful. this is often the case for college mentors; if you look at my grades during the spring semesters compared to the others, they are lower. luckily, there hasn't been any significant effects for me, but that isn't the case for everybody. you have to be prepared if you want to be a college mentor; it ain't for everybody. this thread is a good one for anyone thinking about it...

with that said, i'm going into my seventh consecutive year of FIRST, and i feel that all of them have been worthwhile. i feel that i've contributed to the students and teachers on my team, that i have learned a tremendous amount that i would've otherwise missed out on. if it's at all possible, i feel that all engineering students should mentor a FIRST team, simply to learn how to deal with real world engineering problems. i'm hoping to get my capstone group to work with my robotics team, in an effort to expose more people to FIRST.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

yes.


While I agree with most people there is defiantly an addictive quality to FIRST, and there can be many worse things in life, I also believe that there are quite a few people who take it too seriously. I believe that these people mostly fall into 3 categories.

*People who's priorities are screwed up - When FIRST is the only thing in your life that you care about, or you put it above everything else. While FIRST is a great program there is much more to life then it. People should have a balance of activities they are involved while still keeping site of what is important. Things like family and school are 2 examples of those things which must come above FIRST ALWAYS. Remember that while FIRST may expose you to Engineering you still need a diploma (High School and College) to actually be an engineer or whatever you major in.


*People who have lost the focus - There are people who are way to concerned with specific elements of the program to the extent of unhealthiness. FIRST is a program designed to expose students to different fields in science and technology. While there are many elements of the program, that still remains the overall goal. If your goal is to do nothing but collect trophies, and gain recognition for your involvement I urge you to re-evaluate why you are involved with the program.



*People who use/abuse FIRST - The program is great for opening up opportunities, and connections for people, both on the team level and individually. This is unique to FIRST in which it gives participants the ability to interact with previously un-reachable people and organizations. While that is a great side effect of the program there are people who abuse this situation. Being involved in FIRST for the sole purpose to get better jobs and meet people for the intent of "name dropping" in the future is unacceptable. This does not go to say that if you have the right perspective on the program and good things happen as a result it is bad, but unfortunately there are those with nothing but this in mind.


Just like in any situation there is no black and white answer or scenario which can apply to every person. People need to decide for themselves what their goals and level of involvement is, hopefully thinking carefully about their decisions. One of the best things I can advise, especially for mentors, on this was told to me by Paul Kloberg, "Is what I am doing right now helping the kids in the program or the program itself?" This is something I always as myself before I make a FIRST decision and I think it has served me well so far.

Overall I think that most people in FIRST have the right idea and are doing things for the right purpose of having fun and advancing science and technology fields. Just think from time to time and you will be fine.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Here's my stance:

If you are getting sick over FIRST, you've taken it too far.

If your grades are bombing, you've taken it too far.

If your family has a crisis and you are still in the shop, you've taken it too far.

If your family has a celebration that you are skipping for FIRST, you've taken it too far.

Those are the rules I live by. Just about everything else is fine.

There are times where you'll have to sacrifice from school for FIRST; there are times when you'll have to sacrifice from FIRST for school, and there are times when family is more important than school and FIRST, and there are times where you just need to stay home to sleep out that all-nighter before shipdate. Just don't let it get too far out of balance. Things will get real ugly real fast if you don't keep balanced. Pay attention to your health, family, and grades. Don't get tunnel vision.

JBot

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Second that.
I don't think that you can spend too much time on FIRST until it hurts other areas of your life. If it's your free time, do it on something you love and don't regret it.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

I think that there is no too much time beeing spent on first during build season, but if your'e logged on to Chief Delphy during may refreshing the main window hoping for new posts' not by you' during May, i'd say you've taken it too far...
As for myself' im addicted, god know i am, but there are still right proportions.
dont stay home staring at the clue on Christmess =]

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

I believe way too many people take it too seriously. Their is general excitement in the air about kick off and such, but the post of the game hint only taking 4 minutes from email blast to new thread is almost disturbing. Then the post count within the first 45min was also quite strange. Maybe someone should start a FIRST Anonymous meeting to try to help the tragicly addicted...

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

My wife certainly thinks so.
I probably do but I don't care because it's so much fun (and it is helpful to so many people. Kids and even adults).

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Nope, I'm not addicted.................... MUCH

I struggle with this issue all of the time. I have a problem with saying no. It becomes really hard when I really enjoy what I am being asked to do. I sometimes get burnt out (at least twice a year) and become more grumpy that usual. This does not bode well for me or the program. We must all balance ourselves and if you have problems doing that we must find someone that we believe in to put a hand on our shoulder and hold us back. FIRST can become all consuming. Take my advice and do not let it take over your life. Make it a big part and you will benefit huge but let it take over and you lose.

Now back to more CD.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Seriously Yes. It can be a problem. You need to balance things. We try and do non-robot things as a team just to break the tension.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Yes it can. And I always thank my none robotics freinds for letting me put them on the back burner when I need to go do robotics work and cant hang out. And also when I start streaming out robotics ideas and the listen even though I know they have no idea what I am talking about. FIRST is great but everything in life needs to be balanced. Also, when you grades start dropping you might need to not commit so much time to FIRST.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Don't take life too seriously. You'll never get out of it alive. - Elbert Hubbard

I suppose this could be modified to replace "life" with "FIRST". While I think that FIRST is a phenomonal experience for all who are involved in it, I agree with what others have said here - you need balance. Does that mean that you can't be serious and intense about robotics? No. Actually I prefer to refer to it as passionate. I'm passionate about my family, my faith, my career, my students, and FIRST. They are all important things to me and I do my best to prioritize and balance them effectively.

Those who think we're a bit loopy because of our passion for FIRST have either never experienced it first-hand or just don't get it. And, as the saying goes, we mock that which we do not understand.

Bottom line - keep your passion for FIRST and don't let others spoil your fun!

Sean

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Yea, you can take FIRST too seriously, as with most things. FIRST, while great, has its place, and certain things should take priority. Good luck prioritizing, you'll probably need it.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

bingo! i say, if FIRST is what makes you happy, then by all means get involved, but not to the point where you're sick, failing, or on the rocks with family.

balance is key to getting the most out of the experience.

just my $0.02 as a fellow FIRST addict. :)

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

It's possible to take anything too seriously, and that's always a bad thing. =P

Aside from what others have said about priorities, I'd add that you need to remember to keep things in perspective. It can be easy to get carried away and lose sight of the actual purpose of what you're doing. If you're going crazy trying to design the most innovative drivetrain you can imagine, that's cool and all, but not if you turn into some crazy person who yells at anyone who disagrees with you and has stopped learning and inspiring others. (An extreme example, but you get the idea.)

In high school I had a conversation with one of my mentors about keeping perspective during rough times and laughing at life, and he told me something that he said he always advised his kids: If it's worth doing, it's worth laughing about.

If you're not laughing anymore, then yeah, you're taking FIRST too seriously.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

I think Greg made a wonderful point; there are times when you CAN take FIRST too seriously. If you're in it for the fun, the experience, and the knowledge, then it's okay to take a break sometimes. You will still get a TON from this program, even if you sit back and breathe for a few hours a day. It's GREAT that you have such a passion for the program, run with that, but remember to take a break once in a while.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Well it seems that most of the previous posters have pretty much said the same thing ad nauseum, so there is nothing further to add there. As a mentor, however, I would have LOVED to had a few of the team members (aside from adults) study the rules and all their permutations. I am always begging them to learn the rules...puhleeeeeze read the rules! Even some of the mentors on our team seem to lack in this department. I feel like I have to constantly monitor the build to ensure no rules are being violated. So my motto is, if you are going to do something, go all the way and do it right!

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

I believe you are too addicted when you start letting opportunities pass you by.

Right now may not be the best time for this, but sometime take a step back from FIRST and force yourself to take in every possibility around you. Discover something new, take a vacation, and when you are ready, come back with 150% effort and a little more wisdom.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Last year, I took FIRST way too seriously. I made it my first priority with everything. Yeah... it did bring about chairmans and the championship and all that, but it screwed up a lot of other things - and the process wasnt entirely fun. To a point, I even ignored friends and family. Was it worth it? I ask myself all the time. But my suggestion is not to take FIRST that seriously and learn to have fun with other things and keep the other things at a higher priority than FIRST(Like your school work, even though you learn more in FIRST:D). Addiction to almost anything is bad, so learn to control yourself and your life. Don't let an addiction control you and your life.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

In my opinion, everyone is a little obsessed with something. Having a FIRST obsession is much better than having a crack addiction...

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Steve touches on a good point here. Basically, there are two types of stress that we deal with: Good Stress happens when we are energized and invigorated, and all those pleasant brain chemicals are released -- this is what FIRST should be. Bad Stress occurs when things seem to become chaotic and out of our control -- this is what FIRST should not become. Steve has specifically mentioned burnout, and that is one area of bad stress that many of us will go through during the upcoming season. Mentally, step back away from the program once in a while and consider whether the task has become one you find unenjoyable. If it has, seek out others on your team who will still view it as a welcome challenge. Working on an unenjoyable task often will close your mind to the myriad solutions that may be available.

One method we use to keep the "good stress" on our team is to recognize accomplishments every evening during the business portion of our meetings. Whether it's a breakthrough design for a robot component, or the realization that a brainstormed idea isn't going to pan out and a change of direction is needed, something significant is being accomplished continuously. This period of recognition allows us to celebrate the work being done by the students on each of our sub-teams, and in turn invigorates and encourages that sub-team to go and accomplish even more.

Recognition and respect for each others accomplishments is a key component to developing fully as a team.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Good points that have already been brought up: FIRST becomes an unhealthy addiction as soon as it becomes an unalterable priority, or important beyond the scope of everyday life.

As far as being extremely interested in it, devoting time to it- thats fine. No different than kids shooting hoops whenever they have time, or even reading. It is a constructive use of time, but like anything, when it grasps hold of your entire motivation and initiative, you've gone to far. I have. Just remember to pull the reigns back a bit!

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Thanks for the advice, you guys rock.

-fabbuki

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Yes, it is entirely possible to take FIRST and any other organization too seriously. FIRST is hard fun, it's addicting, you get that rush when something you design or build works for the first time. It's entirely possible to become too involved in FIRST though.

I almost did it last semester - I was heading up a Lego League tournament at Purdue and I was attempting to mentor team 1646 twice a week on top of 19 credit hours. I was stretched too thin and I knew it. You have to make accommodations in your schedule and life for FIRST, it's a big commitment. Next semester, since I've had three particularly heavy semesters, I'm going to take a lighter one - only 12 credit hours. This will give me enough time to mentor 1646 full time during build season, travel with them and Purdue FIRST, and do a project that I've wanted to do now for a long time with FIRST but have never had the time to do it. Keep your eyes peeled for something cool ;)

Just don't bite off more than you can chew and your experience will be much more enjoyable and rewarding.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

I think we can become too serious in some ways and we can devote way too many hours to this wonder called FIRST. The lead teacher on 418 sets a schedule that we adhere to and he strives to help the team (all of us) remember that school comes first. The mentors and parents support his efforts, trying to keep the team (all of us) focused, fed, sane. Of course free time is another matter and that is where each person has to step in and take responsibility. That is part of the learning process, time management.

One reason that I care about FIRST is our outreach. As is the case with many of our FIRST teams, 418 does outreach with students and young people who don't readily have access to engineering concepts and to teenagers that enjoy and want to share their passion for math, science, technology. That is the source of my own passion and it is also where I have to find the balance. I work at it.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

You know, I have 2 big addictions in my life right now: ice cream, and FIRST. While the prior may not be great for my health, I think I'm doing just fine with FIRST.

I go from one thing to another, throwing myself completely into whatever I do. I get very into things and give a lot of my time to them. That's what I do, that's who I am. People can tell me that what I do is right or wrong, or even make fun of me for doing it (::cough:: rest of the mentors on my team ::cough:: ) but that's how I am. I know myself. I know what I can handle. I know how far is too far and how much is not enough (for the most part).

I say that if you find something you love, go for it. I still hang out with friends and family, and only missed the Dean's List this semester by .1 (darn law class...). Don't forget to breathe, look around you and smell the roses from time to time, but if you love something, do it. Enjoy doing what you do. If you enjoy your life, what you're doing in it, and how you're living it, then what other people say or think doesn't matter.

Those are my thoughts on the subject, and right or wrong, that is how they will likely remain. Those who know me know that it is rather difficult to change my mind when I've made it up. Now, I must go and see if I can find any of addiction #1 in the freezer... ;)

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Yes.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

take FIRST too seriously?-

I should say "yes" but then I ask myself "what else would I be doing?"

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

I think it depends on what you hope to get out of FIRST. For me, my entire family is involved with robotics and all of my friends are on a team somewhere around the city. This makes it easy for me to ballance everything. My average day usually consists of school, robotics, eating, and sleeping. Although it doesn't leave time for much free time, I don't care, because I'd be building robots in my freetime anyway. I also plan on attending MIT and becomming some sort of engineer (ME or CS... not sure which yet), so FIRST helps me contact people who can help me.

I can effortlessly say that FIRST is my life.

If your situation is similar to mine, then I think it's impossible to be too serious. If FIRST is just another activity for you, then it might be a little extreme...

...but it can never be to extreme if you're having fun!!!:D

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Ya know....there is a famous quote I live by...unfortunately I cant remember who said it....

"Life is far too important to take seriously."

I think that we as folks get passionate about what we do and often we forget to just sit back and enjoy what we have.

I think the same goes for FIRST. If you take it too seriously, you may miss out on the things that really made you love FIRST. Not to mention...all that time you spend trying to solve the puzzle of "does the letter R in Dave Lavery's name stand for Rawlings, which makes footballs, and a banana is shaped like a football, so therefore the game piece must be football tee's" could be taking away from time you could be using to to very important things in life....like pass school, or get a job.

Trust me kids...FIRST is great. But going through life without having to wonder if that next check will be enough to pay the electric bill....thats way more important.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Take FIRST too seriously? I guess so

If you...
hurt yourself intentionally because of FIRST somehow
Neglect your family because of FIRST
hurt others
and stuff like that

otherwise, it's just having fun!

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Quick awnser is yes.

Everything is good in moderation but when it gets too much, you will suffer in the end.

Pavan.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Hello. My name is Katie and I'm addicted to FIRST. This is my first time here.....

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

who doesnt take FIRST to serioulsy at some point or another?!?

i know i do...very seriously...

~Alex~

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

My answer is yes. I try to keep my priorities in order, but I do find myself taking FIRST way too seriously sometimes. FIRST is not everything to me, but it is a lot.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

We are FIRST... you will be assimilated! :eek:

Just remember to have fun and enjoy it... if your robot crash and burns in the first round, its NOT the end of the world. :D

You've already gone over the edge.
 

Chea you're taking it too seriously. I mean c'mon, they're rules. The only changes are changes to Goggle policy (whoa we can use ANSI side shields now, I'm so excited... not).

A lot of people focus too much on the rules and the game and the competition and all that stuff in FIRST. The game is nice and all, but it's all about the engineering. I mean c'mon, on the thread about the new rules, five guys spent 30 posts talking about being able to bring music into the pits. Music!

So fabb, I wouldn't go nuts on the rules, and I'd keep my addiction to FIRST down. Remember, moderation in all things.

-Jak

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Never. FIRST is love, FIRST is life.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Holy mother of old thread

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

I brought it back from the Dead Thread!

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Bringing it back would be adding to the discussion in a meaningful way. So far after you posted in it, 3/4 posts have been about you posting in it.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Crazy is what lazy people say to describe the dedicated.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Is it possible to revive threads that are too dead?

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Can we seriously talk about this subject instead of making posts about how a dead thread was revived? Please?

This thread was started right before the 2007 season. Approximately 1300 teams competed. It was the year that MOE won Chairman's. At the end of 2014 season, over 2,700 teams competed and Team RUSH earned a HoF spot. Between the time this thread was first posted and now, we've gone through EIGHT seasons. Enough time for a full turnover of students. Twice.

In that time period the number of competing teams has doubled. We've seen the introduction of districts. Almost every team bags their robot now. They're no longer at the mercy of when FedEx shows up. Un-bag windows and withholding allowances are standard. Practice bots are aplenty. More and more teams are playing at least two events. The increasing number of districts alone makes that a reality.

I've heard many mentors complain about some of these changes. They feel like build season no longer lasts just 6.5 weeks. Even if you "finish" your robot in six weeks, you can always still improve. And because you've got the withholding allowance, why shouldn't you? Instead of taking a break, you should be making spare parts or fine-tuning the manipulator you withheld. We've made it easier for teams to compete, but have we also made it harder for students and mentors to have life outside of robotics?

I understand that FIRST is very much "real life engineering". You don't have enough money, you're under-staffed, you're not quite sure what the customer wants, requirements change, and they want it yesterday. And by yesterday, we actually mean last week. And sometimes, you have all of those problems at once! Many of our mentors deal with this at work. And then they mentor a team where they're juggling FIRST, work/school, and a home life. (We're quite the masochists, aren't we?)

Are we taking FIRST too seriously? Spouses joke about losing their other half for a few months every year. In high school, my parents and I joked about changing my address to our build site because I spent far more time there than I did at home. And for some, it isn't really a joke. Between school and robotics I left my house at 7:15 and didn't get home until at least 9:00pm, if not later. Students and mentors alike get sick because they're not eating or sleeping properly. Grades drop. If someone isn't on the team or with you at work/school, you don't see them for a while.


I would like to us to examine why we let ourselves get so caught up in FIRST. FIRST is so much more than a "high school competition". Trust me, I get that. Are we truly taking it too seriously? I'm sure than to an outsider (or some parents/spouses/friends) our time investment and level of commitment is absolutely insane. Is there a breaking point and are we approaching it? Alternately, for those of you who have been around for a longer time: have you found yourself/team less invested? If so, why? If you maintain what you consider to be a healthy balance between robotics and not-robotics, how do you manage to do so?

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Thank you...

I started in 2005 and FIRST sure has grown. Its really awesome how big its become. However, when I started it was just 6 weeks, then we met maybe once a week to prep for competition. Now its basically 4 months solid (not to mention off season).

For me I lived and breathed FIRST in high school, especially as a junior and senior. The only break I would take was for the golf team in the fall. Fall semester we mostly did fund raising so things weren't quite so "go-go-go" for those months. Spring semester however I was just like many others, at school from 7am til after 9pm. Similar jokes were said in my family of me just taking a cot and living in the shop (there actually were showers nearby too).

The best thing that happened to me was going to college where the nearest FRC team was 2.5 hours away. While my freshman year I missed being apart of a team, but it forced me to focus on school. I learned that there is a lot more out there other than FIRST. My time away let me grow up. I am really glad that I'm now able to come back as a mentor, but school, family, and career must come first. I've seen way too many people not finish school or take much longer than necessary because they want to stay with FIRST. Also I have spoken with mentors who have lost marriages and families over the amount of time spent with robotics...this is sad and should never happen.

I guess my question back would be, how much time would someone truly dedicated to a sport (football, basketball, baseball, etc) put in? My guess is it would be about the same. How many hours per week do high school football coaches put in in comparison to an FRC mentor?

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Pursuing your interests with passion and vigor is an admirable trait and should be encouraged. Allowing a single pursuit to dominate your life will stunt your development in many other areas and is probably unhealthy.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

My cheeky answer is that I don't think it's possible to spend too much time with FIRST... just too little time on other things ;)

Seriously though, if you allow much of your life to revolve around FIRST, but you draw in the other VERY important things like career, family, health, etc... then you can have a life that appears to be very FIRST centered, without neglecting the remainder.

For example, my dad is coming into town this weekend. Typically, we might hang around the house, watch TV, etc. This weekend, we're going up to the school and moving our build space to our new classroom. So I'm "doing FIRST", but also getting to spend time with my dad (who is an engineer and gets a kick out machine shops). Many of my friends are my "robot friends" so I'm not choosing FIRST over them, I'm choosing FIRST with them. Same thing with my job... my employer values the exposure of FIRST and the personal development opportunities I get through it... so they don't see the excessive robotics time as a downside in the long run. Yes, if a project is due in February and I can't work 80 hrs a week to knock it out, they might grumble, but I also tried to shift loads this year to avoid missing any key deadlines at work b/c of FIRST. I'm also really looking forward to some day raising my own robot kids, and potentially using my maker hobbies as a way to bond with my own children.

So yes, if you have poor health, low grades, loss of friends/family... and at the same time spending a lot of time in FIRST... and think additional time would fix your problems, cut back. FIRST should amplify the rest of your life, not overshadow it.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

When you ask the question, you already have your answer.

Re: Is It Possible to Take FIRST too seriously?
 

Just look at the names of the people who posted back in 2006 when this thread started. How many of those people are still working with teams? How many have gone on to college, a career, and come back to FIRST. Helped start multiple new FIRST teams. Won the World Championship.

Really read the thoughts of the people that posted then and are still around today. I bet they have all grown in huge ways but still feel the draw to FIRST.