[rsegrest]

Tom is right. If you look at some of the smaller and yet highly successful teams they do not always try to accomplish everything the challenge entails. They pick one thing to focus on and they do it very well. You should try to do the same thing. Figure out what you are truly interested in whether it be mechaincal, electrical, programming, or design and focus on that area.

I would also suggest something I implemented on my team last year which is an A/B schedule. I do not know how your team is run but I do not require every team memeber to be here every night (I'm the only one who gets to do that). Talk to your mentors about you being there every other night (i.e. Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Tuesday/Thursday whichever works best for you). This gives you some down time as well as being able to keep up with your school work AND allows other students to be there to work as well. It worked well for our team although they were not happy about not being able to be here every night. I am almost positive your mentors will tell you that school work must come first (or that there must be a balance) so that you can continue to participate on the team.

If you are a rookie member of the team then know this, FIRST is a very demanding, high intensity, and fantastic project. Burn out can be common in many roles (even mentors) but it is also one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. It has the potential to change your life and not just in terms of attending college. At this point the most important thing you can do is talk to your mentors and if they are true mentors they will help you figure out how to balance your school work and the team. As a student you are the lifeblood of the organization and our teams and that makes you a very important part of the bigger picture.