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What I'm Giving Up
Here is what I give up to do FIRST:
1) The ability to graduate in May (I'm doing my Master's degree now and I need two classes to graduate. There is no way that I'll be able to do two classes, work full time, AND do FIRST. I really don't know how I do one class.)
2) About an extra 200 mile per week on my car (and the cost that goes along with that).
3) Study time (see #1 above).
4) Sleep - especially the last three weeks before shipping.
5) Skiing. I used to ski at least twice a month. Since I started FIRST in 1997, I've skied 3 times.
6) Music - I don't get to play my drums or piano during FIRST since any non-FIRST or non-work time is spent on school.
7) Time with family and friends. Most of my friends and family live about a 4 hour drive away. I typically don't get to visit from January until May (any weekends that aren't directly tied up with FIRST are spent catching up on school work).
8) Working relationships. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, someone at work always holds the FIRST team against you. For instance, even if you send a message to everyone saying to not schedule a meeting during a regional (and you give the dates), someone ALWAYS schedules an important "mandatory" meeting on one of the days and balmes you for saying you can't make it.
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