Hmm ... I'm usually a walking zomby after a physics lecture (my teacher can get ... well lets just say 'uninteresting' at times). A couple of sleepless nights machining/programming can be just the refreshment needed to get through another day
Anyway, it sure does seem that the trips are closer together this year. I've missed almost a week of school already last month and now Houston is coming up. But there are ALWAYS going to be conflicts like this in life -- and I see yet another benefit of FIRST is that it gives students the opportunity to practice time management. Will some students fall behind in classes? Sure; appropriate measures should be taken, and they'll learn from it hopefully.
I don't know, maybe I'm somewhat different from some other people. I tend to do better if I don't listen to my teachers (but then again, maybe that says something about them
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