[thoughtful]

Yes, exams are often a problem, here in Torono we have our final exams for semester 1 in last week of january. Although what we do is that we let people who can spare 2-3 hours come in every day and work on the robot or other parts of the competition. Also its a good thing to plan out the robot to every single details, figure out what additional materials you need and order them, this is a time saver. Make sure you have a timeline, that lists your goals (e.t.c when the chasis is gonna be made, when the arm will be made, minor details also, like when the gears will be fabricated..)

Other than that just work hard, have fun, and ask help if you need it, thats what FIRST is all about.