Last year was my first year there. There is an interesting story behind it, but it may be long-winded, I'll just have to see when I'm done typing. Feel free to skip it
Last year, we prequalified for the championships on the tier system, but we would have qualified using the points system as well (One EI award, one sportsmanship award, and one regional finalist). I was stoked to go since when we registered. It was to be the pinnacle in my then-short FIRST carreer.
During the season I got very sick, but I did not know it yet. When our team traveled to Phoenix, my health went downhill, and I started a slide that made me lose about 30 pounds between then and Championships (5 weeks!). I went into restrictive dieting, which in turn lessened my appetite, which led to more weight loss.
At this point, it was looking very dismal for me to be going to Atlanta. I wanted to go, but it seemed like my body didn't. I talked with a new doctor the weekend of the SoCal regional, and some of my restrictive dieting was lifted. So now I could eat, but of course my travel was a question.
I eventually made a decision (originally against the will of my family) to go to championships. Why should I lose the opportunity of a lifetime just because my body wasn't cooperating? My family eventually supported the decision, so I ended up going.
Now Championships was on my birthday, so I was a bit depressed about not being able to have a cake or anything for the first time in my life. However, as soon as I got to championships, the depression was lifted. I was inspired by all of the people there. I didn't really have the courage to speak up at the webhug, but I was still thrilled to be in the prescence of such FIRSTers as Andy Baker, Bill Beatty, and many, many more.
So it turned out that going to championships went off without a hitch. Despite not having an ideal birthday, the regret of not talking to anybody at the webhug, or our team coming in last in our division, I still came home knowing that I was happier than when I left.
The moral of the story: going to championships can change your life! I only hope that next year, everyone can have the same experience as I had!
Wow, that did turn out long winded. To everyone who read to this point (or even skimmed), thank you.
-Daniel