My involvement in FIRST has absolutely affected my career choice.
If I had not been a part of FIRST, I probably wouldn't have decided to major in mechanical engineering. Most likely, I would have pursued a science major (science has been a lifelong passion of mine), but FIRST introduced me to the world of engineering - a realm which I had little exposure to in elementary school.
Through FIRST, I discovered a different talent of mine - the ability to lead design teams and create mechanisms. If it weren't for the work I did on my team, I never would have discovered how much I loved doing teamwork to come up with a design solution to an engineering problem.
In my career, I am going to combine my old scientific passions with my newer engineering ones - by designing tools which help scientists do their research. For me, this will be a perfect combination of science and engineering. I am probably going to dual major in meteorology or marine science to facilitate this career direction.
FIRST was the perfect introduction to engineering for me because of it's hands-on nature. Having a taste of what it is like to do real-world design projects will hopefully serve to inspire me to work hard in college. I have always found school to be difficult because it lacks real-world applications, and I have never been good at "book work". Thanks to FIRST, however, I have a clear understanding of the rewards of earning that degree (even if the academic aspects of it are frustrating). Even after high school, FIRST is still inspiring me not to give up on myself. For me, the goal is still in sight.
-- Jaine