[Mitch1525]

I know that through FIRST I have met people all over the country. I'm actually going to visit my first FIRST friend who's at college this weekend and when I told her, she was so excited that she couldn't really put it into words.

It's a funny thing, FIRST. This is my third year in FRC, and when people ask me to describe it, I can't. I just can never find the right words to describe the feeling of belonging. People I've never met treated me like their best friend. People at my school just can't understand what that feeling is. I mean, I've lived it and I can't describe it.

My best friend is on our FIRST team and although we've gone through some hard times (stressing because the robot wasn't going to get finished!!) we've come MUCH closer; we never thought it was possible as we've been best friends since pre-K, but FIRST is crazy like that. It strenghens bonds and forms bonds where there weren't any.

Your story inspires me to go and meet more people involved in FIRST. If 1525 goes to Championships, my goal is going to be to make the largest list possible of people that were there. I want to meet someone from every team, and then keep in contact. That's my goal, so what's yours?