How often do you worry you're behind?

[jblay]

So long as you have a plan to finish a bot and you are meeting your schedule everyday you know you are going to be fine. Its tough seeing all these teams that already have so much done but every team moves at its own pace. We don't build a single part of our bot until the start of week 3 and we've finished as early as week 4. It's all about having a plan and going at your own pace and dealing with the eventual chaos that is build season.

[davidthefat]

I am pretty relaxed as usual. I got nothing done on Saturday through Tuesday. But I still am not worried. I got all the logistics done so I can just wait for the other programmers to do their part.

[BugByte]

Last year I worried a lot about whether we were going finish all the things we wanted to. I think one of the biggest things FIRST has given me is how to handle the stress of a deadline. (Not that I couldn't still use a lot of improvement ) Last year we lost 11 days from the snow storm and we aren't allowed to meet on the days before midterms. But it all worked out in the end. We didn't end up with all the features we would have liked but what team did?

[Al Skierkiewicz]

We don't really catch up until sometime in May, in a bad year it is June or July.

[EOC]

I always feel that we are behind, especially this year with lots of things to complete. Last year we finished the day before ship date and everything worked out. I think it is human nature to worry about being behind.

[Wayne Doenges]

Week 1 thru 5
Week 6

[JamesCH95]

I always worry about being behind. Then everything magically works out every year.

[goldenglove002]

The scariest part has to be around this time. All teams have different design processes, and when your's means parts haven't been being assembled while you watch other teams posting online about their robot, it's easy to get scared. Just have to remember to stick to the plan, and it's easy to settle in around the halfway point.

Then you are allowed to freak out on the last weekend trying to finish.

[rcmolloy]

I've had a small gut feeling we were behind over the past week and a half but so much has progressed that I don't know where we are at the moment. I know for a fact we are doing much better than last year and that is because of everyone's dedication. Stay dedicated and you will end up where you want to be.

[pfreivald]

Last year we spent more time on design than we ever had before, to the point that by the end of week two I was in a near panic...

...and we were FLR champions, with everything (except that dastardly camera) working exactly as we wanted it to...

So I am learning new ways to be behind, and learning that some of them are good, because being 'ahead' isn't always being ahead...

[klmx30302]

I've been worrying about our team falling behind for the last day. Its looking like we're going to have our 2nd snow day this week, which is too bad because we were going to start 3.5 hours early tomorrow.

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by klmx30302

I've been worrying about our team falling behind for the last day. Its looking like we're going to have our 2nd snow day this week, which is too bad because we were going to start 3.5 hours early tomorrow.

I made a deal with God: No snow days on Mondays or Thursdays during the build season, and I won't ignore my wife for seven weeks straight...

...neither one of us quite keeps our end of the bargain, though...

[Hawiian Cadder]

Originally Posted by pfreivald

Last year we spent more time on design than we ever had before, to the point that by the end of week two I was in a near panic...

...and we were FLR champions, with everything (except that dastardly camera) working exactly as we wanted it to...

So I am learning new ways to be behind, and learning that some of them are good, because being 'ahead' isn't always being ahead...

see if you can make it in to robotics on a snow day, my team had 3 snow days last season, and we simply carpooled with people with large vehicles, not everyone could make it but we made a lot of progress with a full day unencumbered by school.

[pfreivald]

Originally Posted by Hawiian Cadder

see if you can make it in to robotics on a snow day, my team had 3 snow days last season, and we simply carpooled with people with large vehicles, not everyone could make it but we made a lot of progress with a full day unencumbered by school.

I don't know about where you are from, but in New York State that would be illegal.

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by pfreivald

I don't know about where you are from, but in New York State that would be illegal.

It's quite inconvenient, really.

Luckily Shaker only had a two hour delay today...