A Metaphor for the Ages...

[talon540]

I just realized that the FRC build season is like being pregnant and our competition robots are like our children.

Let me explain:

We all anticipate getting our own competition robot and fantasize what it will be like/look like. Then, during build season, we wake up at night stressed about it and have morning sickness. We eat lots of junk food when we're in build season (like pizza and soda) when we really should be eating better to give us energy.

Then... at the very end, there's a big push.

Once we have our wonderful robot (which we name, though nobody outside of our teams really understand why we like their names so much), we are SO EXCITED. It's all over Facebook and the web. All of our family knows about them. We sometimes even bring our parents and teachers in to see them.

Then... we take them out in public for the first time.

They behave, usually, poorly. They don't behave the way we imagined. They make weird noises, act up, you name it... and you want to GO CRAZY. WHY can't they just act the way you see them in your mind? So you put more time in and try and get them on track. And though they stress you out, you still love them.

FRC Robotics and engineers. A relationship as old as time.

I hope this has added levity to your stress.