Kick-off lock-in

[Chris Bright]

Hey our team was thinking about doing a lock-in at our school after kick-off to get a really good start on this year's game. Has anyone done this? If so how did it turn out?

[Nathan Pell]

Originally Posted by Chris Bright

Hey our team was thinking about doing a lock-in at our school after kick-off to get a really good start on this year's game. Has anyone done this? If so how did it turn out?

Our team will be doing the same this year. I am glad to hear that you are doing the same!

We have done them in the past (othe types) and they are a lot of fun, and a really great way for everyone to get to know one another.

Nathan Pell

[Dorienne]

That sounds like fun! 'Cept I think kickoff is on a Thursday, so we'd be staying at school all night...then going to school in the morning. I don't think that'd be a good idea for our team...They can get grumpy, and so can I! =D

[dez250]

Originally Posted by Dorienne Plait

... 'Cept I think kickoff is on a Thursday...

Nope kickoff is always on a saturday and is the same this year, Saturday January 8th, 2005.

[Mike Betts]

Originally Posted by Chris Bright

Hey our team was thinking about doing a lock-in at our school after kick-off to get a really good start on this year's game. Has anyone done this? If so how did it turn out?

Traditionally, we have a lock-in the night before we ship the robot. Although, we don't usually plan it that way and we call it an all-niter...

[K.Shaw]

we have a lock-in every year except its usually the weekend before Christmas. which is about 3 weeks before kick off. this gives the team members and mentors a chance to get to know each other and play some team building exercises and do other things like play PS2 and X-Box and watch movies. its basically a big camp out..we usually have a good turn out and many alumni also come and join in the festivities. it hink every team should have one someitme before or during the build season.

[NoodleKnight]

Sorry to derail the thread but,
could someone explain what exactaly is a lock-in? Sounds interesting.

[Elgin Clock]

What's a lock in???

OK, well.. at one point or another none of us knew what a lock-in was either, so....

It's just what's it's called. It is a fun night of activities where you are locked-in a certain place and not able to leave. (see where that name comes from now?)
I did this a couple times in HS, and it was at the school's gym. We partied all night long *to the surprise of some of the teachers who had caught us dozing off in their classes that day(was on a Friday), and we didn't leave till that next morning.
Guys slept in the hallway, and the girls slept in the dance studio section.
(Well, that is if you actually did go to sleep.. lol)

Our team's lock-in is usually the same deal, but movies and games are played all night long. Last year we had a pool at our disposal to use, but I guess it is being renovated this year, so no pool for us.

It's a good team building exercise, or just a fun time.

[Bcahn836]

Great idea but i wouldn't want to be the first one to fall asleep.

We havn't done a lock in but i have stayed to finish the robot on the last day untill 4 am, and then went to school the next morning.

[Greg Needel]

team 73 is doing this as-well,

LOCK-IN = all nighter where you have to stay, where you do everything from design to play games


as mentors we have secured computers for late night CAD sessions, lots of pizza and soda, pink foam and a hot wire for prototyping, linkin-logs/kenex/Lego's/erector sets, for ideas, we are also doing a bunch of team building games.

the overall goal of our lock-in, is to have a basic idea of what the robot is going to do and a basic idea of how it is going to do it by Sunday morning...

ambitious ----yes
impossible ----no


edit: this is a manditory event for students

[Alaina]

Originally Posted by Chris Bright

Hey our team was thinking about doing a lock-in at our school after kick-off to get a really good start on this year's game. Has anyone done this? If so how did it turn out?

The difficult part about that would be getting district/administrative approval. But other than that it would be great. I would love to do something like that with my team, but my school doesn't like us very much. Our teachers are totally stingy on their tasks as mentors, so they definitely wouldn't want to "waste" their saturday night away in school...

I guess if you can't get in at your school you can just all stay at somebody's house...sounds just as fun...

[Lisa Perez]

We'd like to, but seeing that FINALS (!!!!) are in two days from Kickoff, it doesn't look like we will be...

[Joe Matt]

Originally Posted by Chris Bright

Hey our team was thinking about doing a lock-in at our school after kick-off to get a really good start on this year's game. Has anyone done this? If so how did it turn out?

As someone who is on the front line the first few days, I've found that creating a robot in a few days isn't the best idea, instead, coming up with ideas, going home and sitting on them, then coming back the next day helps way more than a lock in. But that's my IMHO.

[Rich Wong]

Originally Posted by Chris Bright

Hey our team was thinking about doing a lock-in at our school after kick-off to get a really good start on this year's game. Has anyone done this? If so how did it turn out?

After the Kickoff, most students are already over stimulated. We usually just go thru the KOP and see the goodies.
We will also review the game that was just broadcasted. Usually someone will miss something, so there is a lot of filling in the gaps to make sure everyone is on the same level.

Next, printing of the documentations. Everyone gets a copy and their reading assignments.

Sunday is spent reading the game and rules, which this generates a lot of one-on-one discussions and IMs. Some small groups may get together.
Monday after school is the Lock-In session. It can last 2-4 hours of discussions and debate.
One rule that is applied during the Lock-In session is: everyone’s opinion counts and everyone is allowed to present his or her idea without being challenged.

[Alex Golec]

Originally Posted by Alaina

The difficult part about that would be getting district/administrative approval. But other than that it would be great. I would love to do something like that with my team, but my school doesn't like us very much. Our teachers are totally stingy on their tasks as mentors, so they definitely wouldn't want to "waste" their saturday night away in school...

The difficulties we have with our own school is having a staff member there to be a babysitter- our teachers are not very involved with the program yet. All nighters at our workplace are a bit easier to go though- just make sure it stays fairly safe. The workload gets stressful during the evening, but then after 1am everyone just calms down and its like instant fun. However, I would not recommend doing a allnighter (how you say in your region- "a lahck- een?") for the first day of FIRST- might get a bit stressful with the designs and thought process, and I'm sure some parents might even attempt to 'prevent' their kids from staying- to crazy an impression too soon. But whatever you end up doing, its bound to be awesome. And don't forget to feed the people! We'd always be walking around at midnight wondering where the snacks were.

Just as coincidence- the synonyms 'lock-in' and 'all-nighter' just remind me of the nationwide conflict between 'pop' and 'soda'. I happen to do all-nighters and drink pop.

_Alex