Things you noticed in your first Regional

[Billfred]

What did I notice at my first regional (in my case, Palmetto in 2004)? In a word: SPAM.

For starters, there is the team. If you're in the same building as them, you know they're there. (Just listen hard enough, and you'll always be able to hear "S-P-A-M! SPAM! SPAM! SPAM!" in the distance.) And they cheer incessantly, something I love about them. (Tangentially, I also noticed the whole no-booing thing early on. It really is a Good Thing.)

Of course, there was also their robot from that year, SAM (Surface-to-Air Meat), which combined a holonomic base (the first one I'd ever seen, as I had barely heard of ChiefDelphi at that point) with a crazy-fast hanger that I couldn't believe when I saw it, even after a trip to Robot Rodeo. It's one of about four or five robots I remember from the event.

I do love SPAM--I can't wait to see what they have planned for UCF.

[EricH]

I can't really say much about my first one, other than it was a bit chilly. SVR '99 was held in a blimp hanger with one set of doors open, so it was very drafty inside.

[mizscience]

things i thought:

-there are really that many people into robotics?
-it [sleepless nights, zombie-like persona, etc.] was all worth it
- definately going to do this again

[Conor Ryan]

Well the first competition I went to, happened to be an off season Brunswick Eruption I believe. I remember the pits, they were wild. Fixing, testing, sleeping, non-stop work. The NASCAR style pits, were, are, and will continue to be the coolest thing I see in FIRST. Building the robot is my priority, sending it to competition is my prize (Making it be able to win is my championship). Thats why the pits are my favorite, you see a robot just as it is, not under any stress, human error, etc.

My First regional, was NJ last year. That was pretty crazy, just watching the complexity and organized chaos was fun. Taking part in the chaos, just makes it better. I also liked watching the reaction on people's faces when I brought them to a competition for the first time, it just makes me laugh. Some go speechless, some awe, some drool, some look scared. The chaos is what I noticed.

The second thing i noticed, was the originality in everything, no two robots looked alike (even 217 and 229) That was cool too, though I was expecting it.

[Adam Richards]

Three numbers: 233.

All the pink...

It probably didn't help that I had magenta-lensed safety glasses on too.

[Lil' Lavery]

I think I was like 7 or 8, so I don't remember a whole lot...

[Unholy]

I remember it was the Florida Regionals 03. It was utterly overwhelming, but very enjoyable. I felt as if I had found that safe haven I had been looking for.

[boxtransformer]

I realized about five minutes after I walked into the pit at the GLR, that I didn't have my safety glasses on. Nobody told me.

SHAME ON YOU, SAFETY CAPTAINS!

It never helped that our safety glasses were yellow (intense headache ensues). God, I'm never wearing yellow glasses AGAIN!

[Courtneyb1023]

The first regional that I ever attended was Great Lakes Regional in '03. I just remember walking in to the pits for the first time and seeing all of the teams and robots and just getting chills. I guess that's when I was hooked.

I also vaguely remember my first mid/post-regional loss of voice.

[DjAlamose]

My first regional was in 03. I definitely remember the variance in robot designs as I thought that most of the robots were going to be basically the same thing. I also remember all of the craziness that happens in the pits. It is definitely an organized chaos of sorts. But the thing that struck me was the GP and how no one was booing or how no matter what was going on people were cheering even if it wasn't their team!