having a life?

[Elgin Clock]

A friend of mine once told me some great advice in having and keeping a girfriend (or even a boyfriend for all you girls in FIRST) while build season is upon us.

A) If you date on the same FIRST team make sure you are not on the same sub team. ie: Drivers should not date drivers, and what not. Tension on the field can lead to tension off the field. (Not a good thing!)

B) If you date a member on another FIRST team keep the relationship between the two of you on a different level than the relationship between your teams (if one exists). ie: No picking your gf or bf's team in the finals just to get some brownie points with them. Compete in the competition to have fun and to maybe win, but if that means picking another team over your gf or bf's team then so be it. No hard feelings should be held on either side.

C) If dating outside of FIRST, make sure they understand your commitment level in the program. ie: You have no life for 6 weeks basically, and the only Valentine you are giving out this year is yet another gift (part) to your robot. (Just kidding on that Valentine's comment folks. Don't forget and/or ignore the signifigant other. It's a very bad thing!!!)

C2) If dating outside of FIRST and they are also in a program (sports, extracurricular, etc..) or were at one time, then they should realize how important the program and the team is to you. Choices should not have to be made between the two, but a middle ground of time spent with each can be achieved. It just takes some nice schedule shifting at times.

For all those who see the 6 weeks as a time to become a hermit to the "outside of FIRST world", never fear. The weekends can offer some hope and hey.. you have all day at school to socialize as well.

Good luck to all with the build season, and also the socializing scene.

The skills you learn in FIRST can and will equate to your socializing skills.

Dont forget, you may not know what a 1/4-20 screw is or what it even looks like, but at least learn how to socialize when in FIRST.

That is one of the skills you will need your whole life to be successful.