Managing Grades and Responsibilities While On A FIRST Team

[Beth Sweet]

Like Billfred, I also made Deans List this semester.

At Michigan State, the professors unfortunately do not allow you to play the robotics card, they pretty much say, if no one died or came close to it, you had better be in class.

So basically, I did the same thing that I've done for the last 3 years. Realize that school has to come first and organize my time accordingly. You've gotta look at your schedule and make a list of the "have to do"s, "would like to do"s and the "probably don't hafta"s. Find a way to do the "have to"s. These include school and doing well in it. And by well I mean, there had better be at least a 3.0 at the semester end. I would put attending at least 75% of robotics meetings on that list. On the "would like"s, I would place the other 25%, as well as traveling. I know, traveling is the best part of robotics, but sometimes it's just not possible.

You have to know your limits and you have to recognize them. I am the queen of believing that I can do anything including starting a FIRST team my freshman year of college. But if things start to get out of control, you have to remember to go back and make sure you remember what's going to get you a job, and that's school not FIRST.

Long story short for those who don't want to read this whole post. As long as you can balance, go for it, but for those who can't, assess and allot proper time to proper activities.