Go to Post Age should not be a speed bump to creativity. - Greg Needel [more]
Home
Go Back   Chief Delphi > FIRST > General Forum
CD-Media   CD-Spy  
portal register members calendar search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read FAQ rules

 
Reply
Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
  #31   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 28-07-2008, 23:56
Renee Becker-Blau's Avatar
Renee Becker-Blau Renee Becker-Blau is offline
Lady Logistics
AKA: Renee
no team
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: May 2006
Rookie Year: 2005
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 222
Renee Becker-Blau has a reputation beyond reputeRenee Becker-Blau has a reputation beyond reputeRenee Becker-Blau has a reputation beyond reputeRenee Becker-Blau has a reputation beyond reputeRenee Becker-Blau has a reputation beyond reputeRenee Becker-Blau has a reputation beyond reputeRenee Becker-Blau has a reputation beyond reputeRenee Becker-Blau has a reputation beyond reputeRenee Becker-Blau has a reputation beyond reputeRenee Becker-Blau has a reputation beyond reputeRenee Becker-Blau has a reputation beyond repute
Re: What Do You Wish You Would Have Known Your Rookie Year?

You don't have to do everything at once. You can check the team out, see what interests you, find out what doesn't and go on from there.

Join Chief Delphi early on, it really helps you get involved with the FIRST family.

Don't be afraid to ask questions or talk to people at FIRST events, I've met some of my best friends that way.

The more outgoing you are the more fun you tend to have, don't be shy ^_^

Find out the websites that would really help you learn about FIRST teams like The Blue Alliance or FIRSTwiki and learn the history of FIRST robotics so you can reference things in the future.

Mentors are amazing people and they put a lot of personal time into the teams, remember to thank them for that.

Dressing up and cheering for your team is a lot of fun.
__________________
Renee Becker-Blau
Executive Director of IndianaFIRST
Twitter: @IndianaFIRST


FRC 1675 Alumnus
Founder of the MN Alumni Organization, GO FIRST - Est. 2009 . 2011-2014 NEMO/Roundtable Meeting Facilitator- WI, IL, MN, IN . 2012- 2013 FSM- MN & Mentor FRC 3184 . 2013 - 2014 FIRST AmeriCorps VISTA - IN . Mentor FRC 1529 . 2014 - Now Executive Director of IndianaFIRST
Reply With Quote
  #32   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 29-07-2008, 07:14
kramarczyk's Avatar
kramarczyk kramarczyk is offline
is getting his kicks.
AKA: Mark Kramarczyk
FRC #3096 (Highlanders)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Rookie Year: 2006
Location: Sterling Heights, MI
Posts: 602
kramarczyk has a reputation beyond reputekramarczyk has a reputation beyond reputekramarczyk has a reputation beyond reputekramarczyk has a reputation beyond reputekramarczyk has a reputation beyond reputekramarczyk has a reputation beyond reputekramarczyk has a reputation beyond reputekramarczyk has a reputation beyond reputekramarczyk has a reputation beyond reputekramarczyk has a reputation beyond reputekramarczyk has a reputation beyond repute
Re: What Do You Wish You Would Have Known Your Rookie Year?

FIRST is an incredibly addictive experience for which there is no 12 step program.
__________________
Mark

Brick walls are for other people. - Randy Pausch
Reply With Quote
  #33   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 29-07-2008, 07:46
sgreco's Avatar
sgreco sgreco is offline
Registered User
AKA: Steven Greco
FRC #2079
Team Role: Mechanical
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Rookie Year: 2007
Location: Millis
Posts: 1,031
sgreco has a reputation beyond reputesgreco has a reputation beyond reputesgreco has a reputation beyond reputesgreco has a reputation beyond reputesgreco has a reputation beyond reputesgreco has a reputation beyond reputesgreco has a reputation beyond reputesgreco has a reputation beyond reputesgreco has a reputation beyond reputesgreco has a reputation beyond reputesgreco has a reputation beyond repute
Re: What Do You Wish You Would Have Known Your Rookie Year?

Quote:
Originally Posted by dlavery View Post
Adam gets it. My previous comment was quite serious.

What would I tell a rookie? Learn to swim.

Figure out what you have to do to keep your head above water. When you hit the start of FRC build season, you will likely feel like you are drowning in new information, ideas, people to know, things to do, things to learn, and even team politics. Many forces will conspire to overwhelm you with a sea of demands on all your available time.

As a rookie, the very first thing that you have to do find out how to navigate through all this new stuff. Find someone that knows how to swim through it already. Follow them. Watch what they do. Figure out what works. Learn how they differentiate between what is important, and the meaningless drivel that is mixed in. Learn to swim with them. And don't be afraid to ask for help and advice; your team mates can be life-savers when the last week of build season hits, and the robot still has four weeks worth of work to be done and there are thirty pounds to carve off and you have been running on 90 minutes of sleep for the past four days and you feel like you are about to go down for the third time. Think of your experienced team mates as your swimming instructors, and your mentors as your life guards.

If you do, you will learn to survive and float through the tough times during the build season and the competitions (and there will be some). If you don't, it will be like trying to doggy-paddle in a heavy surf - you won't make much progress, and you will quickly tire of the whole adventure.

-dave



.

Teaching a person to swim is one thing...

But a robot....?

That's something else....
Reply With Quote
  #34   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 29-07-2008, 07:56
IKE's Avatar
IKE IKE is offline
Not so Custom User Title
AKA: Isaac Rife
no team (N/A)
Team Role: Mechanical
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Rookie Year: 2003
Location: Michigan
Posts: 2,151
IKE has a reputation beyond reputeIKE has a reputation beyond reputeIKE has a reputation beyond reputeIKE has a reputation beyond reputeIKE has a reputation beyond reputeIKE has a reputation beyond reputeIKE has a reputation beyond reputeIKE has a reputation beyond reputeIKE has a reputation beyond reputeIKE has a reputation beyond reputeIKE has a reputation beyond repute
Re: What Do You Wish You Would Have Known Your Rookie Year?

Is Dave hinting about H20N09? That would really give the rookies a leg up.

Back to the real thread, have a well planned strong team theme/identity. Make sure your theme is solid from name, robot, pit, to uniforms. This will help with sponsorship and being remembered during alliance selection among many other things.

Oh, and this one is for CHET, BIG NUMBERS that can be read from the stands. The only way they can be too big is if someone from RUSH 27 comes up and says they are too big.

Last edited by IKE : 29-07-2008 at 07:58. Reason: Invoking the rant of Chet.
Reply With Quote
  #35   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 29-07-2008, 08:50
Kims Robot's Avatar Unsung FIRST Hero
Kims Robot Kims Robot is offline
Onto a New Chapter...
AKA: Kim O'Toole Eckhardt
no team
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Rookie Year: 1996
Location: Framingham, MA
Posts: 1,467
Kims Robot has a reputation beyond reputeKims Robot has a reputation beyond reputeKims Robot has a reputation beyond reputeKims Robot has a reputation beyond reputeKims Robot has a reputation beyond reputeKims Robot has a reputation beyond reputeKims Robot has a reputation beyond reputeKims Robot has a reputation beyond reputeKims Robot has a reputation beyond reputeKims Robot has a reputation beyond reputeKims Robot has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to Kims Robot
Re: What Do You Wish You Would Have Known Your Rookie Year?

You know the funny thing... I think I have answered this question before... and certainly in plenty of detail.

But the more I think back... I think I would now change my answer to "Absolutely NOTHING".

The reason being is that the rookie year is so much fun, its crazy, its hectic, its full of twists, turns and suprises... but honestly its the struggles and the triumphs of that year, of learning it all on our own, that made it so sweet. I wouldn't change or trade any of my three rookie years (3 different teams) or the knowledge we didnt have, for the world. Successful or not, they were by far the most fun and perhaps even the sweetest years of the teams I have been on.

And I think Steve Jobs nailed exactly why in a speech he made when talking about being fired from Apple and starting all over again:
Quote:
The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.
__________________
~kim~
Kimberly O'Toole Eckhardt <3
Principal Systems Engineer & Program Manager
History - Team 176, Team 229, Team 1511, FIRST Volunteer!!
My new FIRST Photography Hobby & Angry Eric's Fan Page
Excellence - is the result of caring more than others think is wise, risking more than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, and expecting more than others think is possible.
Reply With Quote
  #36   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 29-07-2008, 11:05
Andrew Schreiber Andrew Schreiber is offline
Joining the 900 Meme Team
FRC #0079
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Rookie Year: 2000
Location: Misplaced Michigander
Posts: 4,074
Andrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond reputeAndrew Schreiber has a reputation beyond repute
Re: What Do You Wish You Would Have Known Your Rookie Year?

1. If you are stuck doing what you consider a meaningless job, like scouting, don't complain. Always do things to the best of your ability, doing this will give them meaning.

2. If you aren't enjoying yourself (safely and responsibly) you probably are doing something wrong. This does not mean don't do your work. It means enjoy your work (see above)

3. Coopertition. FIRST is not about beating your opponent. It is about competing like crazy and then collaborating like crazy.

4. Bad things happen, if your robot breaks it breaks, don't get angry. Try your best to fix it.

5. Ask for help. (not just for rookies)

6. We are all equal. Yeah there are some smart people in FIRST. Don't be intimidated.

7. Just because you are in 35th place out of 35 teams do not get discouraged. You are competing against teams that have been doing this longer than you.

8. There will be no water game. Game hints from Dave Lavery can be ignored. Anything else I advise you to listen to. (If for no other reason than you need a good chuckle)

By the way, veteran teams don't know it all. FIRST changes every year and we all just hope we are right.
__________________




.
Reply With Quote
  #37   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 29-07-2008, 12:54
Mike Wittman's Avatar
Mike Wittman Mike Wittman is offline
Plastic Man
FRC #1714 (More Robotics)
Team Role: Coach
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Rookie Year: 2003
Location: Milwaukee
Posts: 25
Mike Wittman is an unknown quantity at this point
Re: What Do You Wish You Would Have Known Your Rookie Year?

This is a great thread. All Rookies should read. Here is my 4 sense.

1. Believe in Gracious Professionalism. I thought I understood what it ment and what it was, then my team was on the receiving end of GP. That is when I really got it. I would not think twice about helping another team in need.

2. If you don't have a mentor team, find one. Your rookie year is more chaotic than the rest because you are experiencing everything for the FIRST time. A mentor team will guide you through that chaos.

3. Mentors are there to help you. They want you to succeed. Use them and enjoy them.

4. Never underestimate the value of great team moms. My team might never eat if it weren't for them.
__________________
Mike

Tie two birds together, though they have four wings they cannot fly

www.morerobotics.org
Learn More, Give More, Be More
Reply With Quote
  #38   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 29-07-2008, 20:10
zachjo's Avatar
zachjo zachjo is offline
Shake 'N' Bake
FRC #0171 (Cheese Curd Herd formerly Extreme Engineering)
Team Role: College Student
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Rookie Year: 2006
Location: Platteville WI
Posts: 74
zachjo is a jewel in the roughzachjo is a jewel in the roughzachjo is a jewel in the rough
Re: What Do You Wish You Would Have Known Your Rookie Year?

if it works already, don't change it
__________________
unicycling----It's like doing a wheelie forever!

Shake 'N' Bake

Reply With Quote
  #39   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 29-07-2008, 22:11
rhoads2234's Avatar
rhoads2234 rhoads2234 is offline
Registered User
AKA: Erin
FRC #2234
Team Role: Programmer
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Rookie Year: 2007
Location: PA
Posts: 80
rhoads2234 will become famous soon enough
Re: What Do You Wish You Would Have Known Your Rookie Year?

Have fun!
Ask for help, but try first and don't let the mentors(or more experienced students) do everything.
Have pride in what you achieved. Building a 120 lb robot in 6 weeks is amazing!
Smile! It makes everything seem better.
Accept help - You might be able to do it on your own but 2 heads are better than one and it makes in more fun.

These tips are for everyone!
__________________
ALWAYS a mechanical problem!
Reply With Quote
  #40   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 29-07-2008, 22:14
samir13k samir13k is offline
Registered User
AKA: Samir Shaikh
FRC #4329
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Rookie Year: 2008
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 281
samir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant future
Send a message via AIM to samir13k Send a message via MSN to samir13k
Cool Re: What Do You Wish You Would Have Known Your Rookie Year?

i learned always clean off your pwm ports before competition, and Don't blame the programmers, it's usually not their fault! (at least not on our team!)
Unfortunately, they are usually the first to get blamed for malfunctions!
Reply With Quote
  #41   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 29-07-2008, 22:27
ComradeNikolai ComradeNikolai is offline
Registered User
AKA: Nicholas
FRC #2603 (Team Hornet)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Rookie Year: 2008
Location: Medina, Ohio
Posts: 203
ComradeNikolai is a splendid one to beholdComradeNikolai is a splendid one to beholdComradeNikolai is a splendid one to beholdComradeNikolai is a splendid one to beholdComradeNikolai is a splendid one to beholdComradeNikolai is a splendid one to beholdComradeNikolai is a splendid one to behold
Re: What Do You Wish You Would Have Known Your Rookie Year?

Quote:
Originally Posted by samir13k View Post
Don't blame the programmers, it's usually not their fault! (at least not on our team!)
Unfortunately, they are usually the first to get blamed for malfunctions!
That reminds me, rookie programmers: learn that it is always your fault, or that's what they want you to believe ("they" being the rest of your team). You were supposed to account for everything in the code... even mechanical failures or electrical problems. Yay.
__________________
I cut myself shaving with Occam's razor.

Reply With Quote
  #42   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 29-07-2008, 23:06
Chris Dunning's Avatar
Chris Dunning Chris Dunning is offline
Registered User
AKA: krs.one
FRC #0832 (Chimera)
Team Role: Webmaster
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Rookie Year: 2007
Location: Roswell, GA
Posts: 8
Chris Dunning has a spectacular aura aboutChris Dunning has a spectacular aura aboutChris Dunning has a spectacular aura about
Send a message via AIM to Chris Dunning Send a message via MSN to Chris Dunning Send a message via Yahoo to Chris Dunning
Re: What Do You Wish You Would Have Known Your Rookie Year?

well, my rookie year was this year (07 - 08). and the main thing that i wish i could of actualy known of the people's creativity. looking back on build season, i had some great ideas. and me, being the shy dude i am, i kept quiet. when we went to our first comp, i saw most of my ideas in real life. basically, i learned that there isnt any idea that's a bad idea.
Reply With Quote
  #43   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 29-07-2008, 23:32
Dolan's Avatar
Dolan Dolan is offline
Dolan
AKA: Andy
FRC #1590 (RAMBOTS)
Team Role: College Student
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Rookie Year: 2006
Location: Lorain, Ohio
Posts: 179
Dolan will become famous soon enough
Send a message via AIM to Dolan Send a message via MSN to Dolan Send a message via Yahoo to Dolan
Re: What Do You Wish You Would Have Known Your Rookie Year?

I wish I would have known when to shut up and work because I now know how mad it makes me as an upperclassmen when the freshmen don`t do anything but talk when you tell them to do something.
__________________
Reply With Quote
  #44   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 30-07-2008, 03:14
smurfgirl smurfgirl is offline
Still a New Englander on the inside
AKA: Ellen McIsaac
FRC #5012 (Gryffingear)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Rookie Year: 2005
Location: Palmdale, CA
Posts: 1,725
smurfgirl has a reputation beyond reputesmurfgirl has a reputation beyond reputesmurfgirl has a reputation beyond reputesmurfgirl has a reputation beyond reputesmurfgirl has a reputation beyond reputesmurfgirl has a reputation beyond reputesmurfgirl has a reputation beyond reputesmurfgirl has a reputation beyond reputesmurfgirl has a reputation beyond reputesmurfgirl has a reputation beyond reputesmurfgirl has a reputation beyond repute
Re: What Do You Wish You Would Have Known Your Rookie Year?

I actually had a really awesome rookie year. My team was great and the mentors and experienced students helped me figure out everything I needed to know. I wish that I had known about it my freshman year. I guess I also wish I had joined Chief Delphi my rookie year since it is such a great resource.
__________________
Ellen McIsaac
Team 1124 ÜberBots 2005-2015
Team 5012 Gryffingear 2015+
Reply With Quote
  #45   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 30-07-2008, 12:12
samir13k samir13k is offline
Registered User
AKA: Samir Shaikh
FRC #4329
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Rookie Year: 2008
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 281
samir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant futuresamir13k has a brilliant future
Send a message via AIM to samir13k Send a message via MSN to samir13k
Cool Re: What Do You Wish You Would Have Known Your Rookie Year?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ComradeNikolai View Post
That reminds me, rookie programmers: learn that it is always your fault, or that's what they want you to believe ("they" being the rest of your team). You were supposed to account for everything in the code... even mechanical failures or electrical problems. Yay.
Oh Man! i'm a rookie programmer for 2009! I hope labview has a "troubleshooting things that are mechanical failures and have to be accounted for in your programming" tutorial!

Is there anaything else I should know??? I became the lead webmaster, lead electrician, and the assistant programmer for the 2009 season. and then i will be the lead programmer for 2010! Is there a way i am supposed to take all the blame that will be coming at me??? lol
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
What would you buy if you could? IKE Technical Discussion 53 23-07-2008 15:56
Vex Championship Tournaments - what would you like to have? KathieK FIRST Tech Challenge 11 23-08-2006 00:53
What do you wish you had known when starting college? Katy College & University Education 62 23-04-2006 19:52
What do you call a sale at your house of items that you have? Elgin Clock Chit-Chat 52 07-06-2005 17:44
What do you wish you knew about the new control system? Joe Ross Control System 2 09-01-2004 21:47


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:55.

The Chief Delphi Forums are sponsored by Innovation First International, Inc.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © Chief Delphi