What to do now

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by M-A-T

OK so I've been on my team(836 wot wot) for 3 years and I'm graduating this year and has said as it sounds I'm gonna miss it, other than maybe coming and volunteering in regionals and so on, what other ways are there to stay involved with first, or is there other related programs that there are college teams for.

Obligatory warning: School comes first. If you have to choose between doing homework and going to a build season meeting, do the homework. Don't skip classes unless you are fully aware of the consequences and have measures to reduce their impact.

You didn't mention where you're going to school, but look up the listing of teams (don't forget FVC and FLL) around where you'll be going and see if they're in need of some mentors. (You'll want to take transportation into consideration as well in this--I can drive to most teams in town blindfolded, but that's because I have a car. If I had to take the bus, I'd be functionally out of luck.)

Of course, it might be good (especially for your freshman year) to take a year off of a team and just volunteer at an event if one is within range. (Looking back, I might've been better served by doing so.) Look at VIMS on usfirst.org for a list of events, and try to make contact with a member of the committee behind that event. The latter part isn't really required, but it can't hurt.

Good luck!

[Jherbie53]

Originally Posted by Billfred

Obligatory warning: School comes first. If you have to choose between doing homework and going to a build season meeting, do the homework. Don't skip classes unless you are fully aware of the consequences and have measures to reduce their impact.

You didn't mention where you're going to school, but look up the listing of teams (don't forget FVC and FLL) around where you'll be going and see if they're in need of some mentors. (You'll want to take transportation into consideration as well in this--I can drive to most teams in town blindfolded, but that's because I have a car. If I had to take the bus, I'd be functionally out of luck.)

Of course, it might be good (especially for your freshman year) to take a year off of a team and just volunteer at an event if one is within range. (Looking back, I might've been better served by doing so.) Look at VIMS on usfirst.org for a list of events, and try to make contact with a member of the committee behind that event. The latter part isn't really required, but it can't hurt.

Good luck!

Or if your like me, living at home and going to college, you could schedule your classes kinda around your local robotics team. Which is not alway easy to do. Also I've got to learn to step back even more next year than what I did this year. Like instead of putting the kit transmission together myself, give all of the parts to one or more students, with the instructions, and make them put it together. I always learning from my mistakes.

[JulieB]

Originally Posted by Jherbie53

Or if your like me, living at home and going to college, you could schedule your classes kinda around your local robotics team.

This is what I'm going to do next year. I'm not going to like some other alumni and come back and try to take over the team. Like our class of 2005 was.(love you guys anyway) I hope to help the 2006-2007 robotics team learn.
Thats what FIRST is all about!!! Not control FREAKS !!!

[Andy Grady]

Originally Posted by Billfred

Obligatory warning: School comes first.

Boyyyy is Billfred right on this one!

While the 5 year associates degree program may sound fairly glorious, I assure you its not quite the picnic that its made up to be!

My advice to you and every other high school student making the transition to college...volunteer, volunteer, volunteer.

The beauty of being a volunteer at an FRC event is that you get to see how that magic that just suddenly appears when you are a student, comes to life behind the scenes. Not to mention food...lots and lots of food! Good food! If nothing else...do it for the food.

If you do decide to go the team route in college...remember FIRST is a massive undertaking, make sure you plan your time out strongly and stick to the schedule. All it takes is for one or two miscues and your college experience becomes alot more expensive as a result of this wonderful program we call FIRST.

If you do it right...the experience of moving from student to mentor can be amazing. Just be smart about it.

-Andy Grady

[Liz Smith]

Originally Posted by Andy Grady

The beauty of being a volunteer at an FRC event is that you get to see how that magic that just suddenly appears when you are a student, comes to life behind the scenes. Not to mention food...lots and lots of food! Good food! If nothing else...do it for the food.

-Andy Grady

Yes, I volunteered this year and it was a great experience! I suggest it to you and everyone. Its a lot different than building and competing with your robot, but it is still a lot of fun. There is a lot of work that goes into putting together the regionals I suggest that you help out with that. A lot of the time the dates for regionals fall on spring break for colleges. You can focus on school work for the year and then on your break volunteer at one or two local competitions.