So, what's your favorite part of FRC?

[emekablue]

If you say competition, can you be specific?

Sooooo, its my absolute FIRST year in FIRST.
I CAD, I PR, and I stare in amazement at FAB (I don't think I will ever attempt direct manipulation of the robot. People will get hurt).

So, sitting here on Christmas at a relative's computer (which I can't CAD on) I'm pretty much trolling CD. I don't know what to expect from the seasonn, so anyone want to share experiences?

You know you want to take a break from guessing what hint #1 means...
^_^

[Tetraman]

My favorite part is the regionals, expecially now that I'm volunteering and work as field reset. Being apart of the inner workings of maintaining the field has to be the most fun I have had since I graduated and moved on from being on a team.

Even vacuming the field is loads of fun.

The other part, and main reason why I love working on the field is being so close to the game itself. I've got that dream to one day work on the GDC, so being so close to the game that I'm walking though it just has some sort of magical quality to me.

I find that it's the little things that are the best part of FIRST.

[Chris is me]

The regionals. Design is fun and strategy is fun to work out and feel all clever about for 5 minutes before you realize everyone in America thought of it too. Build is great in that "wow, we have no time, no resources, and no limits!" way. But competition throws everything you did out the window and is all about intensity and execution.

In particular, the eliminations are where the magic happens. Here's who you're stuck with, for better or worse - now you have to make it happen.

[davidthefat]

The build time is the most fun for me. It is when my skills are put to the test and programming in general is fun. I get to present ideas and then put them into action.

[SamC]

My personal favorite aspect of FRC and FIRST in general is the relationships you build over the years at the various events. If your team routinely goes to one or more regionals every year, you begin to see the same faces and make many friends from all over. Even now I still keep in touch with many of the people I met back when I was a freshman and continue to meet even more people as I continue to be involved.

[Karibou]

I love the events. I'm on the pit crew, so I spend a lot of time working with my own team on the robot (err...unfortunately) and such. But working in the pit is also fun in terms of working with other teams - you become pretty good neighbors with the teams next to you and you can see what everyone's working on.

Another fun part of the competitions is cheering. Hopefully your team likes to cheer and dance, because it's super fun if you get into it (and you can meet people from other teams ).

So it's really the social aspect that makes it such a great experience for me (at competitions, and also on Facebook and Twitter). Building robots is fun and educational and all, but it's even more fun with friends.

[gorrilla]

mostly, all of it.


*suprised noone else wrote that.

[sanddrag]

Messing around with the game piece is usually rather fun. The giant trackballs of 2008 were great.

[emekablue]

Originally Posted by Karibou

Another fun part of the competitions is cheering. Hopefully your team likes to cheer and dance, because it's super fun if you get into it (and you can meet people from other teams ).
.

Teehee, I take it that you like meeting other teams? I think I already like that [: As for cheering: PR(mostly girl-led) is trying to get everyone to wear red spandex and blue shorts...

[Jeffy]

Originally Posted by emekablue

Teehee, I take it that you like meeting other teams? I think I already like that [: As for cheering: PR(mostly girl-led) is trying to get everyone to wear red spandex and blue shorts...

Do it. I doubt they will tell you that your CAD is wrong and can't be used.

[MattC9]

Late nights, a few good humored people dr. Pepper, CAD and some sleep deprevation always makes it fun

[Karibou]

Before you start getting super excited about being sleep deprived for two or three months...I suggest reading this thread started by Jane. We don't want to lose you to sickness, especially since it's your first season! (I know - I was sick for the first two weeks of build season my first year, and though it wasn't from overwork or sleep deprivation, it definitely wasn't fun)

[dag0620]

I love meeting people. I enjoy everything about FIRST, programming, the regionals, the partying, but the best part of it is meeting people.

Going to competitons is awesome because not only are you competing (which is just alright ) but because you get to meet great people who share the love of what you do, and you get a break from your team .

[Robert Cawthon]

I think the part of FIRST I like the best is not an 'event' but rather a concept. Woody's introduction of Gracious Professionalism is the best part of the whole operation. My translation is that we want everyone to do well and will help them do the best they can. We just want to do a little better.

Also, I enjoy watching the young freshmen, some of them very shy, grow and become sure of themselves as the years pass. But that's just me.

[Dustin Shadbolt]

I would say those moments after you finish a late-night build session and you just start talking about things in life and experiences and what not. Or ship-night at midnight and we secure the last screw and we can finally breathe and sit down to relax. I would also say regionals because you meet new people that love FIRST just like you and you meet mentors and people that help you left and right. And those moments when a team member gets an idea, we use it, and then it succeeds. Their face is priceless after that happens.




So pretty much all of it. ;D