On an up-coming episode of FT, I had posed a question for listeners to answer, and I didn’t remember seeing a discussion about this on CD since I’ve joined, and I thought it would be a good conversation to get away for the technical stuff for a bit.
What rituals does your team have during the build season?
1071 - Every Friday we have a slushy night. Everyone takes a break from work, comes up, and enjoys a slushy. We also use this time as a bit of a re-group to see where everyone is in there projects, and to get the team back on the same page. We also give special bigger and decorative cups to the 2 members of the teams who put in the most hours that week.
Every year, someone bleeds on the floor of our main room, Room 124. Does that count? (Bad but true. I’m hoping that since someone spilled tomato juice on it this year, everyone’s safe)
Saturdays and Sundays are basically “all day” things, and we usually have a “standup” time at the end of some days (like tonight), where the subteam leads talk about that their group’s been up to.
My team (unofficially) has Alarm Reset Night(s). That’s when we work so late/early that the building’s alarm resets, so that we can’t leave without either triggering it or calling school security to let us out.
We also have particular songs that we listen to while we build. Flight of the Conchords’ “Business Time” is a favorite, as is that one “This Is Sparta” techno remix. As ship day approaches we switch to Europe’s “The Final Countdown”.
Donuts, every Saturday morning. This unintentionally gives us a breakfast time to sit down, go over thoughts and ideas, and map out the day’s activities. It also gives us time to eat donuts!
country music is a staple of my team, 2783… mainly because a lot of us are from the city and robotics a chance to listen to it without looking like hillbillies. I personally am more of a rocker but it makes the team happy… It’s a Louisville/ KY thing.
not anything else since the team has had some major changes this year…
