So I’m not asking for a novel about your FIRST life, but I’m curious.
Why’d you start doing FIRST?
Why are you still doing it?
What made you keep truckin’ through everything if you switched teams?
Why did you decide to help out on a more general case instead of for a particular team (if applicable)?
That’s usually a question I ask myself during FIRST season; usually not now because I’m not really doing too much at the moment so it’s much easier to forget how much work it is. So on with the answering of the question. Part of me does it because it’s helping the community. I’m giving back what I got in high school. Part of me does it because it’s a challenege. Part of me does it now because I’m still learning from FIRST. However, given all that I can only conclude that the only reason I do FIRST and continue to do FIRST is because FIRST is fun. I don’t think I could put up with the stress, with the workload, with the sleepless nights, with all of it if in the end FIRST wasn’t fun. So there, now everyone can see my selfish reasons for doing FIRST. 
Matt
I do it for the fun and stres of meeting atimeline-
i also do it because I like to see my students create something and the pride they have when people congratualte them on doing something so cool
(and I also do It because i am a nerd!!! and love it
dahl
Seriously, it was a free trip to Disney World that got me involved with FIRST.
When I was growing up, I didn’t get a lot of opportunity to travel and see things. When I first got involved with FIRST, I was about 8 months out of college and still up to my ears in college debt. Then when I heard I could get a trip to Disney World out of the deal, I said, “what at heck (or something like that), I don’t have a lot going on in the winter and I could put up with some extra work to go on a trip.” Of course, once the project got rolling, I became hooked.
Now, I could really care less if I never got to go to Disney World again. I do it for a lot of reasons. One is that I’m an extremely competitive person and it’s a good outlet for me to get it out of my system. Second is that I enjoy working with the students and showing them how interesting math can be. Third, is that I enjoy meeting all of the people involved in FIRST. My best friend in the Detroit area I met through our FIRST team. Moving to a big city from a small town and being a 4-hour drive from all of your family and friends can be difficult for a while. It was nice to be able to meet some new people.
One serious point to note in all of this is that Disney really does get a lot of people started in FIRST. People need to be careful when they say that we should forget about Disney and just do it at the GeorgiaDome or something like that. FIRST still needs the “hook” of Disney to get a lot of the first-timers. Now, if FIRST were on TV like BattleBots, it would be a different story, but that’s been discussed to death on another thread.
all of my friends joined last year and had an awesome time so i joined to see what it was and stuff…
its wierd, before first i always seemed to be a verbal (i dont know how to put it really…like i was never good at science and stuff and just didnt generally like that type of stuff)
but after i joined first i got into engineering and all that and now im conisdering becoming an engineer
I became interested in FIRST when you WPI people (well, I guess this was a year before you came to WPI, kate) showed the entire Junior class that ESPN video in the Fishbowl. That got me to goto Philly and UTC. After those comps, I was hooked and FIRST became a major part of my life.
Now, leaving Mass Academy/WPI was hard, because I knew I was going to a College without a team. But due to a number of reasons – most importantly the challenge of it – I decided to try start a team at Cornell or in Ithaca. It’s been a great experience – I’ve met lots of students, professors, administration, and people in the community. Most importantly, I know that high school students (and perhaps college too) are benefitting from their experience on the team.
Through all this, I’m not sure where FIRST lies in my future. Although the challenge I gave myself of starting a team is completed and my team would likely be fine without me, I will probably remain involved as a mentor throughout the next three years.
Patrick
Why did I start? because someone that I knew and respected told me that she thought I would make a better roboticist than a computer programmer (which is what I used to want to do)
Why do I continue? because I have a blast and learn many new things each year.
I started because I enjoy building things (ex. I’ve worked for a construction company all my life until this summer when i traded it in for a cad job) and because a couple of my friends were doing it. The reason that I continue? I enjoy the program so much that I’ve basically dropped everything else that I did besides school and work and just do this now. Going to wpi was decided upon primarily due to FIRST, especially when you consider what happened at 8:30 am on april 8, 2000. If not for wpi, I would have gone to Northeastern to do FIRST there (I don’t want to hear any sarcastic laughs, being on a national championship team is not important). So all and all, I just love FIRST, and now I’m learning to be a mechanical engineer.
Tim
I took a class called Principles of Engineering when I was a junior in high school. It was easy, I finished everything quickly, did better than most everyone else in the class, and got to know the teacher very well.
When I was a senior, he got information about FIRST from someone. . . probably Mr. Breithut, the coordinator of our Long Island Regional. He hunted me down one day, showed me the brochure, and asked if I wanted to do it. After glancing over it, watching the video, and thinking, “Hey, this is like those things they do at MIT,” I agreed.
So, I got involved by getting drafted. I’d never seen or heard of the program before, but my teacher knew of my interest in designing complex systems and things (mainly amusement devices, though) and the rest is pretty much history.
I switched teams only when my high school’s team had a problem with some other alumni and was begrudgingly forced to ban all alumni, and next year, it might be on to another team as Christina and I try to start one up and get sponsorship from school.
If you all want the honest truth as to why I joined FIRST, I was forced into it. When I was in seventh and eighth grade my dad was our the teacher in charge (this was our teams first two years in competition). Freshman year I had no plans to do it anymore. The people who I saw in SPAM either scared me b/c of their brillance in enigneering or b/c of their downright stragness. I also knew how much time it took up. Even those two years that I wasn’t officially a member of the team, I seemed to have no time to do anything.
Then my friend took me aside in mid-October of my freshman year and told me that I was going to the SPAM meetings, that I would be in FIRST again, and that I was going to have fun. I just groaned and started going to the meetings.
Over that year, I really started to get to know the other students and engineers on my team. The team members who I had known from previous years took me under their wing and taught me everything. I went to the KSC regional and nats that year and loved it.
Ever since…I’ve met so many people, learned so much, and had such a great time that I couldn’t see myself not doing FIRST.
Sorry for such a long reply… 
~ Angela who hopes to do FIRST in college, but still has two years of high school to worry about that
As a young freshman, new to the hallways of my current high school, I noticed a poster for a club known as “RAGE.” Unsure why a high school club would have such a name, I inquired about it in the main office. From there it is all history…
Still doing FIRST and not sure why. I guess its because it instills such a drive in its student members, that they never want to leave…
as I was reading the posts I cazme upon a TRUTH
FIRST is a lot like teaching form me- its not something you can do part time or only when meetings start-
FIrst much like teaching for me is a way of life- iam constaly striveing to learn more about it
i find my self looking at these forums three foru times a day (inbetween classes)
and building weird little robots out of stuff that my wife wishes I left in the trash or the dump
I just dont DO FIRST- I live it
dahl
Last school year(1999-2000) I saw signs around school about a Robotics Team starting in January and under the sign says Florida trip. So a couple of my friends and I said that we should go and take a look. Once stepped into the meeting, I knew I would join not because of the trip to Florida but to learn about engineering.
Now i don’t know what I want to do, either Comp Sci, Electrical Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering. 
Thanks alot FIRST.
Why did I join robotics? Well, for several reasons. Firstly, I am (wait, school’s out, was ) a freshman in high school and I wasn’t really doing any extracurricular activities so when I heard an announcment for a robotics club, I decided to attend the meeting. Secondly, I have always known I’m gonna be an engineer when I grow up mainly because my dad is an EE, but I really hadn’t had much experiance with any form of engineering besides CE. Anyway, I got hooked and I’m definately gonna do this for my next three years of high school as well as in college. If this year was so good, next year can only be better.
Somewhere a few years ago GM decided to further expand its membership in FIRST and picked my division CRW to join in with Troy High School. They figured we would do well because Robotics are in our Name (Controls,Robotics,Welding) However little did they know how competitive this whole thing really is. Our last years robot was really cool (in our minds) but then we went to Reigonals and I truely could not believe that there were 60 designs that were not like each other but built to perform the same task. It was really cool to see that some engineers and students think alike, since our robot was similar in concept to CD5 with the telescoping boom and basket, minus feedback and swerve . Same thing this year but even bigger, first time I saw 308, and CD6 this year at reigonals I though man what amazing feats of engineering have taken place especially in the ultra short timeframe. What keeps you coming back to this? I have to think that almost any engineer is intrigued by seeing ingenious designs, some designs are tiny little additions that made their life easier (Many robots remote mounted the tether and programming ports for easier access, I thought, wow, we complained every time we had to feed the cable to the center of the robot why didn’t we do this) To major engineering feats like the 4 wheel steering and autobalancing from off or on the ramp, or ingenious ways to grab the goals, the list goes on. I think I will be in this for a long time simply because there was nothing this impressive to me in Highschool, and maybe not even in college. There are a bunch of people out there that need practical knowledge along with theory, explain to someone gearing and torque they might understand, build, experiment, and see the results of ratios and that might just be the ticket. Finally to all the students out there I leave you with this, most engineers are really kinda kids at heart, we love to play with things, design, build, and even break things, its what engineering is all about, thats why we like FIRST
Matt
Why did I start? Hrm, though I almost got scared and walked away from the room where that first meeting was being held my freshman year, I was curious. I had seen other robotics competitions on the discovery channel before, and they were my favorite things to watch. By the end of the 1997 video, I was hooked and there was no going back!
I’m still with FIRST for one reason. The people. Don’t get me wrong, I love the engineering side (FIRST is the only reason I’ll be majoring in Mechanical Engineering next fall) - but with everything, it’s the people that make me come back each season for more. All the friends i’ve made, and the ones I’ve yet to meet.
This year was odd for me. I had outgrown my old team (69), and found myself taken in by others. Bobcat Robotics (177) and the Flashbacks (168) never thought twice about picking up a random FIRSTer without a home…and although this year was tough with my team in CT with me in MA, and the team that took me in for Nationals down in Miami, that hardship was worth every minute, and honestly, I think this season was my best one of all.
Oh yeah, and I’ll be back next year ;o) Although I’d love to stay with my Bobcats, my college duties call me to Tigerbolt (73)…and so it continues ;o)
~ lora
I recieved a letter saying I was recomended by teachers to be on a Robotics Team. But a whole bunch of people got them so I didn’t take it seriously and let the deadline pass.
I thought about it, free trip, all my friends, and I have nothing else to do. So I kind of got in on the sly. People were turned down b/c it was to late. So I was blessed to get in.
Still in the Pre-season I went to the meetings. They were very boring and I was thinking about dropping out. But I said I got in late and got in by luck so it would look bad to drop out.
Then I got hooked ot it when January came!!! I couldn’t stay away, I had sooo much fun, I met new friends. Had fun with everybody. FIRST rose my self-esteem. I didn’t know anything about engineering and did a whole bunch of stuff. FIRST was a blessing from god! I love it and I am a FIRST-a-holic. I can’t get enough of it. I glad I have two more years left.
I was the tallest person on my team so I was the human player. I had fun donig that also. I hope to be a team leader and a driver next year. So look for my face with those two joysticks in my hand next year.
I even decided what I wanted to do for the rest of my life during the 6 weeks. Be an engineer. I plan to be with FIRST my next two years of high school and through college.
Thank You FIRST!!
I was looking for something that I thought could not only change the people I could directly contact but was part of a larger program that would change the wider culture.
FIRST was all that.
I really believe in the importance of the mission of FIRST and how they were going about implementing their mission.
That is basically my story.
Joe J.
Wait a second… I just have to drool over the new CD site for a bit… yea, yea, definitely killer site, definitely killer… Awesome job guys… Okay, now that that’s done with, my story.
Originally I had intended to study Drama in High School. But I was lured away by a robot I saw being driven around by a bunch of older kids when I was touring the school and deciding whether to go or not. So I got bitten by the FIRST bug in my sophomore year. It definitely hit me and for 3 years FIRST was pretty much my life. No offense to FIRST, but I do wish I had kept some kind of balance between it and real life. The 3rd year was a bit awkward for me, as there were great changes with my team which I didnt agree with, so now in this past 4th year I leaned more towards Volunteering with FIRST.
Thats a very simplified, very basic FIRST life story (which by the way, I AM working on turning into a FIRST musical, ::Nods toward FIRST rock bands to provide music:: =^). Is it the end of the story? No. Simply because of all of the connections and friends I’ve made with FIRST. And because of what FIRST is doing for America and the World. I truly believe 100% in the values that FIRST holds high and I don’t ever plan to leave it completely, although I do plan to persue a career in the entertainment industry now. Dont worry though, I still plan to help FIRSTanimators along and be there at competitions. Not to mention that when I hit it big in the entertainment field, make the public much more aware of FIRST. :D.
I joined so I could meet RobbyO. It was fate in the making.
Haha, no, but I’m glad I have, I know no one else that owns a pogo stick.
I was dragged to as a 12-year-old girl to watch this NH regional competition in 1995 cause my brother was on some stupid engineer thing and my dad didn’t want to make the car ride alone.
Next thing I knew, I was a freshman in high school talking to my best friend Emily… “you HAVE to do this robot thing. it’s amazing. you’ll love it, trust me.”
Next thing I knew… we were sophomores and the only two girls up on stage controlling the robot.
Next thing I knew I was in college co-running a team.
Next thing I knew I was @ WPI working as crew chief.
It’s crazy what parents do for you huh? I’m glad my dad didn’t feel like driving the hour alone. I’m glad they stood by me every night that I called progressive later my first 3 years of FIRST. I’m glad they understand and support my desires.
I do it for them. The showed me the world and allowed me to take and give what I wanted to it. And my many accomplishments in it allow them to be proud of me and that’s what keeps me going.
In 1999 it was the best as I was a senior in high school. I laughed when we won the UTC regional and my mom bragged “That’s my girl on stage”. And they were the first ones I thought of when I won the DesignYourFuture award the same year. And my mom cried when I got a standing O. It was one of her proudest moments. I do it for her and my dad.
And I have you guys to thank for giving me the opportunity.
end sappiness 