Saturday, February 6. 2016
Mentor note: This blog post was started in November and was lost in the shuffle. The blogger was asked to update it to reflect her life as a Team 1511 Student in the midst of Build Season. Enjoy!
(Written 11/7/15) My name is Ally, and I am a new student on Team 1511. I decided to join this team because I saw all the benefits and fun in it. I was told my freshman year to join the team by my peers but I decided against it, thinking that the only things that I would be able to do were science, mathematics, and engineering. Looking back, I realize that that was one of the worst decisions that I have ever made and how wrong I was. Now, about 4 months on the team, I am astonished looking at the people around me, and amazed at the leaders I see. I came to realize that the team had something for everyone, from mechanics to marketing, and I soon found my place. My friends have been supportive with my decision, and I am so happy that I am finally on the team. I won’t lie: The work that you put into the team is overwhelming at first, especially if you had a high demanding sport starting off like I did, but the product in the end is all worth it. Seeing everyone working at a high level made me come to realize that this team is more than just a robotics team, it is a family.
(Written 2/6/16) We now have 17 days until stop build day! From the first day I have been working non-stop on the T-shirt, standard, and the shield designs. I have come to learn that I can work with others, listen to their opinions, and come out with a great end product. For example, I have just finished the T-shirt design using a completely new program that I wasn’t used to. I have found some fantastic freshman to aid me in making the designs, along with a few mentors to help us use the program really made the process of designing easier. From the moment build season has started, I have found that I have been busy every second that I have come in to work at the school. As I am sitting in the computer room, hearing people working in the shop on the robot, I can really see for the first time how many ideas turn into one through teamwork. I can say with certainty that we have many brilliant minds that come to work on a single product, and to see all of those ideas turn into an actual robot is amazing. I truly feel like this team is a family, supporting everyone and helping others become greater and learning from their mistakes.
Student Blogger Ally, aka The Elbow Goddess
