Charlotteness, we can hardly refill a stapler without breaking a limb. Robots are bit beyond our comprehension level.—Sparkitors
I bet you're all thinking "Woah! Build robots? This girl is crazy! People don't do that!" but you're wrong, they do! I do, in fact. My school has a team that is part of one of the most awesomelyfantastic organizations ever, FIRST FRC Robotics. Every year, we build a robot for some crazy challenge, in 6 weeks. Sound like madness? It is! However, it's the type of madness I think everyone should experience. So, why should you do robotics?
1. Hello, it's a robot. Can you get much more awesome? Seriously, I get to respond to "What did you do today?" with "Oh, not much, just built a robot. No big deal."
2.. You learn to deal with nerds. I can hear you going "Ew! I don't want to deal with nerds!" but hold your horses. These are the people who will build the next iPod, discover time travel, eliminate the common cold, or (terrifyingly) start the company you'll work for in the future. Eeek! Now, wouldn't you like to know how to deal with them? From personal experience, they aren't that bad, and most of them are pretty sweet once you get to know them. Which leads me to my next point...
3. It's less nerdy than you'd think. I promise you, there are normal people involved in this. It can be a little overwhelming at first because let's face it, the nerdiness is a little more concentrated in robotics than in other places, but it's not that bad. And eventually, you realize that even the extreme nerdiness is awesome. For example, Roboprom! Yes, it's exactly what it sounds like, a giant, amazingly nerdy dance. It happens every year at the World Championships competition, and it's fantastic. Think Prom, minus the drama, plus light-sabers, plus an easy topic of conversation to chat up cute guys/girls.
4. You learn TONS of skills. Feel technically incompetent? Join robotics! I started out not being able to use a drill, and now I can use words like "Potentiometer" and "Prototyping" without even blinking. And, if stuff breaks, I know how to fix it! Move over, handyman, chick with a drill coming through.
5. Defend yourself from the robot takeover. As in, The Matrix, taking over the world, etc? Want to learn to control them before they turn us all into living batteries trapped in a computer-generated world all according to their evil plan? Do it.
6. You meet tons of new people. My robotics nerdy birdies (yes, I call them that to their faces) are practically my adopted brothers at this point. After 6 weeks of seeing them for hours and hours each day, staying up until 5 AM working, and spitting soda across a hotel room because you couldn't stop laughing long enough to take swallow, you bond.
7. This might be the start of a career. Not to be over-dramatic, but robotics showed me what I want to do with my life. I want to become an engineer, whereas 3 years ago I wouldn't have been able to tell you what that was. Also, all that science and math stuff you try to stay awake for in school? You get to used it, and it's great.
And, finally, 7.5: It's fun. Really, seriously, fun. Let me give you a quick example. You know the Georgia Dome? Well, it's where the Superbowl is held, and it's also where World Championships for FIRST Robotics was held last year. Imagine robotics people taking over the site of the Superbowl. Now imagine robots playing soccer (our challenge from last year). Now imagine 20,000 people watching and cheering. Yes, it's that awesome.
That's why you, yes you, should build robots. I promise you, I'm not a raving nerdess (the technical term for a female nerd), I'm just a reasonably normal teenage girl who happens to build robots. Join me? See you all during the robot invasion!
We're beyond impressed that there's a Sparkler out there building 'bots! Anyone else in a robotics club?
Related post: Can Robots Lead To Love?
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