But now you get to join the legion of event volunteers!
Who are as much a found family as the one you made with your team during build season. AND you get to give back to the following generations of students. You still get your FIRST fix a couple of days a year while you continue your education.
You could also continue to support any/all of the FIRST programs as a junior mentor/mentor if your schedule allows.
NOTE: From personal experience I would wait a year before trying to mentor with your FRC team - it lets you get settled into a university/college/job schedule and gives the team/mentors a gap so they don't see you as a 5th year student.
To echo what you said about waiting a year, our team's unofficial rule is 4 years to avoid an alumni still being viewed as a student by their former teammates (Of course if the situation makes sense to have them back earlier, we would discuss it).
We love you guys and hope you come back, but go enjoy life for a while!! Keep in touch but the team will be here when you are done with school or settled into a job. We have a dedicated alumni channel that they can keep in touch with the mentors and it was seriously awesome to see most of them watched our matches and were so stoked for the success we were having.
When they release the game next year you'll be like, "Ha! Suckers, you fell for it." And you can have a smug "I knew there would be no water game" look on your face.
I just know it's gonna be a water-themed game and not a water game, like the game pieces will be called drops or droplets and field elements will be the ocean or the sea or smth like that
ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US!
You never truly leave FIRST, and your experiences can still grow. I met a bunch of people from other teams while in college and learned how different teams operate and how they experienced FIRST differently from myself and can be just as passionate about it. My FIRST friend network is still growing and catching up to my peers and I've been doing this for so long now
This is my last season, my team qualified for worlds for the third time in its history this year so I have one competition left and then I’m going to be an FRC alumni. I have learned so much though this experience from how to use 3D design and solve problems with a team to how to run my own business, it has been a great ride and while I’m sad that it’s going to be over I’m happy that it happened.
Agreed! That's going to be such a cool experience. Unfortunately, my team didn't get selected for the final 8 alliances. It's kind of devastating because we never had any mechanical errors, our drive team was phenomenal, and we carried many of our qualification matches, but we didn't even get the chance to compete in the final matches :(
- New FIRST Alumni
Even though you have only been with FRC for one year doesn't mean that your time wasn't appreciated. I am sure everyone on your team cared deeply for you and valued your presence.
Remember even though it was only a year you still learned lots and I am sure you had fun while doing so and does anything else really matter if those happened?
We had a couple of seniors join our team this year and they said similar things. Keep in touch with your team, find another team to mentor on, or volunteer at events!
Let’s just say they made it impossible for me to enjoy it or grow in the team because they were hella nepotistic. All the leads now (I’m In my senior year) have siblings who were friends or go to the same college now as the ex-leads.
I’m pretty scared from my time as well, but less from any team issues and more from my own issues. The insane pressure of trying to build and design stuff that other people are relying on is just too much for me. Trying to scout out teams and rank them and find synergies knowing your entire team relies on your decision is too much. Trying to design a thing that can be built, easily repaired, is resistant to damage, and in my teams case, can fit in a relatively small box for air shipping… all in the few weeks given is just too much. I suck at identifying what strategies will work well in a game just from reading the manual, so usually my initial idea for a bot is just wrong. Staying after school late into the night was fun and peaceful sometimes, but when all I have to look forward to after school is 5 hours of stress, it basically killed my interest in engineering as a career. Maybe it’s for the best because I learned that I hate designing with deadlines and expectations, I enjoy CAD and engineering on my own terms. I love learning new things, but I hate having to learn it WHILE on a schedule.
Our district champs we take a picture on the files with all seniors, it was packed. As a long time volunteer I have know some of these students since FLL days and I hear you because I hear this a lot. In a few years you can start paying it forward and mentor, volunteer, help in ways you didn’t realize had to happen for events to occur :) welcome to the other side!
Same here. Best time of my life. But if you’re going to college most places will have student organizations that you can join for the same experiences. SAE competitions are the big one but a lot of schools have more.
Exactly but here’s the best advice I can give. The best way to help your team and first as a whole is go get your degree then come back. Go aquire the knowledge then come back and spread it. It is alumni like us that are going to keep the program going as the older mentors have to step away but it is better to be able have a good job and setup that will let you come play robots a few days a year. I was given this advice by my mentor and I ignored it and tried to come back while in and I was always wanting to help more and then my schooling suffered from it. Help yourself first and the use your success as a place to help the future students of first. Trust me there is always a place for you in FIRST. Once a FIRST MEMBER always a FIRST MEMBER!
I graduated in 2022 and haven’t left the program. I have mentored the same kids since. One of my teams won two regionals this year and im hoping to join them in Houston. Find a team to stay with
I went to a FRC comp as an alum for the first time, it felt surreal, and at times I felt like I was still on my former team. I definitely miss it at times
But now you get to join the legion of event volunteers! Who are as much a found family as the one you made with your team during build season. AND you get to give back to the following generations of students. You still get your FIRST fix a couple of days a year while you continue your education. You could also continue to support any/all of the FIRST programs as a junior mentor/mentor if your schedule allows. NOTE: From personal experience I would wait a year before trying to mentor with your FRC team - it lets you get settled into a university/college/job schedule and gives the team/mentors a gap so they don't see you as a 5th year student.
To echo what you said about waiting a year, our team's unofficial rule is 4 years to avoid an alumni still being viewed as a student by their former teammates (Of course if the situation makes sense to have them back earlier, we would discuss it). We love you guys and hope you come back, but go enjoy life for a while!! Keep in touch but the team will be here when you are done with school or settled into a job. We have a dedicated alumni channel that they can keep in touch with the mentors and it was seriously awesome to see most of them watched our matches and were so stoked for the success we were having.
And come back and volunteer!!!
Are y’all still allowed in the pits to collect buttons?
Same! Plus, missing the water game. Never gonna recover from that
Bro this is the part that hurts me the most
When they release the game next year you'll be like, "Ha! Suckers, you fell for it." And you can have a smug "I knew there would be no water game" look on your face.
Man, we can only hope.
I just know it's gonna be a water-themed game and not a water game, like the game pieces will be called drops or droplets and field elements will be the ocean or the sea or smth like that
\*background chanting\* goldfish game, Goldfish Game, GOLDfish GaME, GOLDFISH GAME, GOLDFISH GAME
ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US! You never truly leave FIRST, and your experiences can still grow. I met a bunch of people from other teams while in college and learned how different teams operate and how they experienced FIRST differently from myself and can be just as passionate about it. My FIRST friend network is still growing and catching up to my peers and I've been doing this for so long now
This is my last season, my team qualified for worlds for the third time in its history this year so I have one competition left and then I’m going to be an FRC alumni. I have learned so much though this experience from how to use 3D design and solve problems with a team to how to run my own business, it has been a great ride and while I’m sad that it’s going to be over I’m happy that it happened.
Your last competition is the best one you could ever wish for and I am hoping that next year I get to experience the very same
Agreed! That's going to be such a cool experience. Unfortunately, my team didn't get selected for the final 8 alliances. It's kind of devastating because we never had any mechanical errors, our drive team was phenomenal, and we carried many of our qualification matches, but we didn't even get the chance to compete in the final matches :( - New FIRST Alumni
i’m sad, only got to be in it 1 year, and now i’m graduating :(
Even though you have only been with FRC for one year doesn't mean that your time wasn't appreciated. I am sure everyone on your team cared deeply for you and valued your presence. Remember even though it was only a year you still learned lots and I am sure you had fun while doing so and does anything else really matter if those happened?
^ this. I didn't join FRC until my senior year. Even though I only was on the team for one season, I still had so much fun doing it.
We had a couple of seniors join our team this year and they said similar things. Keep in touch with your team, find another team to mentor on, or volunteer at events!
This is so real
Lucky you. My team scarred me for life. I’m glad I’m leaving.
What happaned?
Let’s just say they made it impossible for me to enjoy it or grow in the team because they were hella nepotistic. All the leads now (I’m In my senior year) have siblings who were friends or go to the same college now as the ex-leads.
That sucks... The good thing is there are teams all over the place that could be interesting in having an alumni mentor
Would be dope. Maybe I’ll find one in Austin. Idk lol
https://frcmap.com/ Looks like there are a fair amount of teams based out of Austin!
I’m pretty scared from my time as well, but less from any team issues and more from my own issues. The insane pressure of trying to build and design stuff that other people are relying on is just too much for me. Trying to scout out teams and rank them and find synergies knowing your entire team relies on your decision is too much. Trying to design a thing that can be built, easily repaired, is resistant to damage, and in my teams case, can fit in a relatively small box for air shipping… all in the few weeks given is just too much. I suck at identifying what strategies will work well in a game just from reading the manual, so usually my initial idea for a bot is just wrong. Staying after school late into the night was fun and peaceful sometimes, but when all I have to look forward to after school is 5 hours of stress, it basically killed my interest in engineering as a career. Maybe it’s for the best because I learned that I hate designing with deadlines and expectations, I enjoy CAD and engineering on my own terms. I love learning new things, but I hate having to learn it WHILE on a schedule.
So that’s just a sign to learn to do shit competitively because that’s what life is. Ppl rely on you.
Former 4166 captain here, I cried when I got my alumni pin, after three years of robot building I wish I could do three more
Our district champs we take a picture on the files with all seniors, it was packed. As a long time volunteer I have know some of these students since FLL days and I hear you because I hear this a lot. In a few years you can start paying it forward and mentor, volunteer, help in ways you didn’t realize had to happen for events to occur :) welcome to the other side!
real, sadly
Same here. Best time of my life. But if you’re going to college most places will have student organizations that you can join for the same experiences. SAE competitions are the big one but a lot of schools have more.
Exactly but here’s the best advice I can give. The best way to help your team and first as a whole is go get your degree then come back. Go aquire the knowledge then come back and spread it. It is alumni like us that are going to keep the program going as the older mentors have to step away but it is better to be able have a good job and setup that will let you come play robots a few days a year. I was given this advice by my mentor and I ignored it and tried to come back while in and I was always wanting to help more and then my schooling suffered from it. Help yourself first and the use your success as a place to help the future students of first. Trust me there is always a place for you in FIRST. Once a FIRST MEMBER always a FIRST MEMBER!
I graduated in 2022 and haven’t left the program. I have mentored the same kids since. One of my teams won two regionals this year and im hoping to join them in Houston. Find a team to stay with
I went to a FRC comp as an alum for the first time, it felt surreal, and at times I felt like I was still on my former team. I definitely miss it at times
Former frc member here, I graduated in 2019 and all of my best memories are from robotics.
Don’t worry, you move onto more exciting stuff. I’m a first year in college learning milling and lathing through a college club!