Days 95-98 in 2023
FIRST Robotics State Championships in Michigan! I learned a lot over this event. First, Michigan is one of only a handful of states with enough robotics teams to make a state championship viable, other locations have regional finals instead. Then, when they quadruple the number of teams attending a weekend competition they don't quadruple the competition days, they actually host four fields worth of events all in the same room; this is loud and confusing. Third, four batches of brownies and five batches of cookies (all baked the afternoon before leaving for the hotel) will barely be enough for three full days of competition with teenagers. Lastly, you don't have to win to be proud of your team and have a good time. This last one, of course, I really already knew, we just got some extra practice with it, if you know what I mean.