The Things I Learned From FIRST

With the end of Championship, four years of FIRST at Olin have now come to a close. I came into these four years not knowing the magnitude of what I was stepping into. I had no idea how to mentor my freshman year, slowly picked up the idea my sophomore year, and took over my junior year even if I still had no clue what I was doing.

I'm now leaving this episode of FIRST with a much better idea of how to communicate, lead, and plan projects. I now have also have some confidence. It takes guts to publicly shame yourself as many times as I do a year. Engineers are not known for their eye-hand coordination or dancing skills. FIRST has also shown me I'm a project manager. I never would have seen myself in this role until I kept ending up there.

Finally, FIRST has also given me the best network I will ever have. I now have contacts in almost every city I could move to when I "grow up". The judges have coached me on interviewing; they've helped me make connections, and are training me on how to shape a career still on the launch pad. Overall, I feel like I'm very well set up to start a job.

I really have learned a lot from this experience. But, no FIRST final event would be complete without a list. So here it is:

Things I have Learned from FIRST

0) Given enough caffeine, almost anything is possible.

1) a. Make friends, they will help you later. Be it getting VIP passes, or a place to stay, friends are great people.
1) b. if you happen to have the wrong name on the VIP pass you're using, it is highly unlikely anyone will notice; even if it is the name Paul and you happen to be female.

2) Get a little, give a little. 5 copies of the pit map can win you a lot more than you think.

3) Never admit you have resources that include a printer.

4) Most high level engineers are really little kids at heart. There is always enough room to play Frisbee inside and get the "stop playing games in the house" look from the judge adviser.

5) Adults are more intense than kids, most of the time.

6) The things that make you look powerful (radios) get annoying. People think you know what you're doing.

7) a. You eventually get over embarrassing yourself in front of large crowds of people
7) b .You cannot delete every single embarrassing picture, so learn to live with them.

8) a. Any event where you do not end up on the floor of the event office debating a nap is a good one.
8) b. Any event where they use your correct name (even you've screwed up) over the radio, is also a good one. It means the know who you are. (Reference: "Judge Judy")

9) Grappa does not stop tasting like lighter fluid, even after the first sip.

10) As Colin says: sleep is for wimps.

On The Road

I swear I've been on the road for a semester and a half.

I just went through the list of places I've been and well, its long.

Owego, NY
Moorestown, NJ
Newport, RI
Cambridge, MA
Chelmsford, MA
Dallas, TX
Laurel, MD
Houston, TX
Newtown, PA
Boston, MA.


Each of these trips has required planning on my part that has taken a significant amount of time. Yes, the Boston/Cambridge/Chelmsford trips may not be long in travel time, but that does not account for the planning hours. Cambridge was a job interview, Chelmsford was two major presentations, and Boston was building a robot that was the culmination of six weeks of insanity.

I am now mastering the art of rent cars and hotels. Be nice to the overly tired rental car agency late at night and they may not put you in that too small, hamster driven car. Same goes for the middle of the day when there are no less than 4 screaming kids and two angry business travelers. While driving that tiny car you may have to pray that you aren't crushed under a semi. Also, while turning on the car turn the volume on the radio down as fast as you can. You may be greeted by Christmas music at Halloween or rap music at 11 pm at night.

Hotels normally will let you into your room late at night. Even if you show up rain soaked at midnight, they will not cancel your room. Sometimes they will even have a free breakfast. Why in their right mind they ask if you want the directions to the fitness center when you are checking in at midnight and out at 7 am I still have not figured out.

There is also now defined smell in my life that is "airport" and "hotel". I have mastered TSA security to a level I never imagined. I know I need exactly two gray bins. No more, no less. After a few gross bathrooms I now carry hand sanitizer on me at all times. I also carry food after a few too many delayed flights at Logan. I could likely eat a meal or four out of my stash.

After all of this is said and done, the one major rule of adventures is still what can go wrong, will go wrong. I end up with plans A, B, C, and D. Flights are always delayed, traffic always happens, I get lost, and things happen. All of this has shown that I have an amazing ability to deal with change and make things happen despite problems. I think this may be Olin or the fact that I grew up in a barn kicking in.

Travel really makes me value the short amount of time I have left at Olin. Coming home to my own bed, in my own room, is likely the highlight of any trip. The only thing that would make this better is having my dog here to welcome me home; however, in a few short months this will become a reality.

Women in Technology

March 24th is an Internet declared holiday of Ada Lovelace Day. It is meant to gain awareness that there is gender inequality still present in technology and draw attention to women excelling despite it.

Normally I'd pass these things over. The Internet doesn't really declare a holiday, but this one resonated too strongly. The mention of the need for female role models, the hidden discrimination, and more all are things I've seen. It hit me too deep in the gut to let this go.

But I'm not here to dwell on the past. I try and let that experience go and hope that things get better.

There are a few women I do admire in technology. Many of them are FIRST Judges. They are the movers and shakers in technology that I have had the opportunity to talk to on a level that without FIRST I would not have had the chance. Some of them have been told nice girls don't do science. Most of them are now high ranking engineers. All of them are amazing people. Helen, Deborah, Sherra, Joann, Cindy, Leann, Sue, Peko, Alex, Elaine, and more I know I'm forgetting. Every one of them is amazing in their own right. Chief Engineers, Program Managers, Professors, Deans, World Conquerers, Robot Builders, Entrepreneurs, Scientists. They are out there as the role models I missed out on.

There are astronauts too. Sunita, Sally, Shannon, Eileen. One day I may be crazy enough to join them. You are the superstars that helped drag me into engineering, the others have just kept me here.

There is finally Amy. I've never met someone with as much drive and resilience. She has shown me that anything is possible and gender does not matter. She's also been the kick when I'm stuck and need a hand. Thank you.

I really cannot say enough about the women in technology I look up to. They come from all over the country, and every industry. But each one of them is proof that it is possible to be a successful female engineer despite everything that tells you no.

Who am I

I first wrote this over a year ago, and it is about time for an updated version. I'm starting to learn it is both my actions and my choices who define me, along with my reactions to events around me. California last summer changed who I was and who I see myself as. Here goes another round at trying to define me.


I am the person who has danced the Macarena with a past CEO of Apple, the CEO of Vecna, the inventor of the Ethernet, and more, in front of more people than I care to count. I have gone careening through an empty parking lot on top of a rolling table. I now accept that these moments will haunt me later on in life and enjoy making an idiot of myself at the time. I've been inside a space shuttle, on the top of a launch pad, and stood under an Atlas rocket. (Have you hugged a rocket today?) I dream so much, my head is stuck in the clouds. I took a leap of faith and went to a school under construction and at some points I have regretted this choice. I've eaten lunch with Jack Hanna, and heard Gloria Steinem speak. I drove around for weeks with a robot in the back of my car, leaving people unable to ride in it. I've mucked horse stalls more times that I've cleaned my room, and I'd still rather muck a stall. I may be over the age of 12, but I still want a pony (in chestnut, please). I'm still afraid that a monster may jump out of my closet and get me one night even though he's been vanquished from under my bed. I enjoy the company of animals. Horses taught me patience, and slowed me down. Dogs taught me to enjoy simple things. Flight fascinates me. Growing up scares me. I love galloping down dirt roads for no reason at all. I try to smile at every chance, even when life hands me a bowl of lemons. I've been called a "fire cracker" and the girl with the most guts around here. After four years of college, I've finally stopped always feeling like a chicken. I'm green around the edges, and even though I appear to know what I'm doing, I really don't. I've learned to hide my nearly constant fear of the unknown. I'd rather help others than myself. I’ve set off a model rocket engine while holding it in a leather man, losing all of my arm hair in the process. I’ve also launched model rockets with a 9V battery and wires a foot long. I’m amazed I’m still alive. I think I know what I want to do with life, but the idea of knowing what I'll be doing scares me. The idea of not knowing where I’ll be living in 6 months scares me more. I play chase with my Jack Russell Terrier, and am just as hard headed as she is. I'm constantly afraid I'm wrong, or am harming someone in some way. I hate disappointing people. One person tries to see how many times in a weekend he is able to make me blush. He also knows the progression in which my face turns red and will happily give you a running commentary. I'll try my hardest as long as I have proof something matters. I may have grown up in a big city, but I’m a small town girl at heart. I have a strange love of pickup trucks (4WD, diesel is the only way to go). I respect people who do their jobs professionally despite adversity and face diversity head on. I respect them more so if they help others accomplish their goals. I enjoyed my summer in California but it messed with my head. Now I need to recalibrate the amount I speak up; Olin makes me speak up too much, California not at all. I’ve been told that my ability to laugh at myself and my passion for life will keep me going much longer than anything else and I hope this is true. I know after last summer I am one tough, smart cookie.

I always hope I’m making Dad proud.