Changing Course

Preliminary Title Page by Michael Leonffu

Alone...

When I started this project over a year ago with my friend and group of colleagues that all believed in the same idea: Lets make robotics better. Slowly it has faded. Everyone left, including my partner and friend. Now I'm alone doing this project, one vs all, one member on the board vs all other members, the minority, the last one standing. I'm used to it but thats not the point; the point is how is robotics going to get better now since I'm all alone and this task is more than what one person, let alone me who has lots of other work to do, complete this whole project.

Testing Robot made for Software; Teach Rookies to Program.
Photo by Michael Leonffu

So I'm changing course...

It all occurred to me, though mentors and close friends, maybe it's not impossible to do this alone. Instead of trying to get the assistance and approval of the other members of a board that is broken and non-exsistant I should just make the documents on my own and have them look at them and agree or disagree. It's my last choice. I've already set up many meetings for them, the other board members and mentors, and all that has happened is nothing(Other than the harsh emails in reply). 

So my mentor tells me(since my mentor and I both lack the experience): why not just email out a document and have people talk about it. It'll end in either two ways: one, all people either agree or abstain; two, a person disagrees and emails get exchanged and then I can call a meeting in person. Either way I get my plan across. 

Botcats Software Division. Photo by Michael Leonffu

My partner says otherwise...

And I agree with him, so I'm doing both his idea and my mentors. The thing is no matter how much planning I do it's no good without the actual application of the plan. So my friend tells me I should just do my plans on my own team, in hope that, eventually the other teams will follow and realize that the planning I've made is a correct concept.

Personally I think he's right, I get to test run my plans while also making my team and all of robotics better! I find it funny and in total agreement with my mentor: in engineering building a robot is super easy, building a team and solving people problems is the impossible task. The problem in engineering is not the robot it's the people making the robot. 

Rookies Planning and Building the Launcher Device.
 Photo by Michael Leonffu

The plan...

My plan mostly revolves around keeping robotics alive and teaching rookies while keeping a structure and a clear focused set of ideals we all follow together to inspire STEM and robotics in the community. It's all written in the manifesto but I've been applying it to my team so far. I'm making sure the veterans give rookies their time to learn and catch up and be able to do robotics, from planning/designing to programming/building and everything in between.

Danylo D and Thomas L Working on 3D Printed Parts.
Photo by Michael Leonffu

Finally...

Although in all the struggle and all the time I'm spending on this project -- like the last 6 hours I've been making and cleaning documents despite all my schoolwork -- I believe I'm doing this for a good cause, and I also believe it is good practice and experience. I don't see any way I'm walking out of this and saying "wow that was a waste of time". Even if my plans don't work or they get ignored at least I was able to make them and learn from them and in the end if they were truly useful if another person, like me, shows up one day he or she can pick up theses documents and make robotics better.