The Biggest Regret of My High School Career: Joining the Robotics Club
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, or in my case, a decision I made in 9th grade. High school was bustling with opportunities, and I got myself excited about the different clubs I'd join. However, one moment of hesitation led to a lifelong regret.
Finding the Right Club
Before diving into the nitty-gritty of my decision, let's set some context. My high school offered a staggering 250 clubs, which seemed excessive to me. After thorough research, I identified a handful of STEM clubs, a few creative clubs, and a badminton club. Among these, the TEDx club, the badminton club, and the robotics club stood out the most.
My Decision
I ultimately joined the TEDx club, where I ended up participating for the last three years. Sadly, the badminton club didn't last for me, but more importantly, I found myself hesitating at the robotics club table.
The thought of programming a robot and learning about its mechanisms was incredibly appealing to me, despite my lack of technical prowess. My programming knowledge was limited to basic Scratch, and I struggled with physics and chemistry courses, not to mention my limited understanding of engineering and calculus beyond limits and derivatives. Nonetheless, I was determined to overcome these challenges.
The Day I Felt Overwhelmed
The day of Club Day arrived, and I was eager to explore all the available clubs. The quad was already packed with students, and I managed to meet up with a friend. As we roamed around, we stumbled upon the robotics table. But it was at that moment that my confidence took a hit. The table was overrun by boys, and the My oh my, they’re just boys irony was not lost on me. They seemed intimidating, and the fear that the club was primarily male led me to make a hasty decision.
“Let’s go.”
My friend asked, “Are you sure?”
“Haha yeah, it’s okay.”
However, it wasn't as okay as I pretended it was. As we turned our back on the table, I wished I could go back in time and make a different choice.
Buried Stigmas
The decision I made that day became a dark corner in my mind, hibernating until I found the courage to join. In my sophomore year, I finally mustered up the courage to join the robotics club. However, my original plan of deviating from programming and wiring for marketing due to schedule conflicts and the lack of a laptop meant that my path wasn't as straightforward as I had hoped.
Learning to Grasp Life by the Balls
Amidst these challenges, I learned a valuable lesson: grab life by the balls. Despite the initial hesitation, I became a happy member of the robotics club in my second year. The club has grown to be my most time-consuming extracurricular activity, and the experience of spending time with such intelligent and friendly people has been nothing short of enlightening.
“Now entering my third year, it’s also too late to regret not joining earlier. With the coronavirus still at large, who knows if we’ll even get a competition season. I might graduate having only attended two actual events.”
However, my fears proved to be unfounded. This year, our demographics are surprisingly balanced, with roughly 10 more boys than girls. It's clear that the stigma of gender imbalance in robotics is slowly dissipating.
A Happy Ending
Looking back, I wish I had joined the robotics club earlier. But the regret is a past lesson, and the joy and satisfaction I derive from being part of such a dynamic community are priceless.
So, my advice is to grab life by the balls! Not everything is as it seems.