On October 29th, the Hitchhikers took part in the SCRIW (South Carolina Robotics Invitational and Workshops). This is an off-season competition held in Columbia, South Carolina. Off-season events are both important networking opportunities and an opportunity to train new members.

We drove to Columbia on Friday night and were up early and eager to compete on Saturday morning. We had a great day competing with our robot and attended a very informative workshop on team branding. Our old members got the experience that comes with every competition they attend, while our new members got to taste the thrill of competition for the first time and are now better prepared for their first season on the team.

We also had the opportunity to network and interact with other teams from as far away as Florida. This is important as our team sets its sights on attending more competitions and becoming more involved in FIRST. In line with FIRST’s principle of “coopertition,” it is vital that we maintain strong relationships with other teams, as we will likely be working with them at some point in the future.

Overall, our South Carolina trip was a strong success. We all had a great deal of fun, learned a lot, and are better prepared for what the 2012 season holds.