My Robotics Olympiad experience Part-1

Hi! I am Alex, and this is my robotics olympiad journey in a nutshell.

Summer 2019:

I joined two ev3 workshops in iCreate this summer. These workshops were in preparation for the iCreate Robotics Cup. Each workshop ended in a competition and I placed first and second in them. The last preliminary competition was 2 days before the Robotics Cup. I knew that the course will be the same and my mom and dad told me to fix my code. I didn’t. I felt that my robot was already strong and I kept on beating the other competitors. I got cocky.

Robotics Cup 2019:

The competition started. I had high hopes because for the last few runs everything went fine. There were a few bugs in the code, but I didn’t fix it because I thought it was going to be okay. This lead to my failure. The first 3 winners in our category will be representing the center during the Philippine Robotic Olympiad. I came in 4^th. I went home and stopped thinking about robotics for a while.

3 weeks later:

I went back to the center to try and prove that I was worth picking to join the next competition. When I got there, I was surprised to see that the person who got 3^rd place wasn’t there practicing. I asked the coach about him and he told me that the other student dropped out because he couldn’t make it to the trainings. They also told me that they were considering me as a replacement! I was pretty happy when I heard this that I totally forgot about the fact that I hadn’t eaten yet.

To be continued.

Lessons Learned:

1.     Don’t underestimate your opponent

2.     Don’t get too cocky. There is always room for mistakes and improvement.

3.     Put yourself in a position where when the opportunity presents itself, you can grab it.

Tetra packs!

Hi! I am Alex and I just donated my tetra-packs to Coffee Bean and you should too! Here is how it went!

First I stored all of our used tetra packs, like milk cartons and juice boxes. Then, I fill them up with water then shake it in order to get rid of the remaining drink. After that I pull each flap located on the corners and then I hang it to dry. When it’s done drying, they are ready to be donated.

Photo from Tetra Pak PH

Just find one of their special, then find their special box for cartons and put them inside. When they receive your donation they will turn it in to Tetra Pak PH which will then turn them into useful things such as picture frames, notebooks, and many more! 

Photo is from Tetra Pak PH 

Pinoy Kids Read Pinoy Books challenge!

Have you heard about the Pinoy Kids Read Pinoy Books challenge (or PKRPB for short)? Well its basically a challenge where pinoy kids have to read seven different books with seven specific topics like animals or food and stuff like that. You get to chose which books you will read, you can also chose which topics because there is no specific way of going through it. If you want you want, check out my posts at https://www.facebook.com/alextanproject/! Although it is a little late but if you plan on joining check out https://www.facebook.com/pinoykidsreadpinoybooks/

My short skit - Using the 4 types of sentences

Alex and Dan in

THE AMAZING TRIP!

Alex: Hey Dan, we have to go to the mall.

Dan: Which mall?

Alex: THE mall!

Dan: Wuh?

*canned laughter

Alex: There is only one mall that’s close and it’s Savemore.

Dan: Oh! Who told us?

Alex: Tita Kitten, Lola is sick and tita is tired so we must go alone.

Dan: Oh, let me get my stick.

Alex: What stick?

Dan: THE stick!

Alex: Wuh?

*canned laughter

Dan: The stick we use to play with the cat?

Alex: Oh! That stick.

Dan: We should get a move on. Tita might see that we are still here.

Alex: Let’s go!

(At Savemore)

Alex: So, you know this place, right?

Dan: Yeah! I know this place like the back of my hand! Wait, has that scratch always been there?

*canned laughter

Alex: Sure you do, bud. Sure you do.

(Time card: 5 mins later)

Alex: Wow! There are so many things!

Dan: Yeah, let’s go get what we need.

Alex: Right, may I have the list?

Dan: Ummm…

Alex: YOU FORGOT THE LIST!?

*canner laughter

Dan: Sorry! I was busy getting the stick.

Alex: *sigh I brought an extra. Let’s go.

(Later)

Alex: We are back!

Dan: We have everything!

Kitten: But you forgot the list!

Dan: Alex had a spare

Kitten: That’s a receipt for our last grocery!

*canned laughter

Alex: Oh! Ummm RUN!

Dan: AAAH!

(end)