The Do’s and Don’t’s of Build Week Flu

Every year, we all get to experience the joys of build season. The excitement at creating robots becomes the backdrop of daily life from January all through February, during times in High School when midterm exams and 3rd Quarter Projects are important. However, during Build Season there is a key aspect to keep in mind. Something that doesn’t often get discussed.

Flu Season.

Yes, I get to stand on my metaphorical pedestal and teach you all how to handle getting sick during build season.

Now, the most common thing for people on the team to catch is a cold; with everyone in such a confined space, something as simple as a cold can wipe out and exhaust a decently large chunk of your workforce and remove a valuable chunk of time from your build season (I have personally experienced this and I can tell you it is Not A Fun Time). So, what do you do if you get sick during build season?

DO:

• Take care of yourself! Take time away from meetings to heal and get better.
• Wash your hands. Basic, but necessary.
• Drink water! Water is good for you. If you can’t drink water (IE you don’t have it or don’t like the taste), then drink something like apple juice.
• Drink something carbonated if you feel nauseous; it helps to keep food down. If you feel nauseous, drink this instead of water (Water won’t help you keep anything down).
• Wash your hands.
• Eat the BRAT diet (Bread, Rice, Apples, and Toast). If you can’t keep that down, eat some saltines.
• Question if a swallow could potentially carry a coconut, be it African or European.
• Wash
• Your
• Hands
• Sleep! Yes, I know that school and Robotics and homework supply a very meager amount of time to sleep, especially with AP classes to handle. Try to get a bit more sleep than is normal for you, and your body will thank you for it.
  

DON’T:

• Cough on other people.
• Cough on the tools.
• Cough on the Robot.
• Cough on a mentor.
• Go to the meetings, ESPECIALLY if you feel nauseous (seriously, just stay home and rest if you’re that sick).
• Summon a demon to take your illness away (Trust me, your soul is worth much more than a cold or the flu).
• Procure the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch (Teach me your ways if you get the Real Deal) and save it to use on the field
• Fight 3 or more Geese over a poptart
• Not wash your hands
  

Overall, it’s very important to take care of your health during Build Season. As much as I know there will be That One Kid who goes to a build meeting while sick, you don’t have to be that kid. You’re a responsible FIRST-er who knows how to build robots from the ground up, coding and/or physical build wise, and your team is counting on you. You have the freedom and the smarts to know not to risk accidentally getting the rest of your team sick with FIRST-itis (which, contrary to my mentor’s beliefs, is nowhere near as bad as LARP-itis) and can keep yourself and others healthy.

Remember: If all else fails, wash your hands. There’s a lot of germs in a lot of places; the best way to keep yourself healthy is to prevent yourself from getting sick from the get-go.