My first year in FTC Robotics was my introduction to the world of building real products under real pressure. As a rookie builder on Team 23650, I learned how to transform raw ideas into functional mechanisms, test them, break them, and rebuild them better. I quickly realized robotics is entrepreneurship in its purest form: limited time, limited resources, constant iteration, and a customer to satisfy — the game.

I became obsessed with problem-solving, teaching myself CAD fundamentals, structural design, and how to identify failure points before they happen. That season taught me the mindset I now carry into every project: ship fast, learn fast, improve fast.