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Interested in working together? Just fill out the form below. Don't like the form? That's ok, just email us. Thank you.
ROBOTICS: MY JOURNEY
SAM QIAN
What I’ve Gained:
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1. Grit Through Failure.
When I first joined robotics, I was terrified of mistakes. Every time something went wrong, I’d take it personally. But robotics redefined failure for me. I learned that failure isn’t an obstacle — it’s data. Every broken motor, every code crash, every last-minute rebuild taught me how to analyze, adapt, and persevere.
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2. Empathy Through Collaboration.
Working with teammates from different cultures and academic backgrounds taught me patience. Some of my teammates approached problems mathematically; others, intuitively. At first, our meetings were chaos. But gradually, I learned to translate ideas — from the coder’s logic to the designer’s vision. Robotics became my language of empathy.
3. Leadership Through Listening.
I once thought leadership meant taking charge. Robotics taught me the opposite — it means creating space for others to shine. The most successful designs we’ve built didn’t come from my ideas; they came from team brainstorms where everyone felt heard.
4. Resilience Through Mentorship.
Teaching robotics to younger students taught me that knowledge multiplies when shared. Watching their curiosity reminded me why I started — to explore, to create, and to believe in possibility.
Today, I carry these lessons beyond the workshop. Robotics made me curious about how technology can unite people — across age, language, and geography. That’s the victory that lasts.
Beyond the Workshop
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Today, I carry these lessons beyond the workshop. Robotics made me curious about how technology can unite people — across age, language, and geography. That’s the victory that lasts.
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What started as a school club hobby turned into something much bigger — a way to connect with people I would have never met otherwise. Whether it’s through international collaborations, competitions, or community events, robotics has shown me how technology can build bridges between people.
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I’ve met students from countries I had only read about before. We’ve shared tools, exchanged designs, and helped each other fix code errors late at night across time zones. Even when language was a barrier, the shared excitement over a working robot spoke louder than words ever could.
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Through these experiences, I’ve realized that robotics is really about human connection. It’s about curiosity that crosses borders, teamwork that defies differences, and innovation that comes from collaboration.
And these lessons go beyond robots. They shape how I approach everything now — whether it’s group projects, community work, or daily life. Robotics taught me to look for solutions instead of problems, to value collaboration over competition, and to see learning as a lifelong journey.
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If I had to sum it up, I’d say robotics taught me how to build — not just machines, but resilience, empathy, and purpose. And those are things no competition can measure, but they’re the things that last the longest.
What Robotics Means to Me Now
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Now, robotics has become more than just a club or competition — it’s part of how I see the world. When I face challenges outside the lab, I use the same mindset: test, learn, adjust. Whether it’s planning an event, studying a new subject, or handling everyday problems, I apply what robotics taught me — that failure is feedback and teamwork multiplies success.
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It also made me appreciate creativity in a new way. People often think robotics is purely technical, but it’s actually deeply creative. Designing a robot involves imagination — visualizing how parts fit, how motion flows, and how ideas can become real. It’s art and engineering combined.
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And honestly, robotics made me more human. It sounds funny, but working with machines taught me more about people. I learned about patience, respect, curiosity, and trust — things that no textbook can teach.
If there’s one lesson that stays with me, it’s this: success isn’t just about winning competitions or building perfect machines. It’s about who you become in the process — someone more resilient, empathetic, and open-minded.
So even though our robots might get dismantled at the end of each season, the lessons they leave behind stay forever. And every time I see a young student light up when their robot finally works, I remember why I started — not for the trophies, but for the spark of discovery.
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Because that’s what robotics gave me — not just skills, but a mindset. A way of seeing problems as possibilities. A way of believing that if you’re willing to fail, learn, and try again, you can build anything — even a better version of yourself.