When I walked into Room 16 in September of freshman year, I had no idea what I was in for. I quickly found a spot at one of the tables and looked for familiar faces in the crowd of other students excited to join robotics. I never thought that I would join CAD—short for Computer Aided Design—when I first decided to pursue robotics. After many conversations in AP Music Theory with Westmont alumn and 2024 robotics president Yash Chitambar about the division, I thought, “hey, that doesn’t sound too bad. Maybe I’ll try it out.” I convinced Kathryn Tanaka to join CAD with me, and although I sometimes wonder what it would have been like if I joined the mechanical division like I originally planned, I am so thankful that I was convinced to join CAD.
CAD was my introduction to every division in robotics. I learned how every part of the robot works, and how to design them so they work seamlessly together. I learned parts of mechanical, as I needed to know how each plate and tube would be attached in order for it to be able to be made a reality. I learned parts of code and electrical through deciding what encoders were best and discovering how much space wires needed so they can be properly run throughout the bot. I met my now great friends, Kathryn and Jocelyn Hwang, through CAD, and became closer to many of the other members through needing to explain, demonstrate, and answer questions about the design.
Now, my robotics experience has spread firmly into mechanical, finance, business, and PR. Robotics has helped me not only with my technical skills, but also with my communication, planning, and organization abilities.
So this Thanksgiving season, I think about that first robotics meeting I attended in 2023, and how it’s impacted my life since. I think about how thankful I am for the people who have helped shape and refine skills I never thought I’d even have, and how thankful I am that I joined CAD as a tiny young freshman. And if any robotics members are reading this: thank you for making the team of once big, scary people, a group I find myself seeing as family. I can’t wait for the 2025 season and all the great memories it will bring.