Will/Did you make it to nationals?

[gneissisnice]

I have to agree with Zyzzyva98. We had a girl on our team recently take 3rd place in ornithology at a very competitive invite (almost 30teams) sans partner. Likewise we have another girl who takes every ecology test by herself and does well, sometimes though if there's a free person they give them to her but she's pretty beast (our coaches are trying to find her a partner for regionals/state). I do have to say, having a fair chunk of people (we have like 23) allows the coaches to choose the best for the team. But our B team which consists of approximately 8 or so people sometimes does really well. The first girl i mentioned started off this year on our B team and wowed everyone by getting 2nd in Ornithology (beating our varsity) sans partner at an invite with about 24 schools. If you work hard it usually pays off... usually... lol

In 12th grade, I pretty much did every Fossil event by myself (I had a partner, but they literally did nothing), medaling at every tournament. And my partner for Dynamic Planet never let me do anything, so he pretty much did it himself (I knew the event almost as well as he did, but he just wouldn't let me do anything >.>). The same partner also did almost the entire National Remote Sensing event because we had split the topics (he took satellites and I took environment impact), and 95% of the test was on satellites, meaning that he did everything and I just did the tie-breaker, and we medalled in that too.

So it's definitely possible to do well without a partner on some events.

[paleonaps]

Yeah. Personally, I think the value of a partner is overestimated. In every partnership I've been in except for Anatomy last year, one person really ruled the event (usually me, but I just don't trust other people).

[personasaurus rex]

Yeah. Personally, I think the value of a partner is overestimated. In every partnership I've been in except for Anatomy last year, one person really ruled the event (usually me, but I just don't trust other people).

Then you've never really had a good partner. Yes, I had events where my partner just sat there and I took the whole test myself. However, if you can really connect well with your partner, no matter how important partnership is in your event, it helps to have someone back you up when you're drawing a blank and chemistry between you and your partner can play a huge role in determining your success.

[gneissisnice]

Yeah. Personally, I think the value of a partner is overestimated. In every partnership I've been in except for Anatomy last year, one person really ruled the event (usually me, but I just don't trust other people).

Then you've never really had a good partner. Yes, I had events where my partner just sat there and I took the whole test myself. However, if you can really connect well with your partner, no matter how important partnership is in your event, it helps to have someone back you up when you're drawing a blank and chemistry between you and your partner can play a huge role in determining your success.

Yeah, definitely. I mean, I've pretty much always carried the Rocks and Minerals and Fossils events, but I always also had partners who knew it really well too (except the aforementioned situation in 12th grade). While I did most of the event (mostly because I just simply didn't give them a chance to look at the questions before me), they always made me slow down and think and check that the answers were right. My worst partners were the ones who always said "I'm sure you're right", while the best partners were the ones who said "You're probably right, but I want to check anyway", because sometimes I DO make mistakes, and it's invaluable to have someone who forces me to stop being so arrogant and to make 100% sure that the answer's right.

In my earlier post, I was saying that you don't NEED a partner to be successful, and now I'm saying that don't discount your partners either. Even someone who thinks they're an expert in their event needs someone to ground them.

[personasaurus rex]

Yeah, definitely. I mean, I've pretty much always carried the Rocks and Minerals and Fossils events, but I always also had partners who knew it really well too (except the aforementioned situation in 12th grade). While I did most of the event (mostly because I just simply didn't give them a chance to look at the questions before me), they always made me slow down and think and check that the answers were right. My worst partners were the ones who always said "I'm sure you're right", while the best partners were the ones who said "You're probably right, but I want to check anyway", because sometimes I DO make mistakes, and it's invaluable to have someone who forces me to stop being so arrogant and to make 100% sure that the answer's right.

In my earlier post, I was saying that you don't NEED a partner to be successful, and now I'm saying that don't discount your partners either. Even someone who thinks they're an expert in their event needs someone to ground them.

Yup. Even if you're 100% positive you got the event down, it's just reassuring to have someone else there to check on you and morally support you.

[paleonaps]

Yeah. Personally, I think the value of a partner is overestimated. In every partnership I've been in except for Anatomy last year, one person really ruled the event (usually me, but I just don't trust other people).

Then you've never really had a good partner. Yes, I had events where my partner just sat there and I took the whole test myself. However, if you can really connect well with your partner, no matter how important partnership is in your event, it helps to have someone back you up when you're drawing a blank and chemistry between you and your partner can play a huge role in determining your success.

I have had partners who are eager to learn- but I don't trust their attention spans for anything. My first fossils partner (who was SUPPOSED to do something) spaced out during the event. In the high school now I've just been appointed partners who are already focused on other things. I've only once been in a true partnership, (actually, twice, but my partner did a little more than me in that event) and it hasn't hurt me at all.

[aubrey048]

I personally am the kind of person who does best without a partner in most things. I can handle having a partner in building events, but in study/lab events I'd rather fly solo. For example it has been a real treat to do Anatomy alone. I get a bit worried about how I'll do (i.e because I'll have to study twice as much) but it's a lot more fun because if I win, I WIN. If we lose, I have no one to blame but myself.

[Teal]

Well, even though this is supposed to be about nationals, it seems that the conversation's taken a turn towards partners. I'm doing all of my events with a partner. You guys are right, it's nice to win and take the win for yourself, but I find that if you don't medal, you don't medal together. Together is the key word. I keep bringing up ornithology wherever I go, but my partner and I come from completely different birding backgrounds. She is an avid camper and birder, so she can identify birds by sight and sound. I know zilch when it comes to identifying birds in the field and even struggle identifying birds on a powerpoint, but I study a lot and have memorized information about the family, species, etc. So it's nice to have a partner who will make up for your weaknesses, and vice versa. I guess if you've got your material down, then you wouldn't need a partner. But going into the competition and trying to feel positive and confident was so much easier when there was someone next to me. And when you're frantically flipping through pages of a field guide at the end of the hour. ;P

Of course, WIDI would have been nonexistent if I didn't have a partner. Exp. Design, as well. Mousetrap vehicle was hilarious - I stayed over at my partner's house the night before our first invite of the season to finish the dang thing.

Plus, if you really get to know your partner you can form really great friendships. (Uhh, cheesy beyond belief, but yeah.) I have so many inside jokes with my ornithology partner (yes, they're all bird-related ... /sigh/) it's ridiculous.

And on the topic of nationals - I think my team might be able to make it to state. If we can get some of the slackers on Fossils to pick up the pace, then possibly. So I'm rather excited.

[Flavorflav]

Yeah. Personally, I think the value of a partner is overestimated. In every partnership I've been in except for Anatomy last year, one person really ruled the event (usually me, but I just don't trust other people).

That's a good showing at regionals, Naps. Were you the Sumo driver?

[gneissisnice]

Yeah. Personally, I think the value of a partner is overestimated. In every partnership I've been in except for Anatomy last year, one person really ruled the event (usually me, but I just don't trust other people).

That's a good showing at regionals, Naps. Were you the Sumo driver?

He was the Sumo driver of the B team.