User:Cheesy pie

=Cheesy Pie's Advice on Events=

Bottle Rocket
Use a backslider. And make a wind resistant rocket. My first year doing this saw somewhat strong winds - and a rocket falling apart due to it. I also heard somewhere that you should place the fins at a 20-30 degree angle. This is to make it spin and gain more height and time, like screwing a nail. I'd also recommend using 3 fins. Less mass to lower its height. On the event Wiki, it says to have the center of gravity above the center of pressure, so I'd also recommend that. Another piece of advice is, if you have the winding fins, place the bottom of the fins facing towards the wind. Then the rocket will spin in the right direction and propel itself upwards, not downwards. Above all, make sure that your rocket is legal by the event rules. You want to be able to compete, right?

Can't Judge a Powder
I'd recommend that you split the work up between you and your partner. One of you writes, the other tests. I have VERY messy handwriting, but near-OCD for correct measurements. My partner has MUCH neater handwriting than me. So she did the writing, while I did the testing. I am recommending this method because we used it and got first at regionals. Also, look for really superficial things, like the bag number. We SERIOUSLY got that question.

Fossils
This is a tough event, not because the questions are exponentially difficult, but because you get so little time to answer the questions. At the Illinois 2011 Regionals, there were 13 stations, with only 3 minutes per station. Yet fellow SciOlyers consider me lucky. I know that you and your partner will not have time to answer every question, but as long as you've tried, don't fret. My partner and I couldn't answer at least a fifth of the questions, yet we got first in the event. The event allows you to bring notes - as long as they're in a 3-ring binder - and one field guide. The Fossils Wiki has 3 good recommendations of field guides. I used the Smithsonian one because it was the first fossils field guide I could find. Unfortunately, I had to get all my notes together at the last minute because I was procrastinating. I, personally, would not recommend you procrastinate. Then you could get more notes - and more notes means more points in the event! And more points in the event means a better chance of winning.

Division C
N/A

Advice For Event Prep
Study, get your notes together, make a packing list, bring a map, bring some cash (and maybe earplugs - at our 2011 Regionals, we sat between the Division B awardee of the Spirit Award and the second-loudest Division B team.)