1. Hi! First year in Science Olympiad... Any event you found really fun? I really want to get off to a good start :) cecaayyy
Hi!!! Haha welcome to science olympiad! Hmmm well if it’s your first year I would definitely try different things even if they’re out of your comfort zone. A mistake a lot of my friends make their first year of scioly is picking events that are related to the classes they’ve taken in school. This might seem like a good idea, but it really doesn’t give you as much of an advantage as you would expect because the scioly tests are college level material and beyond. To be honest, every event is challenging so you’re best off picking an event you’re genuinely interested in. If I could go back to my first year of high school scioly knowing what I know now I’d pick disease detectives and thermodynamics. I did disease detectives this year and in middle school and LOVED IT. You need to study specified diseases and how they spread and other miscellaneous stuff. If you like puzzles and making inferences then you should definitely try it out. It’s interesting since it’s more problem solving/mystery than memorizing facts plus if you’re actually interested in the material the test is super easy. The test gives you some scenarios of a disease outbreak and you need to answer questions based on making inferences from the background they give you and miscellaneous stuff about terminology. Thermodynamics is a building event with a test. It might help to have a little background in physics (like taking an honors or AP class) but if you haven’t taken a physics course yet try getting a partner (each event allows 1 partner, the exception being experimental design which allows 2) who has taken physics. The building portion is pretty straightforward if you research a lot and build with patience. This event is a good builder’s event for a first-timer because it doesn’t require knowledge about anything like electrical circuits/robotics like you’d need in the other building events. You just need to know how to build a good insulating contraption while still following the dimensions and specs that you’re given.
So those two events are ones I think are fun and good for a first year, but if you’re willing to put in a LOT of studying/time then definitely try forensics because it’s super fun. It’s sort of like disease detectives in the way that you’re given a scenario and forced to make inferences based on it, but forensics is all hands on lab stuff. It’s basically like CSI related stuff, but again only choose to do forensics if you’re really willing to put in time and effort. I must warn you it could be overwhelming your first year. Also, if you haven’t taken honors chemistry/ AP chem then DO NOT do chem lab. It’s too hard for people who have no background in chemistry.
BUT REMEMBER*** this is just what I’d do as a first timer. I really encourage you to choose something YOU wanna do; however if you’re really lost and can’t choose then doing disease detectives and thermodynamics would be a nice way to transition into science olympiad and get a good feel of what the competition really is.
I REALLY HOPE I HELPED!!! Have fun and I hope you do well! :)