If you've never had the chance to visit an FIRST competition, I strongly suggest you visit an FRC competition (FTC's bigger brother) this spring in March/April.

The field is as large as a basketball court, and the gameplay is energetic and exciting! I was a student on an FRC team in high school, but the program itself was interesting enough on its own to keep me involved post-graduation. I'm now approaching 9 years of volunteering, with no signs of slowing down. It's a fantastic experience.