Future Business Leaders of America is a big thing in my school. I go to a Business, Economics, and Technology magnet program, and as such we have many members in our chapter. Despite that, we're one of the worst chapters in the state.
I joined FBLA for the same reason most people do: a chance to get four days of excused absences and a discount trip to Orlando. I, along with two teammates, competed in Network Design. Since our team runs and maintains the school's network, we were practically a district shoe-in.
We won the district competition, and off we went to Orlando to represent our district in statewide competition. I had no desire to win. Winning meant traveling to Nashville, and investing about $500 and a week of my free time in something I don't care about at all.
So anyway, we lost. We came in fourth place out of maybe ten teams. Since we placed in the top five, we at least got to go on stage in front of 3,400 people and strike a funny pose. We were upstaged by a group of Jr. Accountants who kissed each other and did backflips.
The entire four-day fuckoff was worth it, overall. New friends were made, casual acquaintances got to know each other much better, and by the end of the week everyone was comfortable around each other. For most people, the trip was a school-sponsored excuse to socialize. And socialize we did. Aside from the people that took the whole thing too seriously and joined FBLA because they really want to be a Future Business Leader, and the obnoxious over-the-top people who overcompensate for years of shyness and parental oppression by completely freaking out, acting like a spaz the whole time.
Oh well... I suppose you can't expect a group of economically and technologically inclined high-schoolers to be the most well adjusted and easy going people in the world. The bus ride home was quiet, with most of my time occupied with the person asleep in my arms.
Fun Fact: Today is the three year anniversary of president George Bush landing on the USS Lincoln with a big red banner reading Mission Accomplished