Eight Choices. One Team. One Long Night. Our first hackathon: learning, problem-solving, and building together
At 4 p.m., we set off for the auditorium full of excitement—and already hungry and impatient to begin. This was our first hackathon, and all three of us were eager to get started. But before the building could begin, there was a lot to take in. We spent two hours listening to the panellists, and came away with more ideas and learning than we had expected. One piece of advice stayed with me: ask…
At 4 p.m., the hacking began with a sense of anticipation. This inaugural hackathon was our first, and all three of us were excited to dive in. Before we could start building, we spent two hours listening to speakers and absorbing their insights. One key takeaway was to always ask "why" when seeking answers; understanding the reasoning behind an approach helps avoid going in circles.
With our minds set on learning and gaining experience, we moved on to the next challenge: picking a problem to solve. We brought a growth mindset to the table, aiming for personal development rather than just winning. Our team of three split up, each member contributing to UI/UX, backend, coding, and research. Together, we tackled eight problem statements, each weighing our skills, interests, time constraints, and the potential impact of our solutions.
After much discussion, debate, and consideration, we ultimately chose the eighth problem statement. It felt like the perfect match: a challenge we could all understand and work through, ultimately leading to a meaningful solution. Once we made our decision, the uncertainty began to dissipate, and we could finally visualize what we were going to build.
This turning point marked the beginning of our collaborative journey. Even as we started coding, new challenges arose. Whenever we hit a roadblock, we gathered to brainstorm alternative approaches. Every perspective was valued because it broadened our options and allowed us to see different possibilities. With each obstacle we overcame, we felt more confident in our abilities.
Our focus remained on UI/UX, backend, and research, but we continued collaborating instead of working in silos. As the night wore on, we fueled ourselves with snacks and drinks, staying energized despite the fatigue. By midnight, the room buzzed with nervous excitement. We had dinner and continued working, each problem solved bringing us one step closer to our goal.
By 5:30 a.m., we had finished the majority of our project. We pushed our work to GitHub, prepared our pitch deck, and polished the final details. Our final task was to rehearse our pitch, and we were ready to present our work and share our learnings.
Written by urgent.news from Dev.to's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
