From first hackathon to winner: lessons from doing 26 hackathons, hackathon 101

I’m grateful to have been invited to interview with code_wes, and I’d like to thank Tamiraa Sanjaajav for the opportunity and thoughtful invitation.

when you hear hackathons, it can feel like a crazy mix of code, pizza, and energy drinks. if u’re new, u might wonder what to build, how to team up, or how to win. i was there too , started with a simple project to track electricity bill using esp32. now, after 26 hackathons and 11 wins at big ones like hackmit & yc agent hack, here’s what i learned that can help u.

first hackathon: just dive in

my first hack was at de anza college. had no clue what to build but picked a problem i cared about , tracking electricity usage. used a current sensor, esp32, and made a dashboard. ended up winning first prize! lesson? start simple, solve stuff u know, and dont stress being perfect. having teammates helps a lot.

hackathons every other weekend: intense but worth it

doing hackathons almost every other weekend was crazy. i coded nonstop, ate pizza, downed energy drinks. to keep sane, i always finished schoolwork before friday so weekend was for hackathon. if u balance school/work, plan ahead. even if project fails, u learn tons.

team tips: random peeps but right roles

early days i teamed with friends, now i go random. mixing skills helps. ideal 3-person team:

• 1 solid coder (maybe u)
• 1 good presenter/social person
• 1 clean design/UI person

3 is perfect size. bigger teams slow u down. also, pick persistent teammates. hackathons tough, dropouts kill vibe.

project ideas: be bold but doable

winners build projects that are new but possible in time limit. here’s how i pick ideas:

• check hackathon themes & sponsor apis
• build minimal viable product (MVP) with 1 strong feature
• record a short demo video before judging (internet probs happen)
• don’t overcomplicate; next.js is great for fast dev
• be cringe if u want, judges love confidence & fresh ideas

tools i love: github, vercel & clerk

i switched lots of frameworks, ended up with next.js for speed. use github for collab & vercel for easy deploy. slack + github app = smooth team alerts. clerk is lifesaver for auth, easy to add sign-in/signup UI. digital ocean is cheap backend deploy.

beyond code: build friendships & learn

hackathons are not just code battles, they’re about friends, persistence & fun. respect team ideas, share vision, flex on details. dont stress failing or running outa time. just submit, share what u learnt. every hack is a win.

final thoughts: jump in & keep pushing

start small, pick something u care about, build it. finish schoolwork early, team with new people, use the right tools, be bold. share ur progress online, it helps heaps.

wanna level up? join a hack this month. u won’t regret it.