Introduction:

"Did you know that some of the world's most innovative apps and tech solutions, like Twitter's trending hashtags and The "Like" button on Facebook originated from hackathons?"

"In just 24 to 48 hours, teams of developers, designers, and innovators can create groundbreaking solutions that impact industries worldwide."

My journey to participating in a hackathon began on October 17, 2024, when I came across a hackathon poster in my college's coding group. I'm Soumyajit , a B.Tech CSE student, just studying and managing life like everyone else.

As a fresher, it was the first time I had even heard the word 'hackathon,' and a bunch of questions instantly popped into my mind.

What is hackathon?

How to participate?

What skills are required?

what programming language should I know?

who can participate?

Any eligibility criteria?

Sounds familiar? If you have the same questions, you're in the right place! In this blog, I'll share everything I’ve learned—from my first steps to the experiences I gathered during my first-ever hackathon .

What is Hackathon?

A hackathon is a tech event where teams collaborate to solve problems using technology within a limited timeframe. In a hackathon, you need to build something—like an app, a website, or a tool—to solve a specific problem.

Since it was a team-based event, I needed to form a team. At first, I wasn’t sure who to team up with, so I reached out to my friends and classmates who were interested in coding. After some discussions, we formed a team of three. We named ourselves 'Innovative Programmers' (believe it or not, it took us around 30 minutes just to decide on the name:).

At first, I had no idea what to create, and neither did my team. Many hackathons provide a list of problem statements, where different challenges are given for participants to work on. So, we read through the problem statements and chose the easiest one.

We decided to create a 'Hospital Management System' which can store and manage patient records , generate prescription and streamline hospital workflows. With the problem statement selected, we registered and filled out the form.

If you are participating in a hackathon, make sure to read the rules and policies carefully, as they can differ. Some hackathons allow prebuilt projects, but most require fresh code, meaning you have to build the entire project during the event. The eligibility criteria and other important details are also provided there.

In my case, it allowed prebuilt projects, where we had to build the project earlier and on the day of the hackathon, we had to present the project in front of the judges.

Now, the real journey was about to begin—but first, let's discuss the skills needed

.

What Skills Are Required?

The big question—what skills do you actually need? 🤔 Well, when I started, I knew almost nothing about hackathons.

If you're in the same boat, don't worry! Here's the best place to start:

Web Development :

Web development is the process of creating websites, and it’s one of the most beginner-friendly and useful skills for hackathon. It has two main parts:

1️⃣ Front-End Development – This is what users see and interact with on a website. It includes layout, buttons, colors, and animations. Technologies used: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

2️⃣ Back-End Development – This handles data, user requests, and stores information. It’s like the brain of the website.

ChatGPT – Your AI Coding Assistant

Why ChatGPT? Because it's like having a 24/7 coding mentor! It helps you:

✅ Generate code

✅ Explain complex concepts

✅ Brainstorm project ideas

If you ever get stuck, just ask ChatGPT!

Where to Start?

I recommend starting with front-end development. Begin with HTML, then move to CSS, and finally JavaScript. Once you learn these three, you’ll be able to create your own website!

Now the real journey begins…

The Journey Is the Success

After successfully registering for the hackathon, the real challenge began—building the project.

I searched through countless blogs, watched endless tutorial videos and discussed with friends , but still couldn’t figure out where to start. The overwhelming number of technologies and frameworks confused me. Should I build a website? An app? A desktop application? I had no clue. But somehow, I figured out that I would use

Python for development

MySQL for storing data

Tkinter for the user interface

20 Days Until the Hackathon

Now, I knew what tools to use, but another problem arose—I didn’t know how to use them.

I started learning Python from YouTube, spending hours every day trying to understand the basics. I struggled with syntax errors, misunderstood loops, and couldn’t wrap my head around user-defined functions. Every time I thought I understood something, a new error popped up, making me doubt whether I could even complete the project.

10 Days Until the Hackathon

By now, I had a basic understanding of Python, but I still hadn’t built anything functional. Panic started creeping in.

I decided to learn Tkinter, but it wasn’t as easy as I thought. Tutorials made it look simple, but when I tried to build something on my own, everything broke. The buttons wouldn’t align properly, the text wouldn’t update, and my code became a mess.

I spent nearly 12 hours straight just creating a basic structure for the application. The first few hours were frustrating—I kept getting errors, forgetting basic syntax, and rewriting the same line of code...

Despite the struggles, I kept pushing forward. I realized I was learning by doing. Every error I faced, every bug I fixed, was teaching me more than any tutorial ever could. The journey was tough, but I was finally making progress.

3 Days Until the Hackathon

Installing MySQL was a nightmare—it wouldn’t connect. When it finally did, I kept facing syntax errors, missing semicolons, and accidental table deletions. Debugging felt impossible, but after hours of trial and error, I finally got it working with Python!

And our project was almost ready , We created a Hospital Management System software designed to securely store data in a database and improve the operational efficiency of hospitals and clinics.

Key Highlights of our software:

Digital Patient Records: Stores and manages patient details efficiently.

Appointment Scheduling: Simplifies the process of scheduling online and offline appointments.

Prescription Management: Generates and maintains prescriptions for patients.

You can find my project on my GitHub account.

we also created our ppt for presentation.

In every hackathon you have to create present your project in front of the judges.

Final Hackathon Day – A Rollercoaster of Emotions

The hackathon kicked off at 10 AM, and as soon as I stepped into the venue, nerves took over. The energy in the room was electric—teams were huddled together, confidently discussing their ideas, while we were still figuring out who would say what in our presentation. Everyone looked so prepared, armed with polished slides and rehearsed speeches, while we scrambled to organize our thoughts.

When the judges arrived for evaluation, my heart pounded as I stepped forward to explain our project. I spoke with as much confidence as I could muster, hoping for positive feedback. But instead of praise, the judges pointed out flaws in our solution and suggested improvements—many of which we simply didn’t have the skills to implement. Their critiques felt like a heavy blow, and doubt started creeping in. Were we even good enough to be here? Hope started to fade.

Despite our struggles, we somehow made it to the final round. Our last presentation wasn’t our best—I felt like we could have done so much better. As we sat waiting for the results, I had already convinced myself that we had lost. The competition was fierce, and so many teams had presented incredible projects.

But then, the unexpected happened.

The announcer called out our name “Team Innovative Programmers“— we won The Best Fresher Team jointly wowwwww!!!

Final Thoughts

If you're new to hackathons, don’t stress about winning—just dive in, learn, build, and enjoy the experience. Who knows? Your idea could become the next big innovation!

✔Use AI-ChatGPT and other Ai tools are your bestfriend.

✔Prioritize functionality first – Build a working prototype before refining it.

✔ Focus on solving real-world problems – Practical solutions stand out.

✔ Think like an entrepreneur – If possible, explore a revenue model for your project.

✔ Pick the right teammates – Collaboration is key to success.

Still have any doubts? Let's connect on LinkedIn.

Goodbye! :)