How Participating in Events and Hackathons Actually Helped Me

But they did change how I think, how I build, and how fast I grow. And that’s the part people don’t talk about.

Where I was before#

Before events and hackathons, my routine looked like this:

• Build projects alone
• Learn from tutorials
• Optimize code that nobody reviewed
• Think my solution was “good enough”
• Stay inside my comfort zone

I was improving, sure. But slowly. And blindly.

The biggest problem wasn’t lack of skill. It was lack of pressure, feedback, and perspective.

Hackathons force you to stop overthinking#

When you join a hackathon, something changes immediately: You don’t have time.

No time to over-architect, pick the perfect stack, or rewrite the same component five times. You are forced to ask: “What is the smallest thing that works?”

That mindset alone is worth more than most courses. You learn to cut features ruthlessly and focus on outcomes, not elegance. Most people never practice that.

You learn what actually matters#

In personal projects, you can lie to yourself. In hackathons, reality hits fast.

You realize:

1. Nobody cares how clean your code is if the demo fails
2. Nobody sees your architecture diagrams
3. UX beats clever logic every time
4. A working prototype > perfect idea

That was uncomfortable at first. But it recalibrated my priorities permanently.

Events expose your blind spots brutally#

One underrated benefit is informational comparison. Not toxic comparison, but seeing how others approach the same problem.

Suddenly you notice gaps in your communication, weaknesses in your product thinking, and overengineering habits. You don’t get that perspective alone in your room.

Talking about your project is a skill#

Here’s something nobody warns you about: Building is only half the job.

At events, you must explain your idea clearly, justify decisions, and demo without breaking. The first few times, I was bad at this.

I realized: If I can’t explain my project simply, I don’t understand it well enough. Hackathons forced me to fix that.

Feedback hits harder when it’s real#

Online feedback is easy to ignore. In-person feedback is not.

When someone looks confused during your demo or questions a core decision, you feel it immediately. And that’s good. Because now you know exactly what’s broken — not hypothetically, but in practice.

Networking (the non-cringe version)#

Let’s be honest. Most “networking” advice is garbage. What actually worked for me was simple:

• Build something
• Talk about what you built
• Share problems, not resumes

Hackathons create natural conversations. You’re not forcing connections. You’re collaborating under shared stress. Those connections stick.

Confidence comes from surviving chaos#

After a few events, you stop panicking when requirements are unclear or things break.

That confidence doesn’t come from tutorials. It comes from experience under pressure.

The biggest misconception#

People think hackathons are about winning. They’re not. Winning is a bonus. Learning is the point.

If you only attend to win, you’ll quit early. The real win is leaving sharper than you arrived.

My honest advice#

Do it if:

• You want pressure
• You want feedback
• You want exposure to different thinking
• You want to build faster

Don’t do it if:

• You only want validation
• You hate collaboration
• You expect instant rewards

Final takeaway#

Participating in events and hackathons helped me not because of prizes or certificates.

They helped me because they removed my comfort zone, exposed my weaknesses, and forced clarity.

You don’t grow by staying safe. Hackathons just make that obvious.

That’s it.