The Hackathon Hustle: How to Take Care of Yourself and Have Fun!
TechTogether Atlanta participant, Jenny Tran has some advice and tips for over-achievers like herself that often put work before their mental health.
Read below Jenny’s advice on how to not only be successful at your next hackathon, but also take care of your mental health. If you’re interested in participating in our next hackathon, register for TechTogether Chicago here.
What comes to your mind when you think about hard work? You might be thinking, “get that bread” or “work hard to achieve my dreams.” For me, it means the determination to make opportunities become real. The old me would’ve said “sleep is for the weak” and “hustle to the end!” I’m here to discourage that thinking and tell you to not follow in my footsteps. You can still reach goals without overworking yourself–without creating openings for burnout.
A little background information on me is that I’m in my last semester of university and always had a history of being an extreme workaholic. And by that, I mean I’ll make that last minute project happen. All-nighters exist for a reason. Attending hackathons weren’t always on my list but the challenge and accomplishment to submit within a weekend was like an adrenaline rush when I did.
When it comes to hacks, there’s always an underlying worry with questions like, “Will I find a team,” “What if we don’t finish in time,” and “Is it going to be another weekend of all nighters?” Things get pretty crazy during the weekend, I have to admit but I want to help by providing these tips:
1. Communication is important.
TechTogether brings such a large community of hackers and designers together from all over the world! When I attended TechTogether Atlanta, half of my teammates were from the opposite side of the country. It’s understandable that we’re all busy with work, school, or life things. In fact, most of us had school or work to do on the side but we managed to win Best Financial Hack with Capital One!
From TechTogether Atlanta, it was clear that to be a successful team, you need communication. If things get chaotic, it’s important to set up check-in meetings for progress updates and pin important links in Discord. It doesn’t hurt to say,“I need a bit more time to finish this part!” or “I’ll be AFK for an hour but be back soon!” Trust me, your team will appreciate the updates especially when working offline.
2. Your voice matters.
As a beginner hacker, I used to be intimidated to speak because everyone seemed more experienced than me. It’s important to remember that your voice matters. I always remind myself “your opinion is just as important as everyone else here” as a confidence boost!
Every idea and opinion is valuable, so speak your mind. During my time at TechTogether Seattle, my team encouraged ideas and even gave me valuable feedback as a new designer on things I’ve never learned about! I remember we discussed how important consistency throughout a design was and I still keep in mind what I’ve learned to this day for my projects.
3. Make connections.
The beauty of TechTogether hackathons is that they’re open to students AND professionals. Stay in touch with your team and develop growth together! There’s always new hackers joining. By working together, you’ve done the first step in connecting so start building up that bond.
It’s great to start conversation by doing ice breakers and quick introductions to build a comfortable atmosphere for the team. You could learn new things from everyone and TechTogether teams up with lots of great mentors. Make use of your resources!
4. It’s good to grind but keep self-care in mind.
I understand that there’s work to be done. I’m as much of a hustler as anyone else but at the end of the day, sleep is necessary to have a healthy lifestyle. Even if you can’t afford to rest for eight hours, please take at least an hour nap. Rest for however long you can.
Once you wake up, fresh ideas will come along with a faster workflow! I’m also here to tell you that self-care isn’t just about sleep. Go take that walk and get off the computer. Do something that makes you happy, even if it’s scrolling through TikTok or treating yourself to something nice. One of my go-to’s is getting boba and the work becomes 100% faster because I’m in a happy mood! You get energized!
5. There will always be more to do.
I used to think that if I focused on other things besides building my project, there wouldn’t be time to finish. Work will always be waiting for you so let it! Take time to attend events that interest you. Don’t say, “I can watch the recording later.” Go interact with speakers and other hackers! TechTogether always makes sure to host lots of events.
When I attended TechTogether Atlanta, it was so much fun! There were workshops hosted as often as every half hour such as “Intro to Design Thinking” and “How to Approach Hackathons”. My favorites were definitely karaoke and movie night where we watched Black Panther! Take the opportunity and put yourself first.
If you’re looking for a place with community, TechTogether is a great place to start. Have fun at your next hackathon and take care!
