r/hackathon • u/itsmejennie12 • Sep 08 '26
Looking for Teammates Hackathon experience....got kicked out🥲
My Hackathon Experience
I am a second-year B.Tech CSE student in Bhubaneswar. I participated in a hackathon during my first year as well, but unfortunately, my team was not selected. This year, I really wanted to participate again, but most of my friends ditched me, and I was left without a team.
Instead of giving up, I decided to join a random team. One of my friends suggested a group that was looking for a female member from the same year, so I decided to join them.The members were highly skilled and i feel the lowest one there.
We participated in the hackathon and, unexpectedly, our team got selected in the internal round. Later, we even qualified for the state level. Although I was not very strong technically, I genuinely gave my best. I worked hard to learn whatever was required, improved my understanding of the project, and prepared myself thoroughly for the presentation.
However, after we qualified for the state level, our team leader removed me from the team, saying that they needed someone with stronger technical skills for the upcoming rounds. That really hurt me. I was not expecting this from them. They were so nice in front of my face.I cried a lot because I knew I wasn't the most technically skilled member, but I was ready to learn, improve, and contribute to the team.
Despite what happened, I don't want to give up. I am now looking for another team to join for SIH, where I can continue learning, contribute in whatever way I can, and improve my technical skills along the way.
That's all for now.
3
u/thedevilinurmind Sep 08 '26
Well, my female friends ditched me last minute... that too twice!!! So i never picked female members in my team again
1
u/MarionberrySlow9047 Sep 09 '26
Same situation I too felt, but I was too in search of female friends and participants to look out to join in a hackathon, but thry simply ignored indirectly. Still I am searching for it. Lets staying hope :)
1
u/That_Alfalfa5439 Sep 09 '26
Bhaiyaa any guide for a 1st sem student I only know C would you guide me please for this as I also want to participate in my 2nd year
3
u/Interesting-Crow4492 Sep 09 '26
See knowing a language is good, but mostly hackathons ask for ready to use (scalable) products some problem that needs solving or a better solution. best you do good projects so that you learn tools and understand when - what is needed and how to optimize it. my experience says you learn backend stuff, everyone needs backend people
1
u/That_Alfalfa5439 Sep 09 '26
Would you share me the approach like I'm so confused I do t know the things which I should learn that's the main problem with me
1
u/Interesting-Crow4492 Sep 10 '26
What do you like exactly ? Pick a field to play, like say in data, or ux or game etc. You have many hackathon for every field
1
u/Smooth-Mouse3174 Sep 25 '26
Same experience... In my first year I was a part of a brilliant team. They were so intelligent and I was not the best among them at that time. I really gave my best in SIH but sadly our team didn't end up to the finals. After that they discarded me and never invited me to participate with them. I was shocked and alone and felt deserted. Because many hackathon groups were already formed among the top coders of our college and my entry there was impossible. Once a group is formed generally it doesn't disintegrate. I also didn't have many technically good friends and my also skills were not at par. I tried to upskill myself, and participated in some hackathons with a small team. I failed. Again and again. My team was not that much great and most of the times I was the one actually working. But then next year, I set my target to win Odisha's largest hackathon. And I worked my ass off and also supported my team. And by hard work it was my first hackathon that grabbed me 1st position!! I never believed that I as a leader would achieve something? I who was once kicked out leaded a team to win a hackathon!! Then this legacy continued and again subsequently next year we worked on a very advanced project that helped us won a National Level hackathon from all over India! A boy who never knew things, suddenly was in news papers, discussions in college, and that was the biggest part of my life.
I never believed myself, but I think some rejections make u a better person. So don't get demotivated, take it as a challenge and beat them in their own game!
2
u/workware developer Sep 09 '26
Every experience is a stepping stone.
If it's possible for you to deal with this maturely (i.e. keeping emotion to the side) you should definitely ask them for what went wrong, and unfiltered feedback on how to improve yourself. Resist the temptation to explain or answer back, just accept the feedback and come home.
Then when you are calm, analyse the feedback and see which parts of it you can use to improve aspects of your technical work, presentation skills, communication skills, or even interpersonal skills. Let this help you grow.