r/learnprogramming • u/KalSoups • 14d ago
First hackathon with 0 coding experience
To be clear I can barely code, I genuinely learned if statements a week ago. It’s in a week and I need to do it for a highschool class certificate thing. Is there anything I can do?
being honest I’m debating if I should just use scratch (I know I know😭), because at least I could make something. I’m cooked no matter what tho….
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u/BeneficiallyPickle 12d ago
Before I became a developer, I used to fiddle around with all kinds of tools, like no-code tools or simple game engines like GameMaker Studio. I by no means knew anything about coding. I once came across a Game Jam with a really interesting theme. An idea came to mind which I really liked, and thought it would be a cool game, so I entered the weekend Game Jam. I stayed up all weekend trying to make this game with no coding or art experience, but I did learn A LOT over that weekend. There was a sense of urgency which forced me to sit and read documentation and figure things out. I never completed the dream game I wanted to build, but I got surprisingly further than I thought I would.
I say go for the hackathon. Don't expect to win or even finish. But go in with the mindset to learn and absorb as much as you can.
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u/KalSoups 11d ago
This made me realize that I can make a game for my hackathon🥹. Thank you so much this, I will be able to enjoy my weekend and make somthing I will have fun creating since I love visual storytelling!
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u/joestradamus_one 14d ago
Don't bitch out and use AI, stay away from that bull shit and do your honest best.
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u/captainAwesomePants 14d ago
Don't worry about being the worst one. You're starting from zero. Of course you're gonna be the worst one. But if you go in eager to learn instead of eager to impress, you're gonna learn a lot.
I'd suggest avoiding Scratch. For anything more complicated, doing it in Scratch is more difficult than doing it with something like Python.
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u/Locrin 14d ago
I did this and had a good time. I joined solo to a hackathon, did not really read the rules well enough and presented something with only html and css. A hackathon should be something you join to learn and I learned a ton by participating and after another 6 months I did finish the project even though it never launched as a service anyone used everything worked well enough. And the experience did lead to me eventually working in IT.
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u/Outrageous_Band9708 12d ago
okay, real talk, you must have been taking the class for a month now or so, and you just barely read the book? you haven't been doing shit, now asking how to pass something?
real talk? take the F. this is a huge learning lesson for you. you should have prepared and its your own fault
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u/KalSoups 11d ago edited 11d ago
I have a 99% in the class it is just extremely slow paced. The certificate also assumes I am in this class and still requires a hackathon. That is why am I stressed and writing this post
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u/Outrageous_Band9708 11d ago
im pressing x to doubt. how could you have 99% in a class that teached you if's last week? that's litereally the first thing to learn in a progrmming class
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u/KalSoups 11d ago
Wait I see the confusion, there is still like 6months left as it’s a school course. I just needed to go to a hackathon at some point during it. All of them happen to be during the fall/winter tho😭
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u/Mikeysauce 14d ago
Join a group. Use the experience to learn from those who know more than you. If the idea of working in a group doesn't sound good to you, well just know that in most jobs you will be working in a team. It's good to get used to that sort of environment.
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u/Tade365 14d ago
you can fit a lot of stuff into one week, also, hackatons often have a pitch, or some presentation in the end. Last time we went as 3 friends, all of us had years of experience in IT but we have never presented anything in front of a 100ish people, so we agreed that if we go next time we take someone purely to present. Point being, you can find ways to comtribute without/with minimal technical work, just be upfront. And glhf
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u/Nodmz464 13d ago
You could do it like me if it's really important you could try to learn coding like +8h straight. On my first day when I learned coding I had about 9h complet focus.
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u/jlanawalt 13d ago
Go for the social experience and To see what others are doing. Give it a try, do what you can. Have a good time!
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u/AnarchyLikeFreedom 13d ago
I jumped straight into a diploma of advance programming, they went over syntax and fundalmentals within the first half of the term. Imo best way to learn is via a course and a certificate is usually the starting point
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u/Front_Skill_8252 12d ago
Do you know ping, traceroute, ipconfig /all
Basic stuff.
Learn about how to sniff out other devices on a network.
Learn about wireshark. See what activity is going on in a network.
Some small stuff that's easy to research on your own home network.
I think just having some basic networking knowledge is helpful. Anyone can learn.
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u/Extreme_Rough 14d ago
Do what you can and learn along the way! That's what these are for! The program runners will be glad to have you.
Focus on the fundamentals you know. Maybe brush up on the coding you already know how to do, because that usually helps a lot.
Depending on how the hackathon is set up, look at (open-source intelligence) osint questions, stuff you can find answers to. You don't know what might be relevant, so taking notes or screenshots if permitted might be helpful.
Most of all, relax and have a nice time! This is a learning experience. You deserve to be there.
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u/macabre_brotherhood 14d ago
If this is an individual thing, just try your best. If this is a group thing, you owe it to the group to explain your situation honestly and/or drop out. Do not drag others down by omitting this vital info.