The Accidental Selection
Our hackathon journey began with a classic case of serendipity at PESU RR Campus Bengaluru's 24-hour event. After hearing about it from a friend, we hastily repurposed a rejected proposal from another hackathon by simply changing the name. Only later did we discover there was a specific template required!
In a last-minute scramble, we prepared a completely different idea using the correct template, spending six grueling hours on it. Imagine our surprise when we learned we'd been selected amongst 200+ teams - but for our original, "wrong" submission! Our first idea was apparently so compelling that even our template-less presentation couldn't hide its potential.
Our team of four was perfectly balanced:
- Me: Backend development
- Ritvik: Frontend wizard
- Shreyas & Madhan: ML components
We hit the ground running as soon as we arrived. By our first review, we had authentication sorted. By the second, we'd implemented half of our planned features. The mentors were visibly impressed - almost skeptical that we'd built everything during the hackathon itself.
The Storm Before the Calm
Ritvik, enthusiastic about our progress, kept showcasing feature after feature to the mentors. Once they left, tensions erupted into what I can only describe as a full-blown team argument. The team next to us observed our heated exchange with amusement, probably thinking we were finished.
An hour later, we regrouped. Sometimes the best ideas emerge from conflict when talented people care deeply about what they're building.
Midnight Inspiration
Two mentors, Abhiram and Krishna, were particularly invested in our project. They suggested implementing a POS (Point of Sale) system - something we weren't familiar with. After research and brainstorming, I developed an approach that Krishna helped refine, along with suggesting one additional feature.
While Ritvik caught some sleep and Shreyas and Madhan worked on other components, I pulled an all-nighter implementing these new features. I must have made twenty trips to the coffee machine for what was unfortunately "not so strong" coffee.
By 7 AM, with the features implemented, I woke Ritvik to polish the UI before our 9 AM final review.
The Judges' Verdict
During our final review, all judges were impressed by our product, especially Krishna, who saw we'd implemented both of his suggested features. When another mentor who hadn't seen our project mentioned they'd "heard it was very good, but unfortunately I was unable judge it" we grew confident about advancing to the finals.
The results announcement was nerve-wracking. Four teams were selected before ours out first 10 teams amongst total of 35 teams, making us doubt our chances. But then came the announcement: "The next team is Team 12, CodeZero!" Our celebration knew no bounds.
Final Presentation: The Reality Check
Abhiram and Krishna congratulated us but emphasized: "What you've done until now doesn't matter. You'll be presenting to a new panel of judges." Abhiram specifically advised us to focus on just one feature.
We faced a dilemma: showcase everything we'd built or focus on our strongest feature? Our project had a dual-user interface which made presentation even more challenging. We chose to give glimpses of every feature, including our USP.
When presentation time came, our seven-minute slot simply wasn't enough to showcase everything. We rushed through features and couldn't complete our demonstration in time. During the Q&A, a judge asked incredulously if we'd really built everything in just 24 hours. We explained that our efficiency came from previous hackathon experience as a team.
Despite answering all questions well, our presentation's time management ultimately kept us in the Top 10 rather than the Top 3.
Lessons Learned
This hackathon taught me several valuable lessons:
- Brilliance shines through imperfection: Sometimes great ideas get recognized despite presentation flaws
- Team dynamics are crucial: Conflicts can be productive if resolved properly
- Focus is essential: Having too many features can dilute your presentation impact
- Mentor guidance is gold: Their expertise can elevate your project
- Presentation timing matters: Time management during demos is as important as the product itself
Though we didn't claim a top-three finish, making it to the Top 10 from an incorrectly submitted application is something I'm immensely proud of. The skills, connections, and memories we gained are worth far more than any prize.
Would I do it all again? In a heartbeat. After all, in hackathons as in life, the journey is often more valuable than the destination.
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