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Preptember Diaries- Gearing Up for Hacktoberfest 2023!

· 5 min read
Ebony Louis

Preptember Diaries- Gearing Up for Hacktoberfest 2023!

Hey there, fellow techies! 🍁 With October rolling in, we're greeted by the crisp orange leaves of fall, the comforting aroma of pumpkin spice, and of course, the much-anticipated Hacktoberfest. Whether you're a seasoned contributor or taking your first steps into the world of open-source, there's something for everyone. And guess what? We've got some exciting news!

🎉 We're Participating in Hacktoberfest 2023! 🎉​

This October, it's more than just code and commits; we're spicing things up with exclusive rewards. Be among the first 20 to get their PRs merged and snag some exclusive swag from our TBD shop — we're in the midst of uploading new swag! And for a bit of fun competition? Keep track of your contributions with our leaderboard issues. Ready to climb the ranks?

📅 Mark Your Calendars! Our Hacktoberfest Launch event is on October 2nd. Stay in the loop and don't miss out on any of our events by checking our events-and-updates channel regularly.

📌 What is Hacktoberfest?​

For the uninitiated, Hacktoberfest is a month-long celebration of open-source software. It's sponsored by DigitalOcean, GitHub, and other partners.

🔗 Newbies Alert!: Check out Hacktoberfest's official site for more details and to register. Registration is from September 26th- October 31st.

Guidelines for Winning at Hacktoberfest:​

  1. Topic Check: Contribute to projects that have the hacktoberfest topic. This ensures your PR counts towards the official Hacktoberfest prizes.

  2. Label Insights:

    • Starting with an issue labeled hacktoberfest, no-code, or good-first-issue? That's a solid choice.
    • Got the hacktoberfest-accepted label on your PR? WOOHOO! One down, three more to go! 🎉
    • Got slapped with a spam label? Reevaluate your contribution.

  3. Code and Conduct: Adhere to our code of conduct and ensure your PR aligns with the repository's goals.

  4. Community Vibes: Engage with fellow contributors on our Discord server for all the Hacktoberfest gossips, and a getting started checklist!

  5. Seek Help: If in doubt, don't stress! Connect with the maintainers by commenting on the issue or ping us on Discord.

🎤 From a First-time Contributor​

I remember my first-time contribution jitters. Every step felt like a monumental task, and the fear of making a mistake? Oh boy! Here’s a snippet from my Twitter thread on my first contribution experience:

"... I made all of the changes locally, and then opened a PR. Looked over it a zillion times, because, you know, it's in the public's eye! Yikes! And despite all the caution, I still goofed up my first PR. 🤦🏾‍♀️ But guess what? The community stepped in, guided me, and boom! PR merged. It was .."

You can check out my complete thread and the roller-coaster of emotions I went through here. If I could do it, trust me so can you!

Hot Tip: Pair up with someone from our hack-together channel on Discord. Two heads (or more) are always better than one.

🎁 Rewards, Events, and Excitement​

Swag Alerts

  • Made it to the top 20 contributors with merged PRs? Secure your swag from our TBD shop. Keep an eye on your progress via our leaderboard issue.
  • As for the top 3 contributors, brace yourselves for some custom Hacktoberfest swag. Stay tuned for the reveal!

Event Highlights: Dive into our bustling Hacktoberfest schedule! Whether you're keen on learning or just here for the fun, we've got you covered:

  • September 22nd: Tune in to our Hacktoberfest: Best Practices live stream

  • October 2nd: Set the tone with our Hacktoberfest Launch event!

  • October 5th: Brush up with our Intro to Git Workshop.

  • Every Friday: Engage with us for PR reviews, live Q&A, and more interactive sessions.

  • Never Miss Out: Keep a tab on our events-and-updates channel - we're always brewing something new!

📂 Dive into Our Projects​

Not sure where to start? Hacktoberfest isn't just about addressing existing issues. If you spot a bug, typo, or see room for improvement, feel free to create a new issue or dive in with a fix! Explore these repos and see where you can make an impact:

Hot Tip: Not a coder? No worries! We have non-code related issues up for grabs. Check them out on our developer.tbd.website repo.

More Resources for First-Time Contributors​

Happy Hacking everyone! & Cheers to Hacktoberfest 2023! 🎉