My Experience

As Hacktoberfest comes to an end, I find myself reflecting on a month that was unexpectedly filled with challenges and lessons. Although I initially aimed to engage with multiple open-source projects and contribute to various issues, the outcome was different from my expectations. Ultimately, I concentrated the majority of my efforts on a single intricate issue, which, unfortunately, did not result in a successful pull request.

The Issue That Consumed My Time

It began with a challenging problem that caught my interest. I spent many hours studying and trying to solve it, delving into the codebase and testing numerous approaches. Even with my perseverance and hard work, I still couldn't find the solution. As time went on during Hacktoberfest, I became stuck in a cycle of frustration and running out of time. My drive to finish the task prevented me from investigating other, perhaps easier contributions.

The Last-Minute Rush

Acknowledging that Hacktoberfest was coming to a close and realizing that time was running out, I had to change direction swiftly. During the last days of the activity, I discovered two additional problems to address. Both of them were involved in a project named pdfly, a CLI tool used for modifying PDF documents. Even with limited time, I committed to delving into these matters and aimed to make a few valuable contributions before Hacktoberfest concluded.

Luckily, I successfully finished both problems by adding new features to pdfly that increased its flexibility. Despite being a quick, last-minute effort, it was satisfying to see concrete results after weeks of difficulty.

Lessons Learned

This Hacktoberfest served as a humble reminder of the significance of being adaptable. Becoming too focused on solving a difficult problem is simple, but sometimes it is wiser to take a step back and widen your approach. I missed chances to make meaningful small contributions throughout the month by delaying shifting focus.

Nevertheless, the encounter was not in vain. I developed a better grasp of open-source software development, honed my ability to handle frustration, and enhanced my problem-solving skills. During those last days, I discovered a fresh enthusiasm and joy in collaborating on pdfly, a tool that I loved being a part of.

Conclusion

As I bid farewell to this year’s Hacktoberfest, I do so with gratitude for the lessons learned and the new experiences gained. Even though my journey was far from perfect, it taught me the value of resilience, adaptability, and the thrill of last-minute accomplishments. Here’s to coming back stronger, wiser, and more prepared next year!

P.S Next year, I plan to approach Hacktoberfest with a more balanced strategy...