Between Sand and Syntax: HackVerse 5.0

Hi everyone. My name is Shreyas. This is my sincere attempt to share with you all my experience winning Hackverse 5.0. The journey to HackVerse 5.0 began with a simple message—a link shared by my senior Ashutosh Pandey, encouraging us to give it a try. Little did I know that this small nudge would lead to an unforgettable adventure. A few of us signed up, and I was lucky enough to team up with the exceptional Akash Singh and Dhruv Puri. Alongside a few other teams from our circle, we packed our bags for Mangalore, ready to take on the challenge.

We decided to leave a day early to see the city, its stunning coastlines, and exquisite food. However, as we saw the beach, we forgot about the hackathon. Hours were spent playing in the waves, eating excellent food, and admiring the beauty of the boundless horizon. That evening, after the best snooze of my life, Alfiya woke me up and asked if I wanted Maggie. I groggily agreed, and soon Yuktha and I were preparing noodles—a moment captured in a fuzzy photograph.

Later that night, someone suggested we try ice cream from Pabbas Café, a local gem. Sanjay and I, driven by midnight cravings, ran 3.5 km to get the ice cream. We devoured it, laughed, and fell asleep, only to be jolted awake by a call from Akash the next day: "Check the Google Doc I think we are onto something."

And he was right we definitely were. We packed our bags and headed to the NITK campus, where our coding marathon began. Dhruv dove into blockchain integration, Akash guided me through fixing pages on the site despite my lack of development experience (thank you so much for your patience) and Yuktha and Alfiya patiently helped me with CSS and AI integration. The hours blurred into a chaotic yet exhilarating cycle of learning, building, and troubleshooting.

Phoebe Bridgers sings in "I Know the End,"

"Either way, we're not alone. I'll find a new place to be from."

These words echoed in my mind as I realized that hackathons encompass more than just projects and rewards. They are about belonging. The shared difficulties and accomplishments reminded me that we are never alone. Even while Dhruv struggled with Aptos documentation for 13 hours straight and I stumbled through learning CSS, rushing around doing my friend's PowerPoint or checking their project progress, there was humour, patience, and an unspoken understanding that we were all in this together.

Finding Belonging in the Code

Hackathons unravel you. They expose every doubt, every flaw. But in that vulnerability lies their magic. "Your struggles don't make you a disappointment; they make you human." At HackVerse, our project, Sharkbucks, became more than an idea. It was a testament to the team's collective grit. Debugging in at 2 AM, fuelled by Redbull and snacks, wasn't just about coding—it was a collaboration.

Our project, Sharkbucks, is an innovative auction platform designed to connect investors and SMEs. It simplifies access to pitches and resources while enabling bids on loan tenures, interest amounts, and capital. We incorporated a machine learning model to match SMEs with compatible investors and included an NLP chatbot to guide users through government schemes and investment opportunities. This sustainability-focused platform charges a small fee for successful loan applications, ensuring operational viability. You can explore the project on GitHub: Sharkbucks.

When the judges announced the top 10 teams, hearing our name felt surreal. Akash delivered a phenomenal pitch, and after round two, we celebrated by heading back to the beach. In excitement, Dhruv was thrown into the water by friends. Suddenly, we realized the results were about to be announced. Drenched and covered in sand, we sprinted back, quickly changing into dry clothes just in time. When they announced our team as winners, it felt like a dream.

Sunsets and Serenity

Amid the chaos of coding, we found peace on Mangalore's beaches. Watching the sunset, the sky painted in hues of gold and crimson, felt like poetry in motion. As the waves lapped at our feet, the weight of comparisons and expectations faded. "Comparison is the thief of joy," they say, and here, gratitude replaced it.

Sometimes, I could feel my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I wasn't living. But in those moments, surrounded by friends and the endless ocean, I was reminded: "If the good things have an expiry date, then the bad ones do too. Celebrate the good a little more—it might just last longer."

Lessons from the Chaos

Hackathons are about more than skills or prizes—they're about growth. "The energy that is spent on surviving is not energy that can be used to evolve." At HackVerse, I learned that it's okay to not have all the answers. What matters is showing up, trying, and leaning on your team when things get tough.

To my juniors: Go to hackathons. Even if you feel unprepared, even if you're scared. You'll learn, grow, and meet incredible people who inspire you. Hackathons aren't just competitions; they're celebrations of creativity and resilience. Also, keep snacks handy. Midnight Maggie sessions might just become your fondest memory.

In the realm of hackathons, remember this eternal wisdom - do embrace the beautiful chaos of learning, for it's in stumbling that we find our stride. Create with passion but don't let perfectionism be your prison; collaborate deeply but don't lose yourself in comparison. Do take those midnight walks for ice cream and share Maggie at 2 AM, for these moments aren't distractions but the very essence of innovation. Don't forget to rest when your mind begs for pause, but also don't retreat when challenges tower before you. Keep snacks close and pride distant, documentation clear, and expectations fluid. Like waves on the Mangalore beach, let your creativity ebb and flow naturally, remembering always that the greatest projects aren't built by hands alone, but by hearts beating in synchrony with shared dreams.

A Note to Future Dreamers

To those reading this, I hope you find the courage to leap. Hackathons are not a preview or a practice run—they are life, happening in real time. Dive into them with curiosity. Build with passion. Fail boldly. And as you chase your dreams, hold on to this truth:

"People wait all day for 5 PM, all week for Friday, all year for summer, and all life for happiness. Don't let the pursuit of tomorrow diminish the joy of today."

Find your people. Chase sunsets. Build things that matter. And remember: You are never alone in this journey.