{"id":36639,"date":"2018-11-26T21:04:55","date_gmt":"2018-11-27T02:04:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/?p=36639"},"modified":"2018-11-26T21:04:55","modified_gmt":"2018-11-27T02:04:55","slug":"intercollegiate-group-work-my-first-hackathon-continued","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/2018\/11\/26\/intercollegiate-group-work-my-first-hackathon-continued\/","title":{"rendered":"Intercollegiate Group Work &#8211; My First Hackathon (continued)"},"content":{"rendered":"Last weekend, I went to my very first hackathon. It was not only my first time \"hacking\" but it was also my first time inside the MaRS building (unless you count taking the wrong exit out of Queen's Park Station). You may have heard the word 'hackathon' thrown around and hopefully this post gives you an insight on what actually happens!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/k.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-36598 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/k.jpg\" alt=\"women in tech banner\" width=\"613\" height=\"110\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/k.jpg 613w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/k-300x54.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 613px) 100vw, 613px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\r\n<strong>The Task<\/strong>\r\n\r\nYoung women from the universities of Guelph, Waterloo, Western as well as a few from U of T and colleges like Sheridan, Centennial and Seneca were grouped with at least one 11th or 12th grader. Similar to course group work, we started introductions and highlighting our strengths that we could contribute. This is where project management skills kicked in. In less than 12 hours, we came up with a tech-based solution and a prototype for this year's case:\u00a0\"Financial literacy in Canadian youth\". With no two of us from the same school or program in my group, diverse ideas were easy to bounce off each other.\r\n\r\n<strong>The Food<\/strong>\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_36734\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-36734\" style=\"width: 1081px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/IMG_20181117_175045_086-e1543091059804.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-36734 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/IMG_20181117_175045_086-e1543091059804.jpg\" alt=\"catered food table\" width=\"1081\" height=\"1147\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/IMG_20181117_175045_086-e1543091059804.jpg 1081w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/IMG_20181117_175045_086-e1543091059804-283x300.jpg 283w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/IMG_20181117_175045_086-e1543091059804-768x815.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/IMG_20181117_175045_086-e1543091059804-965x1024.jpg 965w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1081px) 100vw, 1081px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-36734\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">food glorious food<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\nTwo weeks ago I wrote about <a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/2018\/11\/12\/shh-its-reading-week-meditation-retreat-on-campus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">eating mindfully<\/a>... I ate anything but mindfully during the Hackathon... There was a snack table that seemed to replenish everytime I got up to grab another pack of Goldfish. I also consumed six cups of tea (I didn't sleep until 3am that night). Next time, I plan to stick to water and only turn to caffeine if I really need a pick-me up.\r\n\r\n<strong>The Opportunities<\/strong>\r\n\r\nI have a bad habit of committing to something before actually assessing whether I'm capable of handling it. In my <a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=36589&amp;action=edit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">previous blog<\/a>, I mentioned that I almost bailed two days prior. I was scared that I didn't have the skill-set for a hackathon yet. However, I'm glad I decided to go. An RBC executive and a U of T Alum who work in the AI and Machine Learning sector shared their personal stories of how they started and learned the skills they needed with the guidance of those around them. In addition to the mentors and pitch coaches that were present to help, there were also recruitment officers on site offering us resume reviews and tips on applying for internships.\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_36739\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-36739\" style=\"width: 327px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/20181117_201859-e1543112949670.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-36739\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/20181117_201859-e1543112949670.jpg\" alt=\"selfie in bathroom\" width=\"327\" height=\"406\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/20181117_201859-e1543112949670.jpg 473w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/20181117_201859-e1543112949670-242x300.jpg 242w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 327px) 100vw, 327px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-36739\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">I swear I'm going to leave uni with an entire closet of free shirts<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_36740\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-36740\" style=\"width: 382px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/20181117_082434-e1543112936716.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-36740\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/20181117_082434-e1543112936716.jpg\" alt=\"free stuff on table with food\" width=\"382\" height=\"414\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/20181117_082434-e1543112936716.jpg 2988w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/20181117_082434-e1543112936716-277x300.jpg 277w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/20181117_082434-e1543112936716-768x833.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/20181117_082434-e1543112936716-944x1024.jpg 944w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 382px) 100vw, 382px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-36740\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">We even got scrunchies!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<strong>The takeaways\u00a0<\/strong>\r\n\r\nHackathons are 10% code; 70% human (and 20% food). From dissecting the problem to\u00a0agreeing on a strategy and working out a solution - technology is a tool, not the answer. The Hackathon to me seemed a lot like cramming for an exam - working under pressure to produce good ideas and prototypes - so if you're driven by deadlines and don't want a long-term commitment type project, why not try one out? U of T's very own 36-hour hackathon: <a href=\"https:\/\/uofthacks.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">U of T Hacks<\/a>\u00a0is open for applications and you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.utoronto.ca\/news\/uofthacks-back-annual-hackathon-wants-students-all-disciplines-apply-year\">don't need to be a coder<\/a> to take part!\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_36738\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-36738\" style=\"width: 1886px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/2018-11-24-e1543099930824.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-36738\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/2018-11-24-e1543099930824.png\" alt=\"uoft hacks main webpage screenshot\" width=\"1886\" height=\"907\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/2018-11-24-e1543099930824.png 1886w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/2018-11-24-e1543099930824-300x144.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/2018-11-24-e1543099930824-768x369.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2018\/11\/2018-11-24-e1543099930824-1024x492.png 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1886px) 100vw, 1886px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-36738\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">U of T Hacks 2019!<\/figcaption><\/figure>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-summary\">\n<div class=\"entry-summary\">\nFrom dissecting the problem to\u00a0agreeing on a strategy and working out a solution - technology is a tool, not the answer.\n<\/div><div class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/2018\/11\/26\/intercollegiate-group-work-my-first-hackathon-continued\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &ldquo;Intercollegiate Group Work &#8211; My First Hackathon (continued)&rdquo;<\/span>&hellip;<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/2018\/11\/26\/intercollegiate-group-work-my-first-hackathon-continued\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &ldquo;Intercollegiate Group Work &#8211; My First Hackathon (continued)&rdquo;<\/span>&hellip;<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"author":351,"featured_media":36741,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7204,7206,62,65,60,61,1,70,58,67],"tags":[25661,25653,25656,23784],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36639"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/351"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36639"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36639\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36758,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36639\/revisions\/36758"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36741"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36639"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36639"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}