Jia (Audrey) Chen

i lost my first ever hackathon.

that was in 2023, at michigan state’s SpartaHack 8.

then i won the next 3.

then it became 🏆21.

anyone who lost a hackathon and doesn’t think they can do another one…

i want to say that success doesn’t happen immediately

i decided to change things up after that initial competition

-i wrote a reflection on what went wrong, what could have gone better (ended up doing this each time i lost in the subsequent hacks)

-i immediately signed up for the next one, knowing there was still room to grow and skills to learn with hackathons

-i prioritized learning and perseverance even more

at that time, I didn’t even think of imposter syndrome. I was determined to get my first win and eager to learn new skills.

now that same hackathon i lost, SpartaHack, I am now the co-director/president for the 10th iteration (go follow, it’s a great opportunity in early February)

when one door closes, i guess you just gotta go up to it and knock on it again!

if you’re interested in more of my story and hackathon tips, follow me here on linkedin, or if u wanna see everything in video format, @jia.seed on insta (57k)

#hackathon #hackathonwin #careergrowth #internships2025 #classof2026 #linkedin #competitions #computerscience #cs #csmemes
#computerengineering #engineering #softwareengineering #fullstack #developers #hackathonloss #setback

it’s okay to feel sad scrolling through linkedin

someone got an internship, someone won another hackathon, someone got this or that achievement

this app is weird, because as much as it helps as a student to be active on here and connect with people + get job notifications, it also yields a lot of room for comparison

it’s always okay to take a break (saying this for myself too)

i just wanted to say i think everyone’s emotions are valid

i’m trying my best to focus on my own path, but honestly it is quite hard. we’re all just human after all

that’s all lol. not trying to do a 3 tips to do this or have u comment ur email or whatever bs. just real talk.

genuinely wishing the best for everyone

#hackathon #hackathonwin #careergrowth #internships2025 #classof2026 #linkedin #competitions #computerscience #cs #csmemes
#computerengineering #engineering #softwareengineering #fullstack #developers #hackathonloss #setback