How to break free when you’re stuck at a Hackathon

Lost in Code?

It is day two at the SICK Solution Hackathon 2024. The rooms at the venue, the Sensor Intelligence Academy, are filled with excitement, fresh ideas, and wide-eyed optimism. And now? There’s still a great vibe, hustle and bustle everywhere, but some cracks are starting to show. People are tired, projects are not running as smoothly as expected, and bugs are creeping into the code. What can you do?

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First of all: Don't give up!

Feeling stuck is perfectly normal - the middle of the hackathon is where the real work starts. But there are some ways to regain your motivation and inspiration! First, just admit that you are stuck - often the hardest part: “It’s absolutely okay to get stuck on your project,” says Petra Kirner, Head of Talent Acquisition & Employer Branding, “we all get stuck sometimes. But admitting it is often the first obstacle - from then on you are on the best way to a solution.”

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Take one Step back

Sure, you are focused on moving forward, but sometimes when you are stuck, it helps to take a little step back - not much different from what you would do if your car got stuck. SICK hack coach Thomas Jaeger recommends: “Get out of the dead end first! Take a step back - and then look at the project again with an open mind. That way you can see the whole thing from the outside and from a new perspective - and that changes a lot.”

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Always look on the bright Side of the Project

Hack coach Sam Larsen-Disney recommends celebrating every small victory - in fact, it can help you not to get stuck in the first place. “Be happy about every success and high-five your colleagues,” Sam explains, “it helps keep the spirit alive.” Of course, staying positive also helps you focus on the problem itself: “When there’s chaos, try to simplify everything. Look at the parts of your project that are easily achievable and focus on those - not everything has to be perfect.” Finally, fake it till you make it - sometimes the project cannot be fully implemented, so just show the good parts.

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Explaining the problem is halfway solving it

Talking also helps, as hack coach Christoph Schillinger explains: "This is no different from any other problem you might have: But instead of talking to family and friends, here you can talk to mentors, coaches or even other hackers. Just explain the problem to others - that's halfway to solving it." Sometimes even the hack coaches can get stuck, but that's not a problem either, as hack coach Manuel Würzburger mentions: "If the hack coaches can't help you, they will find someone who can. So don't worry, just talk to us, we'll find a solution".

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Take a Break!

Yes, we know you have limited time and thousands of things on your to-do list. But especially when you're stuck on one problem (or several), nothing helps more than doing something completely different. Your brain needs a break, too. The SICK Solution Hackathon offers you a leisure area with games, table football and even a giant ball pit - maybe a deep dive here will help you relax enough to dive back into your project! SICK Hack Coach Achim has a simple but effective idea: "Just go for a walk. Walk around, focus on something else - that clears your head”.

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The last piece of advice comes from Sam again: "Drink some coffee. Here you can also use a coffee printer - then the coffee tastes twice as good".



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