👋 Stepping into the World of Open Source
I’ve used GitHub for years — from pushing code at work to managing side projects with friends.
But this month, I stepped into a whole new world: open source.
When our community announced its participation in Hacktoberfest, I volunteered as one of the maintainers.
Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect.
I thought, “How different could it be?”
Turns out — very!
💬 A Community That Feels Like Home
Contributing to open source felt like suddenly being part of a huge, buzzing community.
Everyone was so supportive, patient, and genuinely excited to help each other learn.
It wasn’t just about merging PRs. It was about making people feel comfortable contributing, no matter their experience level.
That sense of inclusion made every interaction special.
🐣 Baby Steps and Small Wins
At first, I took baby steps, giving a couple of hours daily, sometimes just enough to review a single PR.
But even those small wins felt big.
The more I read and learned, the more I realized how thoughtful open-source work truly is.
🧩 Behind the Scenes: So Much Thought and Care
What really amazed me was the level of organization and detail that went into everything.
The team had done an incredible job making things easier for everyone, not just contributors but maintainers too, regardless of their experience level.
From:
- ✨ Well-written issues that guided contributors step-by-step
- 📝 Descriptive PR templates that left no room for confusion
…it was clear that so much care went into making each contribution — whether it was someone’s first or fiftieth — as smooth as possible.
☕ Late Nights, Early Mornings, and Shared Energy
And then there was the energy — the kind that makes you want to give your best, too.
I’d see PRs being reviewed as late as 3 a.m., and new ones getting assigned by 5 a.m..
Everyone was just hustling, helping, and having fun.
That dedication was contagious.
It fueled me to show up, learn more, and do better every day.
🧰 A Never Ending Learning Experience
Somewhere between reviewing code, leaving comments, and discovering yet another GitHub feature (seriously, it’s like Doraemon’s pocket endless tools and surprises!),
I realized how much I was growing.
I learned not just about code, but about collaboration, kindness, and what community-driven tech really looks like.
💡 What I’ll Take Away
My first open-source experience taught me something simple but powerful:
You don’t need to be an expert to start contributing.
You just need:
- 🌱 Curiosity
- ⏳ Patience
- 🤝 People who make learning feel like a shared adventure
And that, I think, is what makes open source and this community so special. 💜
Thanks for reading — and if you’ve ever thought about doing something but felt unsure, take that first step. You might just surprise yourself. ✨
That’s a wrap on my first open-source adventure! If you’d like to connect or wanna say hi, find me on
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gitansha-aggarwal
- Github: https://github.com/gitansha
and you can find more from our amazing community at Women Dev SG. 💜