Since leaving practice a few years ago, I decided to get down and finally learn something I missed out while studying and law — Programming. I have not done this since I was in High School. The programming world has changed a lot. Javascript was a joke compared to (real) Java and C++ then, but now it has become one of the most used languages.

All that programming was not directly applicable to work and I was sure I wanted only one thing — contribute to Open Source. For years I used Linux and wanted to become not just a user but a contributor. To feel more like I am actually doing it.

In October every year, there’s an open source event called Hacktoberfest. It encourages first time contributors to contribute to open source. In exchange for meeting a set of criteria, you get a T-Shirt. As you might see from the picture at the top, it’s going to be a bit tacky. But I told myself, I am gonna win it. I am gonna wear it.

So I got down, searching for labels marked `first good issue` and `Hacktoberfest` to search for easy issues to contribute. I only started in the middle of the month (right after I wrote the post on password security) so I worried whether I could make it in time for the end of the month.

It took me only 1 week to do it. I did not realise that the rules only require I submit a PR, not that it had to be accepted or merged. (Anyway, 4 out of 5 got merged.)

I am also very happy that not all the contributions I made were for documentation. Even though my command of the English language is pretty good, I wanted to make use of my programming skills. To this end, I am pleased that my contributions were made in both Typescript and Python, which are languages I only picked up in the last year.

Hacktoberfest was a pretty great experience. Not only I had actual practice in reading and evaluating Github projects and deciding which one I wanted to contribute to, I learned new things like the Koa middleware and Click. I also learnt how you can attract new contributors to a project.

I should continue contributing even though there is no more T-Shirt. More open source!