This is a submission for the 2024 Hacktoberfest Writing challenge: Contributor Experience

Just a month ago, I didn’t know much about GitHub other than the basics of storing my projects and the classic three commands to push changes. Open source sounded exciting but overwhelming to me.
I had no idea how to start or what "good" contributions looked like. Then came Hacktoberfest 2024, and with it, my first PR.

As a first-time participant, Hacktoberfest became a whirlwind of learning experiences. I worked on contributions with organizations like FreeCodeCamp, JSON Schema, React-Chatbotify, and Layer5. Each one taught me something new: version control, communicating with open-source maintainers, navigating Slack communities, and the essentials of a good PR. I even began to appreciate the significance of open source beyond just “coding” – it’s a collaborative, evolving effort to make software more accessible and robust.

October turned out to be incredibly productive and memorable. Hacktoberfest gave me the kickstart I’d been hesitant to take, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. As I wrapped up my PRs, I also celebrated my birthday, feeling a great mix of pride and excitement for all that I’d accomplished.

This experience wasn’t just about ticking off a few contributions; it marked the beginning of a path I feel genuinely enthusiastic about. Here's to many more PRs, learning, and community connections!
Thank you HacktoberFest 2024!!!!

Here are some insights!!!