About GSoC
Google Summer of Code is an incredible opportunity for students around the world to work on open-source software projects, receive a stipend for their contributions, and gain valuable experience under the guidance of experienced mentors.
My journey from rejection to acceptance
Open source is a vast and exciting world, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it. In September'21, while I was exploring open source, I got to know about CircuitVerse, a circuit simulation platform that I had used for my COA practical labs, which was also an open-source project. I was excited to contribute to a platform that was already being used by me and my classmates(Secret🤫:-I was excited to flex in my class XD) and then I started fixing bugs and adding features to the CircuitVerse organization. Over the next few months, I continued my contributions and learning with the organization. A few months later, I heard about the Google Summer of Code program. I was lucky that CircuitVerse was part of the program, so I planned to participate as a student developer in GSoC'22 with CircuitVerse. The projects were announced around mid-February 2022, but at that same time, my end-semester exams were going on. So, I started researching the projects by the end of March 2022, and the last date to submit the proposal was 20th April. I had hardly 10-15 days to research, complete the pre-tasks, and propose.
Despite the time crunch, I put my best efforts into making a good proposal. However it got rejected, and that was a disappointing moment for me. I remember, I cried for an hour and also deactivated my Slack community account immediately. I even thought of never going back to it again. But, my mentor helped me understand that rejection is part of the journey. His kind words gave me the motivation to continue contributing to open-source, improve my technical skills, and strengthen my understanding of the codebase.
Then, I started contributing again to the same organization and decided to try again for GSoC'23, and this time I was determined to succeed. I worked on my technical skills more, and this time thankfully, my exams were not between that time. I researched the project to the best of my ability and made my proposal. Finally, my efforts paid off, my proposal was accepted, and I was selected to participate in GSoC 2023.
My journey to Google Summer of Code 2023 was a challenging journey .It taught me that rejection is not the end, and we can always try again with a better approach. I am grateful for this experience, and I look forward to contributing more to the open-source community.
To all the aspiring GSoC participants out there, my final note is to never give up. Failure is not the end but the beginning of a new learning journey. Start early, communicate with your mentors and the community, and always be open to feedback. Focus on making quality contributions, and don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. With dedication and hard work, you can achieve your dreams of participating in GSoC and contributing to open-source.
"Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle." - Christian D. Larson
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