🌱 Introduction — How It All Started
Every open-source journey begins with a small step.
Mine began with a mixture of excitement, nervousness, and curiosity when I participated in GirlScript Summer of Code (GSSoC).
I always wanted to contribute to open source, but I didn’t know where to begin:
- What project should I pick?
- What if I break something?
- What if maintainers ignore me?
- Will I understand the codebase?
Everything changed when I joined Techtonica’s curriculum repository and met someone who transformed my confidence —
my mentor Daaimah.
🌟 Finding the Right Issue
I came across an issue titled:
“Create topic outline with interactive walkthrough and visuals for Minimum Spanning Tree (Prim's and Kruskal's Algorithm).”
It wasn’t a tiny fix; it required:
✔ Creating a full topic outline
✔ Adding algorithm visuals
✔ Adding time/space complexity tables
✔ Writing clear explanations
✔ Matching Techtonica’s curriculum style
✔ Making it beginner-friendly
This was a real contribution — not a small typo fix.
So, I decided to take the first step.
❤️ Meeting My First Open-Source Mentor
When I submitted my first PR, I was nervous.
But instead of criticism, I received the kindest and most patient guidance from my mentor @daaimah123.
She didn’t just review my PR —
she taught me how to contribute professionally.
Here’s what she taught me:
🌼 How to structure documentation
Not just writing — but teaching.
🌼 How to respond to reviews professionally
- Acknowledge feedback
- Explain what you changed
- Reference commit hashes
- Mark conversations as resolved
🌼 How to improve formatting
Headings, spacing, tables, visuals — everything.
🌼 How to iterate without giving up
She reviewed multiple times, with:
- Patience
- Encouragement
- Examples
- Detailed instructions
She even scheduled pair programming Zoom sessions, recorded videos explaining mistakes, and guided me line by line.
She wasn’t just a reviewer —
she was my first open-source teacher.
💪 The Hard Part — Iterating Again and Again
My PR did not get accepted on the first try.
Or the second.
Or the third.
I made many mistakes:
- Missing formatting
- Incorrect markdown
- Broken links
- Inconsistent structure
- Missing complexity sections
- Unclear visuals
Each time I pushed a commit, she guided me again.
Her kindness kept me going.
Her patience made me feel safe to learn.
Her feedback helped me grow.
I improved my:
- technical thinking
- documentation structure
- algorithm understanding
- communication skills
- attention to detail
Slowly, the PR became cleaner.
More structured.
More educational.
And then…
🎉 The Moment Everything Changed — PR Merged!
On August 19, my pull request was finally approved and merged.
Seeing the green Merged badge gave me:
✨ Confidence
✨ Motivation
✨ Pride
✨ A sense of belonging
✨ Belief in myself
My mentor even left a supportive congratulatory message, appreciating my persistence and learning.
That day, I felt like I had truly stepped into open source.
🌈 What I Learned from This Contribution
This journey taught me:
⭐ Open source is not just coding
It is learning, collaboration, and kindness.
⭐ A great mentor changes everything
Good guidance builds confidence.
⭐ Improvement happens through feedback
Not from doing everything perfectly the first time.
⭐ Communication is as important as code
Clear PR messages, responses, and iterations matter.
⭐ Willingness > Experience
Beginners grow fast when they stay open to feedback.
🤝 A Heartfelt Thank You to My Mentor
To @daaimah123 —
thank you for your patience, clarity, kindness, and support.
Thank you for:
- your detailed explanations
- your constructive feedback
- your pair programming sessions
- your encouragement
- your belief in my growth
You made my first contribution meaningful and memorable.
🌟 What’s Next for Me — My Path Toward GSoC 2026
This contribution gave me a strong foundation.
Now I’m preparing for Google Summer of Code (GSoC) 2026 with:
✨ More confidence
✨ More discipline
✨ More technical depth
✨ More open-source skills
I now understand:
- documentation structure
- collaboration
- communication
- iteration
- review process
This is just the beginning — not the end.
✨ Final Thoughts
If you're a beginner:
👉 Start small
👉 Don’t fear mistakes
👉 Ask questions
👉 Accept feedback
👉 Keep improving
👉 Find a mentor
Your first contribution can change your journey — just like mine did.
🧡 Connect with Me
GitHub: https://github.com/AnjaliMishra1st
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjali-mishra-212536298/
Email: mishrasitu88@gmail.com
If you want help starting open source, feel free to message me.
Thank you for reading ❤️
Top comments (1)
I hope my journey inspires at least one beginner to take their first open-source step.
Mistakes are normal. Learning is the real win.
If you need help choosing a project or a good first issue, feel free to comment! 🌟