When I first heard about Outreachy, I was excited.
Then I looked at the requirements… and reality hit.
I wasn’t “ready.”
I had done tutorials. Built small projects. But contributing to real open-source projects? That felt like a completely different level.
Still, I decided to try.
This is how I prepared — and what actually made a difference.
🚧 Step 1: I Accepted That I Didn’t Know Enough
At the beginning, I kept thinking:
«“I need to learn more before I start contributing.”»
That mindset slowed me down.
What changed everything was realizing:
You don’t need to be fully ready — you just need to start.
Instead of waiting, I began exploring real project repositories.
🔍 Step 2: Learning How to Read Code (Not Just Write It)
One of the biggest challenges was understanding other people’s code.
It wasn’t like tutorials:
- No step-by-step guidance
- No simplified examples
- No clear starting point
At first, it felt overwhelming.
So I changed my approach:
- I focused on small parts of the codebase
- I traced how data flows through the system
- I took notes on what I didn’t understand
Slowly, things started making sense.
🛠️ Step 3: Starting Small (Very Small)
I didn’t try to solve complex issues immediately.
Instead, I looked for:
- Documentation fixes
- Small bugs
- Beginner-friendly issues
These helped me:
- Understand the workflow
- Build confidence
- Learn how contributions actually work
💬 Step 4: Asking Better Questions
At first, I was afraid to ask questions.
But I realized:
Good questions show effort — not weakness.
Instead of saying:
«“I don’t understand this”»
I started asking:
«“I tried X and Y, but I’m confused about Z. Am I approaching this correctly?”»
That small change made people more willing to help.
🔁 Step 5: Embracing Feedback
My early contributions weren’t perfect.
I got feedback like:
- “This can be improved”
- “Consider another approach”
- “Follow project conventions”
At first, it felt discouraging.
But over time, I understood:
Feedback is part of the process — not a sign of failure.
⏳ Step 6: Consistency Over Intensity
I didn’t spend 10 hours a day.
Instead, I showed up consistently:
- Reading code
- Trying small fixes
- Learning from mistakes
Progress was slow… but it was real.
💡 What Actually Worked
Looking back, these made the biggest difference:
- Starting before I felt ready
- Focusing on understanding, not speed
- Taking small, consistent steps
- Asking thoughtful questions
- Learning from feedback instead of avoiding it
🔥 Final Thoughts
Outreachy isn’t just about getting selected.
It’s about becoming a developer who can:
- Work with real codebases
- Collaborate with others
- Learn independently
And that journey starts long before selection.
If you’re preparing right now, just remember:
You don’t need to be perfect.
You just need to keep showing up.
If you're on a similar journey, I’d love to hear your experience.
Let’s connect:
GitHub: https://github.com/Brace1000
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/brianoiko
Top comments (2)
Practical and honest advice for Outreachy beginners. Starting with "good first issues" and communicating early with mentors are exactly the habits that get applicants selected.
Thank you, I really appreciate that!
I completely agree , starting with “good first issues” made a huge difference for me. It helped me understand the workflow without feeling overwhelmed.
And communication was something I had to learn along the way. Reaching out early instead of struggling silently saved me a lot of time and helped me learn faster.
Those small habits really add up over time.