Everyone has their own idea of a good time, and students participating in the annual 5C Hackathon are no different. The Hackathon is an overnight coding event where students from the Claremont Colleges gather to make all sorts of technological products, from computer and phone apps, to advanced forums and chat rooms. The event was first conceived in the fall of 2011 when a few students thought that there should be more collaboration amongst students from each of the five Claremont Colleges. Since then its attendance has grown from just 30 students to over 300 students, a testament to the fun and exciting vibe given off by the event. Although most of the attendants are computer science (CS) majors or very tech savvy students, Hackathon encourages everyone to come.

“Hackathon is an incredible experience. As a CS major, we learn a lot of the theory behind coding. It is open for everyone, and I have a ton of non CS friends that have participated and learned a lot in doing so,” Pomona College sophomore Parth Patel said. “Staying up all night with some friends and just translating your ideas into an actual web application or mobile app is [pretty fun]. You’re also surrounded by thousands of dollars of free food and give-away tech merchandise.”

Despite the fact that it mainly consists of CS majors and self-proclaimed “hackers,” Hackathon also encourages students with little exposure to join in for a fun night of computer hacking and eating. The event also acts as a real-life social network, where new friendships can be forged and old ones can begin to grow stronger.

“I did not have much extensive coding experience when I decided to do Hackathon. Because of that Hackathon was a very new experience; many people already had coding experience and were computer science majors. Of course, they were welcoming of people who even had no experience, and had never typed a word of code before. Friendships were strengthened, food was eaten, and things were built.” Pitzer College freshman Lilian Horin said.

Hackathon is a place where one can always embrace his or her inner computer scientist and have fun. Although this year’s Hackathon might be over, the experience has left students of all technological backgrounds satisfied yet wanting more.

“[Hackathon] was one of the highlights of the semester and I am incredibly proud of that night; I plan on being a part of it every semester than I can.” Horin said.