Hackathons are tests of skill and patience, where sleep deprivation and debugging become the norm.
Survival guide steps: assemble a balanced team, choose a feasible idea, use AI as a tool, embrace the debugging process, stay hydrated during the 3 AM hallucination phase, present your project confidently despite its flaws, and recover after the hackathon.
The guide emphasizes the need for a well-balanced team and suggests picking ideas that are achievable within the given timeframe.
It also advises against relying too heavily on AI, acknowledging its magic but cautioning against using it as a brain replacement.