HackMIT: Coding Everything From Automatic Toast to Frat Parties

HackMIT

While a share of college students may be pulling weekend all-nighters to party it up, others would rather skip some Zs so they can code. Luckily for the latter group, the third-annual HackMIT event this past weekend let them develop until dawn and beyond.

This free competition, which ran from Saturday morning straight through to Sunday afternoon, enabled undergraduates from around the world to congregate and code. Contestants had 24 hours to work on a new project either alone or on a team. After the allotted time was up, designated judges from throughout the tech community evaluated the college students’ finished products.

With 1,000 hackers simultaneously sitting down to create, the resulting projects ranged greatly. These college coders were inspired by everything from parities to practicality, and here are just a few of the finished products.

Timeshares for the future

Despite your initial thoughts, we’re not talking about that cramped condo in Cabo you impulsively reserved three weeks out of the year. A team of HackMIT participants had a new take on timeshares. Not surprisingly, it got technical.

“We’ve been hashing out different ideas, but we’ve settled on making a program that lets you timeshare your processing power,” explained Lia Coleman, a junior and Computer Science major at MIT.

“While you sleep at night, there could be someone awake who could use your computer’s processing power,” she continued. “You could lend it to them, so they can speed up their own computer.”

Coleman explained to me that she and her friends were treating HackMIT as a sort of high school reunion. Although she’s local, the rest of her team members flew in from different parts of the country, so they could contribute to this creation.

Program hard, party harder

Students at HackMIT may have been sacrificing a weekend of shenanigans, but that doesn’t mean partying wasn’t on the brain – at least for one participant.

Just look at Tyler Weitzman, a second-year Stanford student who’s already created around 30 apps like Black SMS. The seasoned coder used his time at HackMIT to develop the app Party Brah. Stemming from a website he manually maintained at school, his app would allow students to keep a running schedule of parties on any given campus.

“I’ve always said the best way to learn is to stop thinking and go build something.”

“The app lets five ‘bros’ from each school post and edit parties,” explained Weitzman, who’s been programming since the third grade. “They can add the frat that’s having a party and even the theme, so the whole school can see.”

To make sure the bros are always in-the-know, any student can head to the app to tip them off.

What about colleges that are Greek-free? Not to worry: Party Brah still lets you broadcast festivities without any frat affiliation – from ragers to charity fundraisers.

Breakfast of champions 

Perhaps the project that spoke to me (and probably every other professional out there) was cleverly called The Internet of Toast. A team of four students from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign – Mohammad Saad, Mathew Halm, David Degenhardt, and Adam Barbato – put their heads together to make mornings a little less hectic.

These guys found a way to automate your coffee maker and toaster. All you have to do is set an alarm on your FitBit and, minutes before it goes off

in the morning, their program cues these devices to get going on your breakfast.

“So many times, you’re pressed for time and have to run out the door without breakfast,” explained Degenhardt. “This would have breakfast ready as soon as you wake up. It’d just be a waste for you to leave home without eating.”

“Also, people like to hit ‘snooze’ a lot,” Halm said. “Now you’d have a reason to get up. Your coffee is waiting for you, and who wants cold coffee?”

I don’t know about you, but that’d be a game-changer in the AM.

Why hack the night away? 

No matter who I asked, there were a couple of resounding reasons for being a part of HackMIT. By and large, people just wanted to hang out with friends and meet other folks with whom they share a common interest.

“It’s an excuse to get together with your friends and do something ridiculous,” Halm said.

The overall ambiance and spirit of innovation also attract college students from far and wide. “Here, you’re surrounded by other people with brilliant ideas. It’s fun to be around all this thinking,” Degenhardt explained.

“I love seeing people being inspired,” Weitzman told me. “People who aren’t even that experienced come, and you can see their passion growing as they build. I’ve always said the best way to learn is to stop thinking and go build something.”

Harper Harrison

Harper Harrison is a reporter for The Hear UP. Harper got an internship at the NPR and worked as a reporter and producer. harper has also worked as a reporter for the Medium. Harper covers health and science for The Hear UP.