The (Mostly) Smooth Sailing of a GDSC Lead: My Kabale University Adventure

My journey as the Google Developer Student Clubs (GDSC) Lead at Kabale University for the 2023/24 cohort has been a wild rollercoaster of coding, camaraderie, caffeine overload, and, on occasion, the pure chaos of trying to outwit stubborn bugs. From organizing sessions to watching students grow from tech newbies to budding developers, it’s been an experience I won’t soon forget — and let’s just say, there’s been no shortage of hilarious moments along the way!

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From Day 1: Turning Coding Curiosity into a Campus Movement

From the get-go, I knew the biggest challenge wouldn’t be explaining Python’s indentations (although watching people struggle with tabs vs. spaces has led to some truly spectacular meltdowns). No, the real task was building a community where everyone felt welcome — from total tech beginners who couldn’t tell an API from an avocado, to coding whizzes who probably dream in C++.

Our first few events were all about getting people hooked. We kicked off with the basics: web development, mobile app creation, and even dipped our toes into the mysterious world of artificial intelligence. We wanted everyone to feel like they belonged, no matter their skill level. I remember one of our first coding sessions: someone hit "send" on a test message in our chat app prototype — and instead of just the group receiving it, the entire university did! Apparently, sending “Who’s up for pizza?” to 1,000 people isn’t the best way to fly under the radar. Lesson learned: always check your recipients, and when in doubt, blame it on a “test.”

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Hackathons: Coding, Coffee, and Chaos (Not Always in That Order)

Ah, the hackathons. If ever there was a time where coding ambition met pure sleep deprivation, this was it. Picture it: dozens of students, hunched over laptops in a room filled with half-eaten snacks, empty coffee cups, and the smell of hope mixed with impending disaster. The energy was electric (though occasionally interrupted by Wi-Fi dropouts), and the projects that emerged from this beautifully chaotic environment were nothing short of impressive.

Of course, not everything went according to plan. I’ll never forget the time one team accidentally submitted a bug-filled version of their app just as the deadline hit. Their "find my lost phone" feature was working perfectly—except it ended up pinging the GPS locations of random nearby cows. On the bright side, if anyone had misplaced their livestock, we had them covered!

Our Journey to DevFest Mbarara 2023 🌍🚀

One of the most unforgettable highlights of our year was attending DevFest Mbarara 2023. This incredible event offered us an opportunity to engage with the wider developer community, gain valuable insights from industry experts, and fuel our passion for tech innovation. The long bus ride from Kabale University to GDG Cloud Mbarara was filled with excitement, laughter, and shared anticipation for what lay ahead.

DevFest was more than just a learning experience; it was a celebration of community, where tech enthusiasts, students, and professionals alike came together to connect and inspire one another. Our students were thrilled to network with other developers, learn about the latest in cloud technologies, and get hands-on exposure to new tools and techniques. It was truly a powerful reminder of the potential that lies in collaboration and innovation.

# After a long bus ride, our excitement was sky-high. But first, let's debug our journey!
def bus_ride_adventures():
    bus_capacity = 50
    excited_devs = 0

    while excited_devs < bus_capacity:
        try:
            excited_devs += 1
            print("Developer entered the bus. Total excited developers:", excited_devs)
            if excited_devs == bus_capacity:
                raise OverflowError("Bus capacity reached! Time to teleport!")
        except OverflowError as e:
            print(e)
            break

    print("Onward to DevFest Mbarara! 🚀 But remember, no coding in the bus!")

bus_ride_adventures()

Behold! The glorious snapshots of our tech-filled adventure—where code, caffeine, and community collided!

We are immensely grateful for all the support and encouragement from the amazing organizers and mentors who made this experience so impactful.

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My Core Team: The Real MVPs

None of this would have been possible without my core team — the true superheroes of this entire adventure. These were the people who stuck by my side through thick and thin, navigating through confusing bug reports and questionable snack choices with grace and humor. We had the strategist who could break down complex ideas like they were simple math, the tech wizard who solved every bug like it was a Sudoku puzzle, the relentless organizer who could keep an event running even if the power went out (which it did, often), and the comedian whose witty one-liners saved us from complete coding-induced breakdowns.

There was one unforgettable moment when we were trying to set up a video call for a guest speaker from Google. Just as everything was going smoothly (or so we thought), the internet decided to pack its bags and leave. Cue frantic messages on WhatsApp, a blur of hand signals, and a lot of “Can you hear me now?” Eventually, the speaker gave their presentation via a combination of voice notes and memes. Surprisingly, it was one of the most engaging sessions we had all year.

The Rise of the Kabale Coding Wizards

Our workshops were where the magic really happened. I vividly recall a particular session where we were teaching students how to develop their first mobile apps. One student was so focused on perfecting their app that they forgot to eat the entire day — that’s commitment! By the end of the session, they’d developed an app that could remind others to eat. Irony? I think so.

We didn’t stop there. We ventured into the exciting (and slightly terrifying) world of AI, where students who had once struggled with simple loops were now developing predictive models. We even built a voice-activated assistant as a group project, though it spent most of its time mishearing commands and blasting 80s pop music. Not exactly what we intended, but hey, at least we had an entertaining soundtrack.

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Lessons Learned Along the Way (aka “Why Did We Do This Again?”)

Being a GDSC Lead was not without its challenges, and I quickly learned that leadership was about more than just organizing events. There were real obstacles to overcome. First and foremost: the Wi-Fi. Kabale University’s Wi-Fi has a mind of its own. Sometimes it worked perfectly, other times it behaved like a mischievous ghost, cutting out just as someone hit "submit" on their final project. We developed a running joke that the Wi-Fi was powered by hope and prayers. But as frustrating as these moments were, they taught us resilience, patience, and how to code offline (a skill that should be mandatory in the modern world).

I also learned the importance of community. At first, I thought my role was just to teach. But it quickly became clear that the true impact of GDSC was fostering a space where students could support each other. It was in the collaborative problem-solving, the late-night debugging sessions, and the moments of triumph when a project finally worked after hours of trial and error that the real magic happened.

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Thank You: Google, My Team, and Kabale University

A huge thank you to the Google Developer Student Clubs team for this remarkable opportunity. The resources, guidance, and platform you provided were essential to our success. We built a community that is not just about coding but about mentorship, friendship, and growth.

To my amazing core team — I cannot express my gratitude enough. You were my lifeline through every event, every workshop, and every technical glitch. You stayed up late, woke up early, and poured your hearts into this community, making it what it is today. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of co-leaders to share this journey with. From the hilarious moments to the hard-fought victories, you were the reason we thrived.

Special Thanks to Sodiq, Wesley, Sumaiya, and Solomon Opio

I couldn’t have made it through this incredible year as GDSC Lead at Kabale University without the support of some truly amazing people.

Sodiq Akinjobi, aka The Geek Tutor, and President of the NBU — you made this journey so much more fun and fulfilling. Thank you for always having my back, guiding me when I needed it most, and sharing your tech wisdom. Your energy and enthusiasm were contagious, and I’m grateful for all the laughter and knowledge you brought to our sessions.

A huge shout-out to Wesley Kambale, the GDG organizer of GDG Cloud Mbarara — your support was invaluable. You never missed a beat when it came to checking in on our club's progress, and your leadership during our "Build with AI" sessions was nothing short of inspiring. Thank you for always being there to uplift and encourage our community at Kabale University.

We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to Sumaiya Nalukwago , the dynamic Tech Content Creator and Community Lead. Your dedication and passion for technology have made a significant impact on our club and inspired alot of ladies in our community. Your tireless efforts in fostering connections and sharing knowledge through your initiatives at WTM Mbarara and GDG Cloud Mbarara have inspired countless individuals to explore the world of tech. Thank you for being a champion for innovation and collaboration, and for empowering others to reach their full potential. We are grateful for your invaluable contributions!

We extend our deepest gratitude to Solomon Opio, the visionary founder and lead of Soltech. Your invaluable guidance and unwavering support have been instrumental in shaping the success of our club activities. Your expertise and insights have inspired us to reach new heights, fostering a spirit of innovation and collaboration among our members. Thank you for being a mentor and a driving force behind our achievements; we are truly grateful for your commitment to empowering the next generation of tech leaders.

Together, we made something truly special, and I’m excited to see what the future holds!

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Recommendations for Future GDSC (or GDG on Campus) Leads

• Expect the Unexpected: Whether it’s tech issues or a random power outage, you’ve got to be flexible. Did I mention we once had a chicken wander into our coding space during a session? Only in Kabale.

• Make It Fun: Learning is more enjoyable when you sprinkle in humor, games, and a bit of friendly competition. Who says hackathons can’t have a meme contest on the side?

• Stay Caffeinated: Seriously, stock up. Coffee is the real MVP, and you’ll need a lot of it.

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Offboarding and the Future: From GDSC to GDG on Campus

As GDSC transitions into GDG on Campus, it’s a bittersweet moment. GDSC has given us so much, but I’m excited about what the future holds. Our students have grown into passionate developers, and I have no doubt that under the GDG umbrella, they will continue to flourish and make incredible strides in tech.

To the next generation of GDG on Campus leaders: best of luck, and may your bugs be few and your breakthroughs many! Keep the spirit of community alive, and never forget that a little humor (and caffeine) can go a long way.

# Pseudo code of my GDSC Lead experience

def gdsc_lead_experience():
    while True:
        try:
            # Building the community
            host_event("Intro to Python")
            debug_code("I swear this worked on my machine")
            inspire_students("You got this!")
            celebrate_success("Hackathon Winners!")

            # Thanking the team
            thank("Sodiq", "Wesley", "My Role Models")

            # Coffee break (Google Dev-Style)
            drink_coffee("Enough to rival Google HQ")

        except InternetOutageError:
            print("Reconnecting...")
            google_api.request("Free Wi-Fi at Kabale University")
            continue

        finally:
            # Signing off as GDSC Lead
            print("My code might be buggy, but my heart is full of gratitude for this incredible journey.  Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to find a stable internet connection before the next power outage strikes!")
            print("And that's how you Google your way through leadership! 🚀")
            break

gdsc_lead_experience()  # End of an epic chapter!