not reading submission requirements

(common gotcha)

what happened

you build a great project, then discover the submission requires a 2-minute video, a written description under 500 words, and screenshots in a specific format. it's 30 minutes before the deadline. you rush through all of it and submit garbage supplementary materials alongside a great project.

why it's a gotcha

submission requirements are often posted weeks before the deadline but nobody reads them until the end. the video, the writeup, the screenshots — these are what judges actually see first. your code might be excellent, but if your submission materials are rushed, judges form a bad first impression before they ever look at the project. discovering them last-minute while submitting at the deadline is the worst combination.

the fix

read the full submission requirements on day one. put the non-code deliverables on your task list alongside the coding work. allocate time for the video and writeup — they're not afterthoughts, they're the packaging. same lesson as matching the theme: read the rules before you build. and verify your submission matches what was asked for. the writeup is also where you frame your impact.