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I'm a new developer at a tech startup (I've been there a few months) and the time has come for the regular internal company hackathon. This is a 48hr window where developers work to build ostensibly "whatever they like" within the parameters of the business' needs. They are touted as a fun experience and great camaraderie.

I've decided however that I'd rather not go. For one thing, I don't see doing all-nighters and overtime as a perk, but more importantly in the past I've found that hackathons bring out all my worst qualities, which are exacerbated by high-stress, low-sleep environments. I don't really want to expound on what these are, but I take them fairly seriously and worry that if I attended, I might act in ways that damage my standing with my new colleagues.

But how do I bail out from a company hackathon without sounding like a wet blanket? These are team building exercises as much as anything else and I want to show that I'm a dependable and approachable member of that team. But they make me utterly miserable and I don't really want to be the person I become under stress.

What's a simple, honest, but firm way to state that I don't want to take part in this hackathon - even for the daytime? It is not mandatory but I think it would make small waves if someone appeared to boycott it.

What's a simple, honest, but firm way to state that I don't want to take part in this hackathon - even for the daytime?

Sometimes simple, clear statements can go a long way. No need to give detailed explanations, a simple "I do not want to participate in this year's Hackathon" should do the trick.

If someone asks (which they shouldn't, as it's not their business) you could explain to them the reasons you exposed here, and that such events make you uncomfortable and physically unwell.

Alternatively, as this is an optional Hackathon, there must surely be some sort of registration process. Not filling this form or process would be another way to opt-out, without having to give explanations or excuse yourself.

You could also consider probing around with your coworkers to see if someone has opted-out in the past, and ask for their feedback on how they did such thing or if it harmed them in any way.

At my company we have something similar but it runs over a week. There are a lot of different behavior patterns:

• Planning months in advance and working long hours every day


• Spending regular hours on a project


• Using the time to catch up on documentation or something related to their "day job" that might not be part of the regular backlog


• Prototyping something small in a new language or technology they're interested in


• Working on their "day job" like every other day (though without the benefit of the rest of their team and QA etc.)

Any and all of these are acceptable in our business culture in any combination, ymmv. If none but the last appeal to you, I'd just wait until a few days before the hackathon and mention to your boss that you prefer your normal routine and just want to catch up on some tickets. If he asks, just be honest that you don't enjoy the environment; everyone is different and a reasonable person will be cognizant and allow you flexibility. You might get a raised eyebrow or two from a coworker, but I doubt anyone will judge you too hard for opting out.