When I first started contributing to open-source projects, I was thrilled to dive into the world of tech and work on meaningful projects. However, I was also intimidated by the idea of using Git. It sounded like some kind of magical, mystical power that only the elite programmers knew how to use.
My first pull request was a disaster. I made a mistake in git that I wasn't even aware of. Solving it felt like stumbling around in the dark, trying to figure out what the heck I was doing. I tried to follow the steps in the review comment, and although it was informative, I messed up. Eventually, I closed the PR and opened another clean one with the changes. This process helped me understand what was wrong with my original PR.
That experience encouraged me to reach out to my mentors when I encountered issues with the Git flow in my second branch. They were amazing and didn't judge me for my lack of Git knowledge. They explained Git commands that helped me survive my next PRs and understand the Git workflow in baby steps.
However, I'll admit that I still get a little scared when I have to use Git commands. There are so many of them, and it's easy to make mistakes. But you know what? That's okay (as long as I'm not in the main branch, haha). Making mistakes is part of the learning process. And the great thing about open source is that there's a whole community of people who are willing to help you out when you get stuck.
So if you're new to open source or Git, don't be afraid to jump in and get your hands dirty. It's a fantastic way to learn new skills and contribute to important projects. And remember, everyone starts somewhere - even the most experienced developers were once beginners.