For the past two years, I had been solving DSA problems on LeetCode. One day I wondered what would happen if I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried competitive programming on Codeforces.

At first, I was not comfortable with the idea. Codeforces looked much more difficult when I opened it. I realized that I not only needed to build the logic, but also write the complete program from scratch: handling input, output, structure, and everything else myself. It felt overwhelming. I tried attempting one or two problems, but I got bored quickly while writing all the syntax. Eventually, I left Codeforces for quite some time.

Later, when I started feeling pressure about placements, I decided to practice coding problems seriously again. I picked up Codeforces and spent time understanding how the platform works. Once I understood it, things became much easier. Since then, I have been practicing regularly. It has been a great experience, I not only improve my problem-solving skills but also strengthen my command over syntax and programming structure.

On February 27, 2026, I participated in my first Div. 3 contest and solved three problems on my own. I started late, so I could solve only three questions. However, when I saw my ranking, I genuinely felt motivated to continue practicing and improve my rating.

Now, I am starting my DSA journey on this platform and will continue giving contests to strengthen my understanding and knowledge.

This is just the beginning. I hope to grow with every contest, learn from every mistake, and slowly become a stronger problem solver.