Why I Got Into Competitive Programming — and Why You Should Too

"Honestly, I didn’t even know what competitive programming was at first. But once I figured it out, it became one of the most fun and rewarding things I’ve done in CS."

How It All Started
It began with ZCO. I heard about it from seniors, and everyone made it sound terrifying — like some big scary Olympiad. I wasn't sure if I belonged in that space. But I gave it a shot.

I didn’t solve every question. I didn’t understand half the words in the problem statements at first. But slowly, one question at a time, I started getting it.

And when I saw my first test case pass — actual joy.

Why I Stuck With It
It teaches you to think: Not just memorize syntax. Actual thinking — how to break problems down, how to test edge cases, how to optimize.

It makes interviews easier: So many internship interviews ask DSA-style questions. CP gives you a head start.

You get better at failing: Seriously. You try a problem, your code fails, you debug for an hour — then finally figure it out. That’s resilience.

It’s fun. It’s like solving a puzzle. And who doesn’t like a good challenge?

Why You Should Try It Too
If you’re just getting into CS, CP can feel overwhelming. That’s okay. You don’t need to start with Codeforces Div 1 problems.

Try ZCO past papers first.

Start with problems that only require solving the subtask — don’t worry about the full score.

Focus on understanding question types: greedy, brute-force, DP basics.

Don’t rush through tutorials — try your own approach before reading solutions.

It’s completely okay to Google things. We all do.

Advice I Wish I Heard Earlier
You don’t need to know everything before starting.

You will fail tests. It’s normal.

Practice > theory.

Start with what you can do. Even 20 points on ZCO can get you to INOI if you’re smart about what you attempt.

Make your own tracker. Do 3–4 problems a week. Slowly build up.

I used to think CP was only for "smart" people — the ones who already knew C++ in 6th grade. But honestly, it’s for anyone who likes solving problems and is okay with struggling a bit at first.

So if you're on the fence — just start. Pick a platform (I like Codeforces + ZCO papers), find a problem, and go.

You might surprise yourself :)