DSA Journey: From Newbie to Ace

"Don't let other exciting techs stop you from practicing DSA. Keep grinding, stay disciplined, start logic building! "

Mandatory Sitting

In my second year of college, I was enjoying life with my friends. Soon, the third semester flew by, and my seniors' placement drive began. I saw how they prepared for interviews and the stress they felt. Inspired by them, I decided to complete my DSA studies. I had already started with arrays, so I began practicing questions.

The most challenging part of my journey was understanding the logic, intuition, and approach behind different questions. I tried solving them on my own but struggled to grasp the concepts. My senior advised me to keep a notebook to track all the concepts and code I was practicing. I discovered 'Striver' and started his A-to-Z DSA sheet, solving questions daily.

My study sessions were inconsistent. Sometimes, I sat for long periods, unaware of my surroundings. Other times, I was lazy and only studied for half an hour. Maintaining consistency was very difficult. My senior, who got a job early, always encouraged and motivated me to complete the DSA, but I kept delaying it for various reasons.

Now, the fourth semester has also flown by, and summer holidays have started. I am fired up. My summer training in an industry has also begun, making my days hectic. It feels like I'm stuck in a loop: 4 to 5 hours of summer training, learning new skills other than DSA, going to the gym, and practicing DSA at night. Every day is the same, and it will continue this way until the holidays are over.