Day one, not 'one day'

📅 Summer Break Challenge Begins

With summer break finally here, I’ve decided to challenge myself in a way that matters — by diving deep into Data Structures & Algorithms (DSA). For the next two months, I’ll be fully focused on learning, solving, and growing in this core area of computer science.

This post marks Day 1 of the journey — and I’m using this space to share the plan, tools, and mindset I’m starting with.

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🤔 Why DSA?

If you're serious about becoming a better developer — especially in the world of software engineering, competitive programming, or cracking coding interviews — DSA is non-negotiable.

But for me, it’s not just about interviews.

• I want to understand how things work under the hood.

• I want to improve my logical thinking and problem-solving.

• I want to build confidence — by knowing that I can break down complex problems and solve them with clarity.

So, even though this might sound like an intense summer goal, I believe it’s worth it.

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📍 Where I’m Starting From

To be completely honest:

I’m currently at Level 0 — starting from the very first lecture.

This isn’t a journey I’ve already begun. It’s a journey I’m choosing to start now — seriously, for the first time.

No shame in that. Everyone starts somewhere.

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🗺 My Plan: What I’ll Cover in 2 Months

I’ve created a high-level roadmap based on my research and experience from others. Here’s how I plan to cover the core of DSA in 2 months:

🗓 Week-by-Week Breakdown

Week 1–2:

• Arrays

• Strings

• Searching & Sorting

• Recursion & Backtracking

Week 3–4:

• Trees & Binary Trees

• Binary Search Trees

Week 5–6:

• Graphs (BFS, DFS, shortest paths)

• Heaps & Priority Queues

Week 7–8:

• Dynamic Programming

Week 8++:

• Linked Lists

• Stacks & Queues

• Tries

• Maths and other algorithms (sliding window, greedy etc.)

This plan isn’t rigid. I’ll adjust if needed — but this gives me a direction and timeline to work with.

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🧩 How I’ll Track Progress

I’ll be consistent about two things:

• 🧠 Daily Practice: Solving at least 1 problem per day — usually the LeetCode POTD (Problem of the Day).

• 📒 Weekly Check-ins: Sharing a recap of what I learned each week on Hashnode, with links to my GitHub and tweets.

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🛠 Tools & Resources

Here’s what I’ll be using:

• 🎥 Striver’s DSA A-Z Series – for structured learning and topic coverage

• 📄 Striver’s DSA Sheet – for curated, must-do problems

• 🧪 LeetCode – for daily practice, problem-solving, and progress tracking

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🧠 Motivation & Mindset

I know this won’t be easy. Two months to "complete DSA" sounds intense — maybe even unrealistic — especially for a beginner.

But I’m not aiming for perfection. I’m aiming for progress.

This summer is about showing up, learning every day, and coming out of it with a stronger grasp on something I used to avoid or fear.

I’m not here to compete — I’m here to grow.

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✍️ Commitment

This blog is the start of something I’ve always wanted to do:

• Learn DSA properly

• Document the journey openly

• Hold myself accountable

Every journey starts with one step.

This is Day One — not “one day.”

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📌 I’ll be posting regular updates here and tweeting progress, wins, and lessons on Twitter.

💻 You can also follow my code and solutions on Leetcode.

Let’s do this. 💪