The Rocky Start

        

        Computer Science was my passion. Or at least, I thought so. With little to no knowledge about programming and a strong will to learn, I entered my engineering college with a vivacious heart, ready to dive into the magical world of technology, headfirst. I wanted to hit the ground running.

        Just like every other CS student, I was introduced to C, a language that I soon fell in love with. When I first experienced the joy of  a no-error program, I knew I chose the right path. Every coding epiphany felt like an achievement. For the first time in a while, I was brimming with confidence. I would spend hours trying to solve problems, learning new concepts(thank you GeeksforGeeks) and experimenting with new ideas. Coding was MY thing.

        Fast forward a couple of months, I took my first proper coding contest and that's when things started going downhill. Contrary to my expectations, I performed terribly. My performance wasn't making any sense because I was supposed to know all these concepts. Self doubt soon engulfed me and deteriorated my performance even more. I needed to push myself up.

 

"The first law of computer science: Every problem is solved by yet another indirection."      -Bjarne Stroustrup

 

        They say "when life gives you lemons, make a lemonade". I was determined to make mine. Some intensive coding and weeks of practice later, I was able to take on my first successful challenge and never looked back. I realized that building a stable base was very important in programming. I started exploring more non-conventional concepts and ideas, looking for things that would catch my senses. I also learnt that making mistakes is the best way to learn anything. I gave myself time to retrospect and work on my short-comings. 

        The turbulence in my first few months of coding taught me many valuable lessons. But through all of it, I knew one thing for sure. 

Computer Science IS my passion.