24 Hours of Code: My Journey in the IEEE Xtreme 17.0

Brian Roy
2 min readNov 4, 2023

It was a wild ride—a coding marathon that pushed the boundaries of my problem-solving skills and taught me invaluable lessons. The IEEE Xtreme 17.0, a 24-hour online competitive programming event, was an adventure like no other.

From the comfort of my hostel, I embarked on this exhilarating journey with a group of friends. As we gathered around our laptops, the excitement in the room was palpable.

As the night deepened, our determination grew stronger. We huddled together, tirelessly coding, debugging, and sharing both laughter about the dumb mistakes and missing colons in our codes😂👍. We stayed up till 5:30am, till the event ended and then closed our laps and went into a tight sleep mode.

This was my first experience into competitive programming, and it was a rollercoaster of learning and excitement. I had the opportunity to sharpen my problem-solving skills, think creatively and critically under pressure, and explore innovative solutions.

Key Takeaways

1️⃣ Teamwork:

Collaborating with friends brought a new dimension to problem-solving. Sharing ideas and brainstorming together created an environment of continuous learning.

2️⃣ Resilience:

Staying awake and focused for 24 hours was no small feat, but it taught me the importance of pushing through challenges and not giving up.

3️⃣ Creative and Critical Thinking:

Competitive programming is not just about coding; it’s about thinking both creatively and critically to devise optimal solutions to complex problems.

A big shoutout to IEEE Xtreme for organizing such a fantastic event that pushed our coding skills to the limit. These events not only challenge us but also bring the global coding community closer together.

I'd love to hear from you! Have you ever participated in a competitive programming event? What valuable lessons did you learn from it? How do you think it has improved your coding skills and problem-solving abilities? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Conclusion

In conclusion, my journey in the IEEE Xtreme 17.0 was a remarkable experience that left me with cherished memories and a heightened enthusiasm for competitive programming. It’s a testament to the incredible things that can be achieved when like-minded individuals come together with a common goal.

My socials are:
📍LinkedIn
📍Instagram
✉️: briancodee@gmail.com

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Brian Roy

Cybersecurity Enthusiast | Electrical & Electronics Engineering Student | Man of Multitasking