My Experience at ICPC

I’m Anand Shukla, a BTech student in Computer Science at Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology, and if there’s one thing that defines my academic journey, it’s my love for problem-solving and competitive programming. The International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) was not just a competition for me; it was a milestone I had dreamt of since I began my journey in tech.

The Spark and the Start: It all began in my second year of BTech in 2024. I had heard stories of ICPC from seniors—the thrill, the challenge, the sleepless nights of practice—and somewhere along the way, a spark was ignited inside me. That spark slowly turned into determination when we, Codetians (our team), decided to go for it. My teammates, Astha Issrani and Akshat Gupta, were equally passionate. Together, we formed a strong bond and a shared goal: to represent our college in ICPC.

Throughout this journey, we were fortunate to be guided by our mentor and coach, Ms. Nidhi Verdhan, whose constant encouragement and belief in our potential played a huge role in keeping us motivated. Her words of appreciation after every practice and contest attempt reminded us that effort matters just as much as the outcome. Her support created a positive environment where we could grow, fail, learn, and try again

The Grind Before the Glory: Our preparation was anything but easy. We immersed ourselves in rigorous practice sessions. From solving problems late at night on Codeforces and AtCoder to debating over edge cases and optimization techniques—we pushed ourselves constantly. Weekends were spent solving mock contests, analyzing failures, and celebrating tiny wins. It wasn't just about writing code; it was about thinking fast, debugging faster, and trusting your team when it mattered most.

We studied not just algorithms, but also the art of problem selection, time management, and teamwork. There were moments when we felt drained, unsure if we were good enough. But something kept us going—perhaps it was the excitement of the unknown or simply the dream of qualifying.

Contest Night: 16th November 2024

The preliminary round was scheduled from 9 PM to 11:30 PM on 16th November 2024. The energy that night was unreal. Thousands of teams, one dream. As soon as the problems dropped, we locked into action—distributing tasks, analyzing inputs, and writing code as fast as we could.

The pressure was immense. Every second counted. We managed to solve one problem, which, to be honest, felt disappointing at first. We had expected more from ourselves. But when the results came out, we found ourselves among the qualified teams—what a mix of emotions that was!

Regionals at Kanpur: A Different World

Though we didn’t make it to the next round, our qualification in Round 1 gave us a chance to attend the Regionals held in Kanpur. The atmosphere there was completely different. Coders from all over the country, teams who had been preparing for years—it was intimidating and inspiring at the same time.

Meeting people who lived and breathed code, exchanging thoughts on strategies, and even discussing what went wrong in our submissions gave us a new perspective. The conversations weren’t just technical—they were deeply motivating. I realized ICPC wasn’t just about solving problems; it was about being part of a community of passionate learners.

What Didn’t Work:

Of course, not everything went as planned. We had prepared for more problems but could only crack one. The nerves, the overthinking, the small bugs that took too much time—these are all part of the journey. It hurt at the time, not being able to perform at our best when it mattered most.

But in hindsight, that disappointment taught us more than any win could. It taught us humility. It taught us that sometimes effort doesn’t immediately pay off, and that’s okay. You just need to keep going.

Key Takeaways:

1. Teamwork is Everything: Success in ICPC depends as much on trust and collaboration as it does on individual skill.
2. Stay Calm Under Pressure: One wrong submission shouldn’t shake your confidence.
3. Be Adaptive: No matter how much you prepare, contests will surprise you.
4. Enjoy the Ride: It’s easy to forget that it’s supposed to be fun. But ICPC is a celebration of your growth as a coder.

Looking Ahead

This experience hasn’t discouraged me—it has fueled my passion even more. I now help juniors understand the beauty and struggle of ICPC. I continue to improve my problem-solving and aim to return stronger. Maybe next time, it’ll be different.

ICPC 2024 wasn’t just a contest. For me, it was a mirror showing where I stood and where I could go. And that journey—that realization—is what truly matters.