I Was Barely Passing Programming

Hi, I'm Hemant Malav, currently pursuing my M.Tech in Computer Engineering (2025–2027) at NIT Kurukshetra.

But my journey didn't start with strong programming skills. There was a time when I couldn't even write basic C programs.

I Wasn't Ready for the Road Ahead

During my first semester, I barely passed programming because of my theory marks.

At that point, I never imagined I'd eventually be preparing for and cracking interviews at a top product company. The turning point came when I started following Striver and the takeUforward DSA Sheet.

I Stopped Looking for the Next Shortcut

I've followed Striver for years, and the biggest change in my preparation was learning to trust one structured path.

Instead of:

• Jumping between different resources.

• Chasing random questions.

• Trying to solve hundreds of problems without understanding them.

I focused on:

• Completing the TUF Sheet topic by topic.

• Revising it multiple times.

• Understanding patterns.

• Learning the logic behind solutions.

• Staying consistent throughout the journey.

What I Practised Came Back to Me

During my internship placement, I had two technical rounds and one managerial round. And something surprised me.

Almost every DSA question I encountered was covered in the TUF Sheet. That wasn't just about having seen the questions before.

The repeated revision and focus on patterns helped me recognise the approaches when it mattered.

C Was the Struggle. AMD Was the Goal.

The biggest lesson from my journey is simple:

Your starting point doesn't have to define your destination.

I went from barely passing basic programming to cracking a product company interview for a Co op/Intern role at AMD. If I could make that jump, anyone can improve with the right approach.

Keep Working, Keep Growing

My advice to anyone preparing is:

• Stay consistent.

• Follow a structured path.

• Revise repeatedly.

• Focus on patterns instead of memorising.

• Don't keep switching resources.

• Trust the process.

You may not see the results immediately.

Keep going. The results will follow.

A Rough Start That Led to AMD

Struggling With C → TUF DSA Sheet → Consistent Revision → Product Company Interview → AMD Co op/Intern