从迷恋电子游戏，到迷恋电脑编程

Aaron 今年才上高一。他从小就被认为是个患“多动症”的孩子，每时每刻，无论在家里，还是在学校，都要搞出些怪事，闹出些动静。学校好几次打电话要家长到校长室去把Aaron领回来。其实也没什么了不起的事，净是些鸡毛蒜皮的小事，譬如课堂上老师正讲着课，他会突然打个惊天动地的“嗝”，引得哄堂大笑。在家里，他的姐姐正在作功课，他会冷不丁地悄然把台灯给关上。惹得姐姐追他，打他，他却高兴极了，一边抵挡，一边哈哈大笑。后来咨询了医生 ，医生说Aaron这样的小男孩儿，不能算“多动症”，只能算是喜欢吸引人注意，爱出风头，表现欲强，好胜心强，这种性格具有两面性，引导不好就会净干坏事，引导的好会出类拔萃。

初中开始，Aaron迷上了电子游戏，你看他埋头几个小时在电脑上，以为他在做作业，哪知竟然一有空就在电脑上玩儿电子游戏，甚至上课时也玩儿。他妈妈给他的电脑上加了个软件时间锁，限制他每天玩游戏时间。哪知这小子竟在网上学习到如何把锁打开。

有了手机，就更是如鱼得水，晚上躺在被窝里把头蒙上，一玩儿就几个小时。

Aaron的妈妈和朋友们交流时，朋友建议她还不如试试把他的兴趣引导到编程方面来。于是给他报了个coding的业余课程，谁知他一下子就迷上了，整天废寝忘食，还自己到处找coding的题目加强练习。受coding课上的朋友引导，后来参加到Codeforces学校，这可是正规的大学入门课程。最近一次考试，竟能和高三同学媲美，受到学校表彰，还采访了他们母子，录制了一档节目“如何把你的孩子从迷恋电子游戏引导到迷恋电脑编程”，迷恋电子游戏可是个困扰了许多家庭的大问题。

几天前，Aaron在Codeforce网站上，发表了他的第一篇博客，谈Codeforce初学者的Tips，全文如下，后附Chat GTP的中文译文供参考：

Are you a beginner in the exciting world of competitive programming? Are you just learning the basics and foundations of competitive programming? Are you ready to face the exciting yet challenging obstacles of competitive programming? Look no further! In this blog post, we shall dive into some valuable tips and tricks in order to help you get started on Codeforces. Whether you're aiming to improve your problem-solving skills or climb up the ranks and surpass Benq, these tips will set you on the right path for success.

First and foremost, practice is key! Regular activity on Codeforces will improve your coding abilities significantly and expose you to unique algorithms and data structures. Start with simpler problems and gradually progress to more challenging ones. It is always important to understand the logic behind each solution and analyze the efficiency of your code.

Next, familiarize yourself with common algorithms and data structures. Algorithms like binary search, sorting, and dynamic programming, along with data structures such as arrays, maps/dictionaries, and graphs, form the building blocks of competitive programming. Study their properties, time complexities, and implementation details. This could be done by going out of your comfort zone to look for problems while also learning new algorithm and data structures that associate with problems that are challenging for you. Understanding problem statements thoroughly is a very crucial step to solving a problem. Read them multiple times to learn the requirements accurately. Identify the input and output constraints, edge cases, and potential traps that come your way >:D. Break down complex problems into smaller subproblems (yes this is a dynamic programming reference), and consider writing pseudocode before diving into the implementation. Developing a structured approach will help you avoid common mistakes and save time debugging (ew!).

During contests, time management plays an extremely vital role. Spend sufficient time on each problem based on their difficulty. If you're stuck on a problem, don't waste too much time on that problem. Move onto unattempted problems and come back later in order to gain new insights to help you solve them.

Sometimes, solving more straightforward problems first can boost your confidence, provide valuable hints for other tougher problems, and build a basic foundation for your coding path. Actively participate in the Codeforces community.

Interacting with fellow programmers through discussions, forums, and virtual contests can accelerate your learning. Analyze the solutions of top performers in contests to understand their strategies and techniques. Don't hesitate to ask questions to the awesome (and supportive!) community or seek help when you're stuck on challenging problems :c. Remember, learning from others is an key part of your coding journey.

Lastly, maintain a positive and growth mindset. Competitive programming can be challenging (extremely at times!), and obstacles are inevitable. Use failure as opportunities in order to further learn, improve, and enhance your coding skills. Celebrate your successes, no matter how small they may seem (even after solving a problem!). Consistency and perseverance are key to long-term progress and improvement. Believe in yourself and keep pushing your boundaries for improvement. As you embark on your competitive programming journey on Codeforces and other platforms, remember that it's a marathon, not a sprint (metaphor!). Embrace the learning process, practice diligently, and stay motivated. With time, lots of dedication, and these tips in your mind, you'll gradually unlock new levels of proficiency and achieve your goals! Good luck on your competitive programming career, and make sure to reach out to me if this either helped or motivated you!

ChatGPT