My First Step into LeetCode and Problem Solving Journey

As a BSIT student passionate about Software Engineering, Data Structures & Algorithms, and Machine Learning, I have recently begun a consistent problem-solving journey on LeetCode. This is my first step toward improving my coding skills and strengthening my logical thinking.
One of the first problems I worked on was “Merge Strings Alternately”. At first, it looked simple, but it helped me understand how important it is to break problems into smaller steps and think clearly about edge cases.
Through this problem, I learned how to:
Traverse two strings simultaneously
Handle different lengths of input
Build a new string step by step
Improve my coding efficiency in Python
Here is a simple approach I used:
Use two pointers for both strings
Alternate characters from each string
Append remaining characters when one string ends
This small problem gave me confidence that consistent practice is the key to improving in DSA.
Key Takeaways
Start with small problems and build consistency
Focus on logic, not just syntax
Practice improves speed and confidence
Every problem teaches something new
This is just the beginning of my journey. I will continue solving problems, learning new concepts, and sharing my progress here on Medium.