I am writing this for everyone who is currently rated under Expert.

I know how incredibly demotivating it is to compete right now. It feels like a quarter of the leaderboard is using AI to help them in some sort of way, if not flat-out pasting the entire solution.

Here in India specifically, we have a huge culture of chasing ranks and colorful titles because we think it’s a golden ticket to a top-tier job. Some people will even brag about their rating spikes when all they really did was prompt an AI for the logic.

But what’s the point of all this? Do you actually feel that rush of adrenaline when you see "Accepted" on code you copy-pasted? Deep down, you knew you couldn't solve it, and maybe admitting that is just too hard for some people.

Problem setters pour hours into crafting these beautiful problems for us. The least we can do is not ruin their hard work just to claim a rank or title that isn't ours yet.

For me, CP has always been a journey. Even though I’m "only" a Specialist, it has completely changed how I think. I catch myself trying to think about these problems through random daily activities, and I genuinely love that feeling.

I might not have a high rating, but I’m proud of how I fight in every single contest. I'm proud that I actually enjoy the problems instead of just treating them as a chore. I’m continuously pushing myself to improve because I know I haven't even scratched the surface of what's out there yet.

If you’re reading this and feeling stuck: don't give up. This "cheater era" probably isn't ending anytime soon. But if we put our heads down, grind, and actually become as good as the goals we've set for ourselves, it’ll all be worth it in the end.