any tips on how on how to keep programming/learning more? I want

learn how to optimize your code. Example: Where would you initializing a variable for use inside a loop? Outside vs Inside make a difference.
Example: Processing from a text file. Do you read one line at a time, processing as you go or do you read the whole file into a buffer and process on the whole thing?

Lots to think about for optimization.

Use a monospaced font

>>55526794
make a game
contribute to open source
beat a human being at the ancient game of go
hack the gibson
design a maze in 30 seconds that takes a minute to solve
code up a web browser from scratch
make something, do something, change something

>>55526794
Try doing something challenging. Learn about the development of emulators, try writing one for your favorite retro machine on your own.

This little manual here is a good start:

http://personals.ac.upc.edu/vmoya/docs/emuprog.pdf

Learn a real language

>>55526794
learn assembly
learn reversing
do crackmes