i want to stop being a beginner

Yeah so I've taken a few c++ classes at college, up to data structures. But just because I know how to write a bs-tree doesn't mean im an EXPERT PROGRAMMER just yet. The most complicated program I've written so far is one that solves the Towers of Hanoi by brute force. I still consider myself a beginner-level programmer.

Does anyone have any tips on how to improve my skill? Like a large one-man project that will teach me how to write & manage larger programs? Whenever I got the book store and look at the programming sections everything is either TEACH YOURSELF JAVA IN 24 HOURS or like START C++ FOR THE MENTALLY RETARDED. Everything is aimed at beginners but I want to move on.

protips?

>>40
protip: sprintf() puts the godamn null byte at the end.
buffer[300] = {0}; is not needed.

>>49 i lold

>>50
Real men write their own function to convert numbers to strings.
Simply because sprintf() is way to much for just a number.

Lastly, here's a PROtip:
If you are going to use sprintf() and the such, to prevent buffer overflows and shit either write a formatted strlen() function (eg size_t strlenf(char *format, ...)) or use malloc and realloc.