Baby Got Backstories

Ah, my first website. When I was but a bairn (an 18 year old bairn with a metric ton of fairy lights and crippling social anxiety - but a bairn nevertheless!)

'Twas a first-year university assignment, in a class called Web Concepts. For the sake of brevity, I shall describe the website I produced simply as 'a bit shit'. Whilst it was technically acceptable - responsive, fast, accessible - the design and UX left something to be desired. It lacked personality. It was bland and uninteresting. The graphic design was poor (I was not nor am I now an artist).

To give myself some credit, I'd arrived at university with very little programming experience. It consisted of little more than an Avengers: Age of Ultron game I'd created with Visual Basics.

As well as that, there were elements of the assignment which demanded time and focus be drawn away from the site as a whole.

For instance, my lecturer insisted that to demonstrate my skills, I ought to have a <canvas> element with an animated story playing upon it. Admittedly, such a task was not high on my list of priorities this time around.

(If you must know, the story I produced was that of a Pink Balloon at a Blue Balloon party. Naturally, she felt isolated until she floated her way into the gaze of another Pink Balloon. I've been fending off calls from Spielberg ever since.)

But alas, I digress.

All of this is a way for me to say in a round about way (in a swirly whirly kind of way, if you like) that I've come leaps and bounds in web development. I'm now feeling pride in the things I create.

In the last few years, and particularly during quaratine, my knowledge of web design principles, current web trends, new web technologies, and many other helpful concepts has improved exponentially.

I've settled firmly into the knowledge that the role of Front-end Developer is the role for me. And I can't wait to really get stuck in.

To Boldly Go Where Everyone Has Gone At Least Once Before (Probably)

So without further ado, welcome to my website!

As far as I'm concerned, this is merely the beginning of my portfolio. The basis. The foundation. Imagine my portfolio as an infant: toddling around the interweb, its tubby, infantile fists reaching out for purchase. They protrude from some disgustingly vibrant and questionably matched clothing that I, their adoring mother, decided were 'quite sweet'.

If you're willing and able, I'd love to hear what you think. Whether it pertains to accessibility or responsiveness or something else entirely, I'd really appreciate any feedback you'd care to share.

Even if it's positive! Cure my Imposter Syndrome with repeated validation and positive affirmations. Whatever floats your boat, really!

Feedback I've had

I've shared my portfolio in a few other avenues too and this is some of the feedback I've already had:

• Move the skills section further up the homepage. The site is already indicative of who you are; show them what you can do.
• Looking clean! Super slick on mobile too.
• Have a more prominent 'Contact Me' call-to-action on mobile.

Please feel free to leave a comment below and let me know what you think. I wait anxiously behing my keyboard to either cry out in despair, jump for joy, or...

Nope, I think that's pretty much it. No inbetweens.

Thank you in advance!