From a Simple Start to Something Real

I still remember the first time I made a portfolio website. It was back in university, and I built it using Google Sites. At that time, it felt like a big thing. I had something online, something I could share. It was simple, a bit rough, but it worked - and honestly, I was proud of it.

But now it’s 2026, and when I look back at that version… it just doesn’t feel like me anymore. Things have changed. I have graduated, and somewhere along the way, I started feeling that it’s time to take things a bit more seriously. A portfolio is not just a website now - it’s how I present myself. It’s how I reach out to professors, opportunities, maybe even scholarships. And yeah… it matters.

The Long Search for “Something That Feels Right”

One thing about me - I’m very choosy. Maybe a bit too much sometimes. I can’t just pick something and move on. I need to feel it.

So I spent days (honestly, a lot of days) just thinking, searching, trying to find a design that I would be happy with. Not even for others - just for myself first. Because if I don’t like it, I know I’ll never feel connected to it.

After a lot of overthinking, research, and random late-night ideas… things finally started to come together.

Why Not Just Let AI Do It?

At one point, I did think - why not just use AI and generate a portfolio in a few clicks?

But that didn’t sit right with me.

It would be fast, sure. Clean, maybe. But it wouldn’t be mine. And more importantly, it wouldn’t be fun.

So I decided to build it myself. Not from scratch in a painful way, but in a “vibe coding” way - where things flow, where you enjoy the process. Of course, I used my frontend and backend knowledge, but I also let myself enjoy the process instead of overcomplicating it.

And that made all the difference.

The Domain Story (A Small Loop)

There’s also a small side story. I had a domain that I got through the GitHub Student Developer Pack (thanks to my student email). I claimed it almost a year ago.

But here’s the funny part - I spent so much time thinking about building the site that the domain expired before I could properly use it.

Yeah… classic.

So I had to get it again - thankfully with a student discount. This time, though, I made sure I actually used it.

Finally, It’s Live

And now… it’s live.

It took time. A lot of it. There was procrastination, there were phases where I was just imagining things instead of building them. But somehow, everything came together in the end.

This is also my first writing on this site. Feels a bit strange, but also nice. I haven’t really written my thoughts like this in a long time.

It’s been about three months since my convocation, and today I also made my first proper professional CV. I might be a bit late compared to others, but I don’t see it as wasted time. I was on a different kind of break - more mental, more personal. I needed that space.

What’s Next?

Well… now it’s time.

Time to move, to apply, to try, to fail maybe - but to actually do things.

Time to hunt.