Journey Log

My Learning Journey

This is the short version of how I got into programming, what I keep coming back to, and what I'm trying to get better at right now.

FrontendQA eraPink blog

About Me

Hi, I'm Julia. I mostly write about frontend, the projects I'm building, and the stuff I'm figuring out as I go.

I learn best by making real things and then working out what could be better. This blog is where I keep the useful parts.

When I'm not coding, I'm usually playing video games or board games, falling into a Japanese pop culture rabbit hole, or playing tennis.

Core Party

The stack I use the most

These are the tools I keep coming back to and the ones I feel the most comfortable in.

React

Next.js

TypeScript

Tailwind CSS

Node.js

Git

Expanded Toolkit

Stuff I've worked with

Tools and workflows I've used enough to have at least a few opinions about.

REST API

GraphQL

MySQL

Bootstrap

Vue.js

Scrum

Milestones

My Learning Path

~2014: First Steps

First Steps

I liked the logic part first. Simple algorithm tasks felt more like little puzzle games than schoolwork.

2018: Computer Science Studies

Computer Science Studies

This is when coding stopped feeling like just another subject and started feeling like something I actually wanted to do.

2021: Clean Code Principles

Clean Code Principles

Learning SOLID principles, DRY, and the FIRST principles in testing showed me how much clean code matters.

2022: The Beginning

The Beginning

I graduated in Computer Science, and frontend coding seemed the easiest for me, so I started learning it more seriously.

2023: Frontend Foundations

Frontend Foundations

A lot of React, components, hooks, and slowly understanding why structure matters so much when a project grows.

2024 - now: Advanced Web Development

Advanced Web Development

This is where Next.js, TypeScript, and bigger projects started clicking for me. Also where this blog became a real thing instead of a plan.

2026: QA Engineer Internship

QA Engineer Internship

A newer chapter that keeps pushing me to think more about testing, edge cases, and what the product feels like when something breaks.

Current Goals

Keep this blog alive and keep posting when I learn something worth sharing.
Get better at TypeScript without turning everything into overkill.
Build projects that feel useful, not just nice in screenshots.
Get more confident with backend basics and databases.
Keep leveling up in QA and testing, not only frontend.
Contribute to open source once I stop overthinking it.

What I'm Learning Now

React patterns I actually understand and can reuse later.
Next.js routing, rendering, and all the small App Router details.
Writing cleaner tests and thinking more like a QA engineer.
CSS details, motion, and making interfaces feel less generic.
Performance stuff I used to ignore.
Backend basics whenever my frontend curiosity spills over.

Let's Connect

If you're also learning, building frontend stuff, or you just like this weird pink corner of the internet, feel free to look around. I'll keep posting what I'm working through.