There’s a reason why this blog post is coming later than scheduled: I’ve been struggling to even admit that I am, in fact, struggling.
The past three weeks have flown by so quickly, and while it’s been exciting, it’s also been a rollercoaster. I’m working on migrating Creative Commons’ ancillary websites to the latest version of their design system, Vocabulary. I started with the Open Source website, which is a multi-page site, and let me tell you—it’s been a journey.
The Challenges of Refactoring
When I began refactoring the codebase to use Vocabulary, I thought, How hard could this really be? Spoiler alert: harder than I expected. As a perfectionist, I wanted everything to work flawlessly on the first try because, well, that’s just how I roll. But the reality has been humbling.
In moments when everything broke (and trust me, it did), I remembered something my mentors told me during our first meeting:
"Just focus on getting Vocabulary integrated, even if it looks ugly at first."
That simple advice has been a game-changer. Instead of stressing over getting everything picture-perfect from the start, I’ve been able to zero in on the immediate goal—integrating Vocabulary—and remind myself that it’s okay for things to look messy before they come together.
Navigating Unsupported Elements
Another challenge has been dealing with elements in the previous codebase that aren’t supported in Vocabulary but are still vital to the site. Initially, I felt stuck, unsure how to handle these cases on my own. But after reaching out to my mentors, they walked me through different scenarios and solutions. Their guidance has been invaluable, and it’s a reminder that I’m not in this alone.
Facing My Fear: Converting Issue Finder
One of the tasks that delayed this post was converting the Issue Finder from Vue to plain JavaScript. Honestly, I was intimidated because I’d never worked with Vue before. It felt overwhelming at first, but I reminded myself that this is a learning process. Taking the time to understand the existing implementation helped me break it down into manageable steps, and little by little, I made progress.
Key Takeaways So Far
The most important thing I’ve learned is to lean on my support system and be kinder to myself. My mentors have been incredibly supportive, answering all my questions and helping me grow. I’ve also learned to give myself grace—I was chosen for this role for a reason. I’m not expected to know everything; I’m here to learn and improve.
Looking Ahead
As I continue with this project, I know there will be more challenges. But I’m learning to see them as opportunities for growth instead of roadblocks. This experience is teaching me to focus on progress, not perfection, and that’s something I’ll carry with me long after this internship ends.