It’s always weird to finish a project, to see a summarization of a semester’s work. In any assignment, I always aim to complete something I have pride in, to have no regrets when turning it in. Sometimes this painstaking commitment leads to a more arduous process, but I ultimately am happy with that sacrifice when I create a final result that I feel is my best work. This e-portfolio fell in that category, with a tedious, sometimes craze-inducing, planning. Yet it was all worth it.

 

        I had a good image of what I wanted to do with my e-portfolio, valuing simplicity and trim, yet keeping a sense of elegance and creativity. I wanted an emphasis of visual components rather than written descriptions, mostly because I think pictures speak louder than words. The first template I chose did not follow this suit. Regrettably, I spent a while trying to make it work, trying to fit what I wanted into a theme that just didn’t gel with my ideas. Ultimately, after some wasted time and effort, I decided to completely upend my e-portfolio and change the template, a decision in hindsight I am grateful to have made. It was so much easier to realize my ideas with the right themes, and I felt like I had a better, less stressful approach. With this template, I was able to achieve my goals – tabs and pages with direct, simple layouts and a sense of fluidity between them, with easy transitions and connections. 

 

        I was ultimately surprised at how easy it was to create this e-portfolio with the right tools and the right template. I expected it to be a very self-taught process, similar to the video poem experience, yet the website I used, Wix, was very helpful and insightful on what tools to use and how to manipulate and arrange the content. Of course, it took time and patience to figure things out and create the content, but never did I feel like I was lost or helpless. 

 

        I hope that in viewing my e-portfolio, people can gain an idea of the impact my grandmother had in my life, but also simply who she was as a person. I set out to celebrate her life and share her story, and as long as people have seen it and listened to it, I’ve accomplished it. Realistically though, the viewers of my e-portfolio will not feel very emotionally impacted. Instead, I hope this e-portfolio stands as a reminder. Tell the people you love that you love them, because there will be a day that you can’t anymore. Appreciate life, because it is indeed quicker and more fleeting than you think. Finally, don’t forget that those you care about who have passed are never truly gone, but live through your actions and your personality. 

 

        I’m proud that I completed this e-portfolio. Not proud that I met the deadline or that I filled the requirements, but that I underwent this emotional challenge. I’ve often not opened up to people in the past, keeping my true feelings hidden or put off. This e-portfolio was definitely different for me, but I realized its importance. I hope others can learn that writing, or any other type of emotional expression, can be beneficial. It is not weakness for someone to show emotion – it is strength.