Please Introduce Yourself

Hello, I am Gilang Abdian Anggara, based in Indonesia. I'm quite an introvert and often afraid of being the center of attention, so please understand if I sometimes disappear. I also have a little problem interacting online, that's why I prefer to interact offline rather than online via WhatsApp or similar social media (except email) because I feel more relaxed and less stressed, so please understand if I rarely open your messages and seem stiff in replying. Plus, I often feel like an idiot in front of the camera, so I rarely take photos like other people do. But I realized that I had to fight myself and change my loser nature, otherwise I might just be a loser for life.

I created this website as a place where I can freely express myself without pressure from anyone. Here, I feel safe and at ease expressing my feelings, what I want to express, and what I want to share. I consider it my home, but on the internet. I'm implementing everything for free right now, from the backend to the frontend. I built the backend so I can change content without having to touch code, but rather through a custom CMS. If you're curious about how I structured my website, you can visit this blog. Maybe in the future, I'll buy a domain and a server as well.

I began learning programming by enrolling in the Informatics Engineering Diploma program at Universitas Sebelas Maret in 2024, and I am currently in my final year (time flies so fast). I've been to college before, but I decided to change majors because I felt like I'd chosen the wrong major in the past and decided to pursue a field I found interesting. (I hope I'll be more careful in making decisions in the future). Since then, I’ve met many new friends who are younger than me—something that doesn't bother me, even though people say I started late (I ignore such comments because I’m the one living my life, not them). What does bother me, however, is feeling a bit envious of friends who began learning programming back in vocational or high school, whereas I’m just getting started. Therefore, I felt I needed to study programming harder and not just rely on the lecturer's material. I had to step out of my comfort zone and start learning independently, learning various things, from algorithms and computational thinking to various programming languages, and so on. While still studying the material provided by the lecturer.

At first, I felt overwhelmed by all the new concepts. To make matters more challenging, most documentation was in English; this meant that alongside programming, I had to learn English as well (though I can currently understand the meaning, I’m not yet fluent enough to speak it). It took quite a while for me to adapt and find enjoyment in the process. I discovered that something which seemed exciting—under the assumption that "if it's exciting, it must be easy"—was actually far more challenging than I had imagined. Eventually, I had to rethink my approach to avoid feeling burdened and to start enjoying the journey.

I realized that mastering every aspect of programming was impossible, so I decided to focus on the specific areas that truly aligned with my passion. I had previously experimented with a wide range of topics—coding basics, web design, languages like Java, PHP, JavaScript, Go, and C#, as well as backend and frontend development. After weighing my options, I decided to specialize in frontend development (focusing on the application's visual interface).

I chose this path because I experience genuine joy when bringing ideas to life and seeing the results firsthand. This sense of satisfaction motivates me to continue exploring the vast world of frontend development—a field teeming with various libraries and frameworks. Among the most prominent are React and Vue.js, of which I have studied. There are also other technologies—such as Angular and Svelte—that I am currently only familiar with by name, and this list will likely keep growing in the future.

To avoid confusion and feeling overwhelmed by the vast scope of frontend development—as I mentioned earlier—I decided to narrow my focus to just three things: React (a collection of JavaScript code), Next.js (built on top of React), and TypeScript (statically typed JavaScript that helps catch errors before the program runs). Don't misunderstand me by assuming that if I focus on front-end development, I won't learn anything else. That's not true. I'll also keep up with developments in other technology fields, though not as deeply as front-end development.

Besides deepening my knowledge in the field that I am interested in, I am currently also trying to contribute to open source projects because I think it would be very exciting to be able to collaborate with other people that we have never met before and it is also an opportunity to learn from great people around the world.I also realize that exciting doesn't mean easy, but at least I'll try so I can provide a little help to others around the world through open source projects.

In case you are interested, here are some simple projects or experiment I worked on when I first started learning programming (mostly using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, although some also used the React and Vue.js frameworks).

Outsite of Programming

Outside of programming, I also often draw, but lately my hobby has started to fade. I used to find it relaxing to doodle and draw, both on paper and digitally, but now it feels different. However, I used to create some unique characters of my own and some are just redraws of anime characters that you may have watched as a child or are still watching them now. I post some of my artwork on this page . Since I often took pictures of my drawings after finishing my drawings, I think I indirectly learned a new skill, namely photography. That motivated me to start photographing other subjects as well, and I post those photos here.

Besides that, I can also play the guitar a little.

I also enjoy playing games, especially puzzle games, adventure games, or story games.

I also enjoy reading manga. Here are some of my favorite manga:

1. One Piece (my favorite, I'm still following the story) -> 9.4/10

2. The Summer Hikaru Died (I've read the latest chapter and am still waiting for the continuation) -> 9.3/10

3. Tokyo Ghoul (I've read it to the end) -> 9/10

4. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (I've read it to the end) -> 8.8/10

5. Attack on Titan (I've read it to the end) -> 8.7/10

6. Oyasumi Punpun (I think you should consider whether or not to read this comic because the story is too depressing) -> 8.5/10

7. Chainsaw Man, Blue Lock (I've read it, but haven't followed it lately) -> 8.3/10

8. Death Note (I've read it twice but haven't finished either) -> 8/10

Besides reading, I also sometimes enjoy watching films. Here are the films I've watched with rapt attention:

1. A Silence Voice (9.4/10)

2. Lock Back (9/10)

3. Interstellar (9/10)

In my daily life, I have to manage my time well, so I can't always spend time on my hobbies.

That's all, thank you for reading my boring introduction!