When I discovered BARR on LinkedIn, I was surprised: a software development company right here in Sortino.
I sent my application without thinking too much about it, driven by the desire to test myself and learn something new. That's how my internship experience at BARR began.
On the first day, I received my MacBook and the BARR manual — a guide to understanding pretty much everything about the company.
My first week coincided with All Agency, the week when the entire team gathers at the office, including those who usually work remotely.
It was the perfect opportunity to meet the whole team. My tutor also outlined the company's objectives and gave an overview of the projects currently underway, touching on some technical topics that were completely new to me, but which made me even more eager to learn.
Having everyone present for an entire week made all the difference: it created the right conditions for getting to know each other better, immediately establishing an atmosphere of trust and an approach based on discussion, consisting of moments of sharing and brainstorming, but also of light-heartedness — with chats, snacks and coffee on the balcony.
The first two months were devoted to training me in the basics of front-end development: HTML and CSS. Starting from scratch, the first few weeks were intense and I had to study a lot.
In the months that followed, I began studying React — the language used in our product projects — delving into how to create components and structure interfaces, applying what I had learned to the creation of a small website. At the same time, I explored other aspects of development, such as CMS data integration and management and Sanity features.
Then it was time to get involved in an internal project with my tutor, who is guiding me with a practical and collaborative approach. There have been difficulties, but by discussing things directly and exchanging ideas and solutions, I have always had the support I needed to focus better on the work and overcome obstacles.
Day after day, I am gaining a better understanding of the dynamics of web applications, how complex their logic is, and how they require a different approach compared to website development.
Compared to the early days, I feel much more confident now. I'm still focusing on the logical side of front-end development — on how to build functional and intuitive interfaces, not just beautiful ones.
More than three months have already passed, and time has flown by. From day one, I felt warmly welcomed by the team, who immediately put me at ease.
I discovered passions I didn't know I had and learned more about myself. Entering a work environment different from what I was used to changed my perspective in ways I didn't expect.
I never imagined I would go back to studying so much, but over time I realized that what I was learning was exactly the job I wanted to do.
What excites me most is the idea of continuing to grow, developing increasingly complex interfaces, exploring new aspects of software development, and tackling challenges that I am not yet familiar with.
This is just the beginning. There is still so much to learn, and results take time — and that's perfectly fine. Knowing that there are still many challenges ahead is, for me, the greatest incentive to keep going.