Portsmouth student designs app to keep students interconnected during pandemic

With the country seemingly returning to some semblance of normality as the Prime Minister issued his Spring 2021 roadmap, socialising without Zoom is something we’re all slowly getting used to.

However at university level closures of cultural spaces and online learning has been difficult for the majority of students to adapt to.

Which is why 20-year-old graphic design student at the University of Portsmouth, Jamie Jones, devised Society Connect, an app whereby students sign up using their university emails, and list their hobbies.

The app then places students with similar interests into group chats where they can chat and meet new people.

Mr Jones said: “I designed the app to keep people connected at university, obviously it could’ve been difficult for first year students to make friends and meet people, as well as people missing out on other social activities.

“Society Connect gives students on similar courses a platform to meet each other.”

The cultural industries sector at university level has been significantly disrupted as a result of the pandemic, from abroad placement opportunities to closures of studios until further governmental guidance permits the reopening of these buildings.

The graphic design student said: “This year we were supposed to be practising printing techniques and screen printing and using the studios to do ink blocking.

“And whilst the line of work I want to go in doesn’t necessarily require studio practice, as I want to go into brand design my potential future employers will be looking for that first-hand experience, which I’ve missed out a whole year of.”

With step 3 of the 2021 Coronavirus roadmap to be implemented on the 17th of May, the reintegration of students into cultural spaces could be the first step of many in returning to normal life.