Designers
Designers
Designers
Notes on Finding Your People
A quiet, pocket-sized tool for understanding your needs and finding your people.
Key Words
Designers
Lillian Darling Beckman
SUMMARY
I began by exploring loneliness and belonging among young adults in New York through interviews and early prototypes. What I learned was clear: people aren’t struggling to meet others, they’re struggling to find the right connections. This project culminates in a reflective, circulating zine that helps readers slow down, understand their needs, and create moments of genuine connection. It matters because small tools can shift how we navigate community in a chaotic city.
challenge
This project began with a simple question: why is it so hard for young adults in New York to find their people? Through interviews, prototyping, and testing, I discovered that the challenge isn’t meeting others, but understanding our own needs for connection. The result is a small, reflective zine designed to slow readers down, spark self-awareness, and circulate between strangers. It matters because authentic belonging starts with knowing yourself.
Outcome
The project became a small, circulating zine filled with reflective prompts and space for readers to leave traces for others. It directly responds to what stakeholders needed most: a quiet, low-pressure way to understand their own needs and invite authentic connection. In a market crowded with apps and performative social tools, this zine creates a slower, more personal path to finding your people.
MEET THE Designers:
Lillian Darling Beckman