SUMMARY
Step into a magical forest, where the friendly creature Hearthlie welcomes you and guides you to find your new neighborhood. Begin with a journey of discovery—a short quiz that reveals your unique community archetype, highlighting how you naturally connect with others. Based on your results, you'll unlock a ‘village’ of local NYC events, clubs, and organizations tailored to your interests. Once your home is built, connect with nearby ‘buddies’ to attend events together, fostering friendships and easingsocial anxiety. Your adventure awaits—bringing people and community closer, one magical encounter at a time!
challenge
During my time at Parsons, I frequently experienced and discussed with peers the noticeable lack of community among students. These experiences led me to refocus my research on the loneliness epidemic, specifically exploring ways to mitigate loneliness among female college students moving to NYC. This project turned out to be incredibly engaging, providing me with unexpected insights along the way.
Outcome
By the end of my research and ideation process, I developed the concept for a platform called ‘Gathering Grove.’ Gathering Grove is designed to ‘soft-launch’ young women into their communities by fostering low-stakes conversations with others who share similar interests, personal boundaries, and preferences. The platform aims to create a gentle yet effective introduction to community engagement.
