The Covid-19 pandemic has confined us to our homes and as design students, it makes us wonder what we must do to keep us engaged and involved. Here is a list that might  shed some light on this and hopefully add some meaning to the pandemic days.

• Sanitization

Yes, it always starts with you. It is said that the cleaner your workspace, the cleaner your mind. So, first start by organizing your workspace. Once you are organized you will start to feel positive and motivated. Start by looking for that cozy comfy space in your house that you want to call your own.

• Building your Portfolio

We all know that your portfolio is the best way to convey your creative footprint. So in order to reach maximum audience, make a website. A website can be one unique way of differentiation
but it doesn’t end there. You need to be as creative and informative as possible. So one such thing you could do is keep writing blogsabout whatever you feel or what your opinion is on a specific topic.

Avoid adding Behance and other social media platforms where you showcase your creative work. It might shift the recruiter’s focus from your work to another person and hence the chances of you
getting the job might be affected adversely.

• Be an Owl

You might not want to sit on the couch just making a buzz in your brain. You need to take necessary steps now as the pandemic has affected the world in a unprecedented and unforeseen ways. We
are heading towards tremendous changes in various fields where technologies are evolving and many design practices are getting obsolete. So how do you keep yourself updated in this rapidly changing world?

You could read books, newspapers, watch informative documentaries, videos and take opinion from people about how to get the hang of what’s coming in as the new normal. Connect with designers and colleagues to get a broader perspective on what other designers are doing and what are the helpful ways to tackle the pandemic in a creative way.

• Develop

Constant learning is going to be essential as people quickly shifting gears evolving /adapting to the new patterns, scenarios etc. So plan and think about what you want to learn. Prioritizing things is one of the most important factors to using time efficiently. We are heading towards people talking about major changes yet to happen in the industry and jobs being laid off. The next trend is a
multidisciplinary approach in jobs. One good way would be to start with languages. This is something you may never learn in your regular routine, but might prove very beneficial in the upcoming years.

There are books, documentaries and online courses offered for free during this pandemic. Do take a note of that. While learning is one step of developing, another one is to practice. You will
get various design exercises on the internet, do practice to make yourself more efficient and review your understanding of what you have learnt.

Last but not least try participating in design competitions. It’s mostly about gaining experience and learning. The goal is not only to win the competition but to learn and analyze while you are
working for the competition. This learning and experience is one of a kind and may not be learnt just by sitting in classrooms / homes and simply thinking about it.

So treat this time as a golden opportunity and make the most of it.

Stay home, stay safe!

Author:
Anup Hengade, Product Design, Semester II, Unitedworld Institute of Design (UID)

Disclaimer: The opinions / views expressed in this article are solely of the author in his / her individual capacity. They do not purport to reflect the opinions and/or views of the College and/or University or its members.