Dhrumi Nandu

Going out of my comfort zone and challenging myself makes me push myself further to become a become designer. I wanted to undertake this project keeping in mind that I was doing the same but at the time same investing myself into a topic I really resonate with and am interested in tackling for the real world.

Growing up as a Gen-Z in today’s world, I’ve seen my friends and I struggle with social media- social media usage and habits, handling social media content into our daily lives and the effects it has on our mental health. Moreover, witnessing the struggle to maintain meaningful offline relationships, I was motivated to create a solution that encourages people to step away from screens and engage more deeply with their surroundings and loved ones.I chose to focus on social media detox because it addresses a critical need in our digitally driven society. By developing “Bubble,” I aimed to provide a tangible way for individuals to reclaim their time, enhance their mental health, and rediscover the joy of genuine, offline interactions.

The contents of the kit include – Cards Against the Swipe, Beyond The Swipe, a disposable camera, postcards, blank card, and a memory box.

Cards against the Swipe is a playing card x conversation card deck. I wanted my playing cards to be unique. I wanted to custom illustrate the cards with thoughtful illustrations around the topic of social media. To make them stand out from other custom decks, I designed them to be conversation starters too, with 52 thought-provoking questions designed to spark engaging discussions and deepen offline relationships in today’s world of texting.

Beyond The Swipe is a guided journal that includes journal prompts, digital detox challenges and mindfulness activities aimed to make users indulge in stuff except social media. I wanted to create this journal which would help to step away from the endless scroll of social media, and to reconnect with yourself.

In an era dominated by instant messaging, postcards and letters are tactile tokens that can be a reminder of the thoughtfulness behind each handwritten word, that can create a sense of closeness that goes beyond the digital realm. It would be a great way of preserving moments of connection in a way that texts and tweets cannot.

With apps like notes, journal rising in today’s age, I wanted to include a Memory Jar designed to capture and cherish precious moments offline.

The jar is a vault for treasured memories, inviting people to jot down special moments, thoughts, or experiences on slips of paper and store them away for safekeeping. Whether it’s a funny anecdote, a heartfelt gratitude, travel or concert ticket, they become tangible reminders of the beauty found in the simple joys of life.

The disposable camera was the perfect addition to my social media detox kit to make my audience learn to appreciate the present moment filter-free.

Through this project, I hope to inspire others to embrace a more balanced and mindful approach to their use of technology.