Lockdown, not locked down

Young designers vs. COVID-19 pandemic

A piece I had written for the 25th edition of IIID-HRC’s Insider magazine.

~~~

Life comes at you fast, and we got the best example of this in March 2020. A whirlwind of a month changed our lives as we know it and we were made to take it in our stride. “How long will it be until the next second Saturday? I want to wake up at noon!” – all of this manifested the need for some time off and we all finally got it!

Needless to say, the pandemic has made us rethink not only our present and ongoing ways of working, but anticipate the conditions of the future. There have been some good, some bad, some uncertainty and some introspection. Due to the additional time one has realized that exists in a day, there has been time to do some soul searching; some deep diving into forgotten hobbies and newfound interests, courtesy of being home.

It seems like we have all gone back to online school in a way, owing to learning new ways of doing old things. The increase in online lectures and seminars has been appreciated by many, for who wouldn’t mind learning something new while being comfortably indoors? IIID-HRC’s own initiative of Continuous Education Programs will prove to be beneficial for many who were seeking industry knowledge from experts who are kind enough to share their knowledge, free of cost. Several design and knowledge forums have been conducive to this new way of learning by supplying content free for a month, for both enthusiasts and those looking to broaden their skill sets. Example: Websites like Scribd, LinkedIn Learning are offering a month long trial. There have been online certificate courses offered by Ivy League schools too, such as Harvard’s free online courses, to facilitate this time off. These cover a wide range of subjects from programming to humanities.

Architecture as well, has seen an increase in awareness from the masses. The abundance of data on the internet being sold in the form of neatly packaged and wholesome courses has opened up avenues other than core architecture. They are taught by mentors who are passionate about these topics and aspirants passionate to learn. Fresh graduates and designers practicing for years have alike shown an interest in the new and (comparatively) unexplored domains. The world is our oyster and there are pearls of opportunities (on the internet).

The advent of new ways of acquiring work in my opinion has been the real showcase of creativity in times like these: conducting events, concerts, even plays online, starting blogs and podcasts, or expanding one’s network knowing people have got the time now. Designers have adapted to newer technologies to coordinate with work and have taken on additional responsibilities to ensure work getting done. This includes the need for an online forum and building a good user interface to access one’s work online.  In an age where everything is being digitized, such courses are readily available at discounted prices, to enable maximum participation from the masses.

In the famous words of Robert Harold Schuller, tough times never last but tough people do! A stream of consciousness monologue in a typical young designer’s mind would be: Own Practice? Masters’? Career change? Finances? More exposure?  Tenacity of hope has been the mantra for keeping one’s head above water. In a lot of ways, the pros in life right now outweigh the cons and to look at things in a new and gratitudinous is the only way to be. With this googly being thrown in our year, we now see things in a different perspective and will continue to do so.