When a user creates an account, they have an option to take a short, simple and quick quiz to find out what makes them happy so the app becomes more personal to them, speaking of personal, I had a look into the Period Tracker app and I really love the idea of having a very simplified character that has a shape or some other personal quality to match the user. Within this app, I would also like to provide users with a section with many helplines and website recommendations for if they need help or are in trouble and if their university provides it there will be a display to show what help at university that they can receive and how to go about it. The app will be connected to the user’s university, and will have their well-being services within the app when connected.

 

It will additionally have motivational suggestions to the user such as films, music, books and activities such as at home yoga or events going around. A small side idea I have is that it will also provide users with a few games, one of the game ideas I have is a mind game that will help the user to calm down and distract them when he or she is having a panic attack or about to have a break down, and the game will have rewards and positive outcomes, just something simple but if it’s too much then it’s too much as it’s not a main focus but it would be really helpful. The app will also provide a daily positive image, poetry or a video that is relevant to what makes the user happy to bring their mood up for the day, to do this. 

 

Another idea I have is that the user can anonymously have a chat with qualified doctors, advisors or councillors or with other students who are in the same boat, as I have done some research and found out that chats with doctors and councillors are becoming a thing , users can either use anonymous as their user name or their selected user names to provide confidentiality, but users can also build friendships and if comfortable can exchange names and add as friends on the chat section of the app, the chats will be monitored in case of bullying, so if a user reports harassment someone will do something about it to provide safety. I want this app to mainly be focus for university students because I know there are so many students that suffer with depression, anxiety and many other mental health issues and as I have stated previously in this essay not all universities provide students with this kind of help and most students are too intimidated to express their feelings to strangers and sometimes friends due to the stigma around mental health so this app can give user a sense of safety in knowing that there is help and if not the app provides them with easy access information. I would like this app, if possible, to have different servers that connect with that user’s university; for example, if you are a student of The University of Lincoln you will only be on that server for students using that app at that university and the same if you are a student of Cambridge University for example, that way servers won’t crash and it’s more of a sense of community in your university.