Synk

Helping students find study partners and build steady habits.

Role: End-to-end UX/UI
Timeline: 2024
For: University students
Status: Concept

Overview

A study-partner app for students who feel alone.

I designed a mobile app that helps university students, especially first-year and international students, find compatible study partners, build consistent study habits, and navigate campus resources.

It was inspired by my own first year: moving from the Philippines, facing culture shock, and struggling to find academic and social support.

Focus timer, onboarding and study style quiz

Problem

Students are asking strangers online for study buddies.

Many students feel isolated, struggle to form meaningful connections, and lack structured study routines.

Competitors

Existing apps are either too social or too solo.

Study Buddy

– Only study-group focused
– Weak community features
– Limited discovery
– Low personalization

Studinty

– Too general and social
– Few productivity tools
– Weak academic integration

Opal

– Not community-based
– No peer connection
– Personal focus blocking only

Process

Neo-brutalist: heavy borders, high contrast, bold shadows.

Lo-fi

Log-in, matching, study groups, study map, profile

Solution

Built on trust, structure, and compatibility.

Verified students

Institutional email verification keeps it safe.

Course matching

Partners are matched by the courses you take.

Focus mode

Keeps study sessions distraction-free.

Reflection

Designing for behaviour beats adding features.

Next, I plan to validate the concept through more user testing and adjust the experience to current student needs.

Glyph