BY ABHEEPSHA BARAH

A Monash University student has created a unique app to connect like-minded people.

The app, called GroupThing, allows people to join groups and find people to date, or be friends with, based on similar interests.

With Victoria spending more than 200 days in lockdown, Monash University graduate Ikenna Osakwe said he wanted to create a piece of technology to keep young people socially connected. 

Upon completing his Master of Data Science at Monash, Mr Osakwe said the idea for GroupThing occurred to him after observing the widespread feelings of loneliness and social isolation. 

“I always wanted to create something that would help students to connect to people and create communities based on things they love, such as a celebrity, a show, or even a book,” Mr Osakwe said.

Since making his move from the USA to Melbourne to complete his tertiary education, Mr Osakwe said he found meeting people outside his field of study quite difficult as a foreign student. 

While GroupThing can be fantastic for making new friends, it also has a dating feature that is unique from others on the market. 

Eliminating the need to swipe left or right, the app is able to shift the focus from appearance-based interactions to connections based on interests and passions. 

“I don’t like the way people judge whether they want to swipe right, on the basis of their appearance, so this app will allow you to find people with similar tastes and connect with them,” Mr Osakwe said. 

While Mr Osakwe said he had limited previous knowledge about app creation, his passion prompted him to learn through platforms such as YouTube to make GroupThing a reality. 

To create an incentive to join the app, Mr Osakawe has announced a competition where users will upload a piece of original content to be in the running for a prize of $1000.

For many international students studying remotely in a foreign country, during a pandemic, finding a sense of belonging has been challenging.

International student La Trobe University Sharanya Sredharan said her move to Melbourne from Malaysia just before the pandemic has been more difficult than she anticipated.

“A big reason for me coming to Australia… was to have this experience of meeting new people and travelling,” Ms Sredharan said. 

“Meeting new people without going out is really tough in a new country.” 

Ms Sredharan said GroupThing allowed her to connect with those she would have otherwise never met.

“This app has been a great help. I recently joined a Harry Styles group”, she said. 

“I am a fan and I love to see the content of so many other people just like me who love [Harry Styles] too.”

While GroupThing has been a great help in connecting international students, it can also facilitate connections for domestic students, like Monash graduate Bianca Locasto.

Ms Locasto said the app helped her connect with people based on their passions, including those who share her interest in creating art. 

“I love art, so the app has been a great outlet to post, share and chat about artworks,” Ms Locasto said.

“The best thing about it is that the app is less superficial [than Tinder].”

Ms Locasto said her experience with the app has been “amazing” and allowed her to find her own small community of people.

Mr Okaswe is looking to continue developing GroupThing, by adding new features.