By: Moudisha Zeeva
Edited By: Snigdha Bashyal
Who would have thought the pandemic would take such an unprecedented toll on us all - a prolonged stagnation in our lives. It was a year ago where concerts, internship opportunities, exchange programs and even our tickets home were cancelled. It was a thorough reminder to take a break and pace ourselves but more often than not, millennials operate under the reverse-psychology mindset. Everything that used to be traditional somehow has an online replacement these days - magazines, newspapers, you name it.
Tiktok obsessions, Animal Crossing, Dalgona Coffee and a sudden boom in home-pâttisiers circulated all year-round. Contrary to those at-home alternatives (or ‘productivity-reincarnates’ as I’d like to call it), our very own started with the initiative to promote sustainable living in the APU community. Coincidental with the dawn of the pandemic, let’s see how Paradisi used the digital shift as a trajectory to connect with their audiences.
The beginning
Paradisi is a sustainability initiative focusing on promoting an eco-friendly lifestyle. Through the guidance provided by the Student Office, Paradisi was sponsored under their Project B program. It started as a passion project inspired by the sanitation quality in Indonesia which was then supplemented by organic alternatives that could really change the way we live. Though it may seem minuscule, it couldn’t be stressed enough how the future of our world relies on the lifestyles we chose. As leading changemakers, third-year students, Tazkia Nurannisa, Bhaswara Maralaut, and Vanessa Vianca are frontline figures in promoting healthier tomorrows.
Social media engagement is key!
Vanessa, one of the leaders, pointed out that focusing on social media engagement was never their initial plan, rather an attempt to maximise their potential during the pandemic. The offline events that were aimed to create a hub for new-creatives, indie, curious souls to interact and share their know-how on healthy living were disrupted by the exhaustive lockdown measures. Hence, social media was the sole remaining medium for Paradisi to interact with the world.
Although the process of converting what was initially offline into digital media was a strenuous experience for the team, tutorials, upcycling clips, mini-series, online magazines and online galleries were created as a manifestation of Paradisi’s aim. This artistic expression inspired many others to take initiatives towards a more eco-friendly lifestyle.
A team of creatives
If it wasn’t for the teamwork and talents of each member of Paradisi, the creative community outreach wouldn’t have been possible. The team consists of people who are creative and self-motivated that work together with the same goal-oriented mindset. The feedback and social interactions they have received fueled their enthusiasm for promoting an eco-friendly lifestyle. The pandemic gave enough time and space for them to hone their digital skills while promoting environmental awareness. By maximising the skills and potential of each division in the organisation, the team was able to collaborate with other student-led organisations and feature inspiring individuals on their social media page.
Organisations, opportunities and change
An organisation like Paradisi brings forth the realisation of how as students we have the opportunity to bring change. It could simply be by just starting small through creating a start-up organisation or by enhancing organisational management via social media.
In such trying times, we must take a look around us and see the silver-lining as to how our lives might expect a great change, for the better. Just as mentioned by Vanessa, “No matter how small your actions are, if we do them together, it will bring big impacts.” On a similar note, the other two leading members expressed similar sentiments towards their organisation. They see it as much more than an activity-based initiative rather than a learning opportunity for students to understand and contribute to their environment in their special ways.
Paradisi’s online mini-series (Paradisi) Paradisi’s online magazine (Paradisi)