disclaimer: literally just my heart poured out

to the MEJO major I came across on LinkedIn,

LinkedIn…I know…It’s so cooked. Admittedly I’m a LinkedIn warrior. I’m always clicking through people’s pages looking for things that inspire me to be better in the most non-professional way possible (but that’s a conversation for another day). I don’t even know how I found yours. Mutuals maybe?

What I do remember is that you had a blog on your profile, and I thought, “Hey! I have a blog too!” so I went to go read it. And wow was I entranced. It wasn’t even the writing style or the things you wrote about…it was just you. Your thoughts and your brain and the way you viewed the world resonated with me so much and encouraged me to keep writing as well. You made the messy parts of thinking out loud feel beautiful. I read through everything you posted and loved it so much. I hate that I didn’t like or comment or anything, or even reach out. You should know that you’re inspiring. Anyways, I just wanted to say thank you.

I recently saw that you graduated, congratulations, truly. I hope whatever comes next for you is big and wide and bright. I hope you keep making things. I hope more people stumble onto your words, and feel a little more inspired because of them, the way I was.

Maybe this is my sign to actually reach out now. But for now, this love letter will do.

Thank you & I’m cheering for you,
Riva

to the people who love my best friends,

Some of you I know. Most of you, I don’t. But since you’re a large part of the heart that takes up so much space in mine, I suppose I love you too. You make them happy, and in turn, you make me happy. It’s funny how connections work, indirect but impactful.

Honestly, the people I love most in this world live the farthest from me (the universe is so unfair). So it’s not always possible for me to be there for them in ways I wish to, despite wanting to more than anything. But because you love them, make them smile on a hard day, remind them of their worth, or simply just show up, I care about you in a quiet, unconditional way.

Thank you for being part of their world. For being one of the people they call when something’s too heavy, or too beautiful not to share. For being a reason they laugh louder. For helping them carry things I might not even know they’re carrying.

Love is strange like that. It extends beyond us. It trickles down, reaches people we’ve never touched. Just knowing you exist, that you’re part of the safety net beneath someone I adore, means the world to me.

So thank you. Truly.
You might not realize the role you play, but I do.
You’re one of the reasons someone I love feels loved. And that makes you a part of my heart, too.

With gratitude,
Riva



To the couple on the Chapel Hill bus sharing a pair of wired headphones,

Sharing headphones, it’s a lost art, really.

Not just the wires, but the act itself. One earbud each, like a secret held between you. Leaning in, not out. Even though one ear is still open to bustling of people getting on and off the bus, the announcements of the stops, and the whispers of the other passengers, somehow you both seemed completely tuned out of it. It’s like the music had built a small, invisible world, and your whole world was sitting right next to you :))

I don’t know who you are or where you were going. I don’t even remember what I myself was listening to. But I remember you:
how the boy gently twisted the cord so it wouldn’t tangle,
how the girl closed her eyes, smiled, and rested her head on his shoulder, like she knew what lyrics were coming and wanted to savor them fully.

And I hope your favorite song played. Not the kind that’s trending on TikTok. But the one that means something to you. Maybe the one you played on your first long drive together. The one that reminds you of the early days. Or the one you both agreed just sounds like you, what you are, or what you hope your future might feel like.

And I hope you always share headphones.
Not literally, maybe. Life changes. Wires fray. People grow. But I hope you always make room for that kind of intimacy, to lean into each other’s soundscape, to listen not just to the music but to the quiet, to keep finding songs worth pausing your day for.

I love seeing people in love. Especially the quiet kind. The unperformed kind. The kind that fits into one pair of wired headphones.

Please always find each other in the noise.

With love,
Riva

to the girl crying in the bathroom of 3rd floor McColl

I heard you.
It was in between classes, BUSI 506 and BUSI 404, and I was rushing, half-distracted, halfway in my own world, probably worrying about some assignment or exam. But then I heard you. I hesitated. I didn’t say anything, just stood there and washed my hands for a second longer than needed.

In high school, I once heard a girl crying in the bathroom. I didn’t hesitate then. I asked if she was okay, and gave her a hug. I remember she held on a little longer. I remember how it felt so natural to care.
But this time, I didn’t say anything. I don’t know why. I wish I had said something, even just, “Are you okay?” or “Do you need a hug?” Maybe I’ve gotten too good at minding my own business. Maybe college has taught me to keep walking. Maybe I forgot how much it matters to be interrupted with kindness.

I’ve been thinking about that day often. I’m really sorry. You didn’t deserve to cry alone like that.

I hope someone else checked in. I hope someone noticed.
Next time, I promise I will.

With love,
Riva


to an old friend,

While distance has prevailed, I’m grateful for everything I’ve learned from you.

I didn’t have the heart to break yours. So I’m really glad you did it first.

Don’t be a stranger,
Riva

to the old man who always smiles at me while walking his dog,

You don’t know me, but you smile anyway. Every time. That small gesture, so easy to overlook, has become a reliable part of my daily routine. You remind me that kindness doesn’t have to be loud to be felt. I promise I’ll stop tomorrow and ask your name (and your dog’s). I have a feeling you’ve got stories, and I’d really like to hear them.

I’ll talk to you soon,
Riva

to the ones who swipe up on my blog post stories with your thoughts,

You don’t know how much it means to me. Every time you share, like, or best of all, swipe up and reply, you make this space feel a little less like me talking to the void and a little more like a conversation. I’m glad the things I toss into the world aren’t just floating there, they land. Somewhere. With someone. Thank you for making my words feel worthwhile :)) I don’t take it for granted.

I hope you keep showing up. I’ll keep writing for us.

With so much love,
Riva



to you, the reader,
Last but most definitely not least.

Maybe we know each other. Maybe we don’t. Maybe this is your first time here, or maybe you’ve read everything I’ve ever posted. Either way, hi! I’m really really glad you’re here :))

Thank you for giving me your time, your attention, your headspace, even just for a few minutes. That’s not a small thing. I know there are a million other tabs you could have open right now.

Sometimes I write things hoping someone will understand me. Sometimes I write hoping I’ll understand me. And sometimes, I just write because I don’t know what else to do with all the feeling I have. I don’t always know what this space is, or what I want it to be. But if it’s meant anything to you, then it’s already done more than I could’ve asked for.

So thank you. for reading, for caring, and for being here. (And if you like, reach out! I’d love to be friends hehe :))

With love, always always always,
Riva