A gentle walkthrough of the physiology of exam anxiety — and three things you can do in the last five minutes before the invigilator hands out the sheet.
A short, tender piece on burnout — and why doing less is often the most productive thing you can do.
A guided meditation for the nervous system, using ujjayi breath. Best with headphones and eyes closed.
A slow story about a lantern-lit riverbank in Kyoto. Written to be heard, not remembered.
A pragmatic guide to reading job descriptions — what to ignore, what to internalise, and how to talk about gaps.
The framework I use with 800 students a year to answer 'tell me about yourself' in interviews.
Riya writes about the first three weeks — the sounds, the small grief, the friend you thought you'd have by now.
A short checklist for messaging someone who's struggling — what helps, what to avoid.
A calm, clinical explanation of the ADHD brain and why executive function is not effort.
A one-page infographic showing what to eat on paper mornings — no fads, no shame.
A silent, no-equipment routine for hostel rooms with thin walls.
The technique used by Navy SEALs and, more importantly, by first-year students at 2am.
One question. Ten minutes. Write without stopping.
A slow, humane 6-week study plan for placements. Includes rest days.
A student's essay on the semester she left and the semester she came back stronger.
A short, careful explanation of what clinical depression actually feels like from the inside.
A one-page PDF worksheet to catch, examine, and gently rewrite anxious thoughts.
A guided walk-and-notice audio. Best done outside, slowly, without headphones in both ears.
Introvert-friendly scripts for the mess hall, the corridor, the group project.
A short video with two frameworks — pick the one that fits your voice.
On the strange grief of a friendship that ends without a fight.
A 20-minute lie-down practice for the middle of a study day.
A gentle piece on what OCD actually looks like in students, and where to begin if you recognise yourself.
Behaviour design for people who have started and stopped nineteen times.
How to read a GAD-7 result without spiralling. What the numbers mean, and what to do next.
Three real templates, annotated, from students who got responses.
Riya's private playlist for the weight of a new week. (Curated tracks list.)
A very long, very slow story about a train that never quite arrives.
On the specific loneliness — and the specific joy — of finding your people.
A calm guide to talking about money with parents, tracking spending without guilt, and building a first buffer.
A gentle 7-day nudge to keep your phone in another room until you've had water and light.
Words you can copy-paste to a parent, a friend, or a counsellor.
Riya on gratitude that isn't a performance.
Why 25/5 fails for most students, and the interval that works instead.
A framework, not a formula. Three questions to sit with.
A tender essay on the days you feel small, and the ones you don't.