Hello Everyone,

My name is Riya and I am a 4th year international student at UBC. I am studying psychology in the faculty of arts and am super excited to wrap up my degree and face the real world. I have an avid interest in understanding behaviours and trends. When I first joined UBC as a psychology major, I aspired to go on a conventional route and pursue graduate degrees to eventually land in the a field of clinical psychology. However, as my time at university passed, I concluded that my true passion is marketing and consumer behaviour. I integrated courses that designed my degree as such. I concentrated on social psychology courses, and also took a handful of marketing and creative writing courses.

An interesting fact about me is that I like to research on any new information I acquire. I am a firm believer in the phenomenon that there is something to learn from everybody, and as I learn more things, the more my curiosity rises. I am often called a “random fact girl” as I have a knowledge on multiple topics. I am extremely passionate about storytelling and hope to write a memoir one day.

A few morals I live by are, it takes a lot out of me to be rude to someone, whereas kindness comes more effortlessly. The power of kindness is something was instilled me in as a child and I strive to carry it forward and pass it on as much as I can. Second, sometimes people just want to feel heard. Providing support can truly mean just being present, without an opinion of your own. These morals have shaped my personality and hope to implement in my professional career as my personal agenda includes working for social causes like harm reduction, battered women, and many many more.