Rizma Elyza

Journalist, Student

I spend a lot of my time writing. I’ve loved writing since I was a child, and many of my teachers prayed that I would someday publish a book. When I write, I tend to spend more time interpreting the meaning behind my words rather than shaping them into writing that follows vocabulary rules or formal structure. This often leads to my superiors scolding me because I prioritize the message over the writing conventions. For me, writing isn’t just a job to turn a story into words that are simply easy to understand—it’s about creating a piece of writing that can linger in someone’s mind for a long time. When people read my writing, I hope they don’t just understand it, but remember the message I want to convey. I often write news stories about people’s achievements, and in those stories, I always try to leave a space for them to appreciate themselves. Besides writing news, I already have a draft for a comedy book—yes, I really enjoy the comedy genre of my own life, because for me, to survive emotional states that can sometimes be unstable, I need to turn my daily stories into writing sprinkled with humor so I can live within them without carrying a heavy burden in my heart. I believe that writing can spread ideas that change many things.

My story with TED began when I joined the PIKMEN faculty orientation. I remember seeing a senior present about TEDxUniversitasAirlangga, and when I later watched TED Talks on YouTube, I was completely captivated by the ideas shared there. That moment sparked my interest in TED. Later on, my friend became the secretary of TEDxUniversitasAirlangga 2024, and I wanted to join her as part of the X’Clubs, but at that time I was still focused on my academic goals and participating in various competitions. When I reached my fourth semester, I was encouraged to join TEDxUniversitasAirlangga. To be honest, I was hesitant because I didn’t know the lead organizer at all—I didn’t even know what kind of person he was. But when he reached out to me, I finally decided to take the step and join. That decision came with fear—because it felt like I was stepping into a dream I’d held for so long. Even so, I poured all my energy and focus into TEDxUniversitasAirlangga. When I learned that one of the sub-themes was Tender Silhouettes—We must learn not only to give love but to receive it fully—to honor its subtleties and depth. At first, that was all I understood. But as TEDxUniversitasAirlangga drew closer, one of the topics, LONG WALKS AND UNDERSTANDING, began to carry me with it. Throughout my journey in TED, I felt my own “Tender Silhouettes” come to life. I found someone—someone who could give love without losing himself, someone I could walk long paths with, someone who understand that we are all humans with our egos, emotions, and vulnerabilities. I hope he, too, can feel the Tender Silhouettes.

People don’t realize that I’m actually quite good at sensing what others are feeling. I can tell when someone starts to feel sad just from the slightest change in their expression or habits. Often, people aren’t aware that when they try to hide their worries, little signs still slip out—small gestures or expressions that quietly reveal what’s really going on. For me, when someone I love is having a heavy day, I can feel it right away. There’s this uneasy feeling in my chest, and I just know they’re going through something. Understanding people’s emotions, noticing the way their expressions shift, or how their behavior changes—those are things I’ve learned to do naturally. To me, humans are incredibly expressive beings created by God. Even when they try to stay strong, their hearts still find subtle ways to speak. They’re special in that way—full of countless ways to show what they feel. I hope I’ll always be able to read the emotions of the people I care about, even when they’re not trying to show them. I just want them to feel seen, even in their quietest moments.