Missed connections at UC Merced

What is a missed connection?

A missed connection is when real life almost introduces you to someone, and then it does not. You might have shared a table at Kolligian, traded a look on Academic Walk, or talked for ten minutes at Little Lake before CatTracks pulled up. The moment felt human and real, and then you split toward different classes, different housing, or different nights. Missed connection boards are a tradition of leaving a polite, anonymous note in case that person remembers you too. They are never an excuse to chase someone who is not interested. They are a way to honor a nice moment and offer a soft second chance.

The character of UCM and Merced

UC Merced is the newest UC, set on a hill above the Central Valley with Lake Yosemite at its edge, Yosemite-named housing, and a campus that still feels like it is being built in real time. The Kolligian Library, Little Lake, the Gallo Rec Center, and the paths between Valley Terraces, Sierra Terraces, and The Summits see the same faces on a loop. Downtown Merced, Bellevue apartments, and weekend trips into Yosemite stretch that world a little farther. On a campus this concentrated, you can meet someone once in a way that feels meaningful and still never cross paths again without planning. IVmissed gives those stories a home.

Using IVmissed as a Bobcat

Choose UCM in the selector or open the UCM page directly so your note sits with the right campus calendar. Browsing by day helps classmates who were in the same lecture block, dining shift, or Lake Yosemite hangout skim for something familiar. When you write, imagine a reader who was tired, happy, or overheated that day and might smile to realize someone else noticed the same small kindness.

Writing with clarity and heart

• Prefer concrete, kind details over mystery for mystery’s sake. A book you were both reading at Kolligian, a funny comment about the heat, or a shared laugh waiting for CatTracks can be enough.
• Avoid “you know who you are” energy when it could feel threatening. Wholesome posts sound like invitations, not riddles with stakes.
• Remember consent. If the vibe was clearly one-sided or professional, a public note might not be appropriate. When in doubt, choose not to post.

IVmissed is not affiliated with UC Merced or the UC system.