Major: Computer Science

Minor: Social Justice, Environmental Policy

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Questions about Academics and COVID-19

 

What were your classes like in your first year or in your major/concentration, especially transitioning from Shen? 

They were definitely tougher than the classes at Shen, and required a lot more work outside of class. However, since I got to choose what classes I wanted to take and what I wanted to study, I had a lot more motivation to do well in them.

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What academic experiences have stood out to you at your college in either positive or negative ways?

Rutgers has a vast amount of research opportunities which is really amazing, and professors are usually very welcoming to students coming to them to learn more about what they do and how they can be more involved. They also have a ton of career resources and opportunities, which have helped me and lots of people I know. However, Rutgers is bureaucratic, and sometimes it is very tough to get advising on academics, financial aid, grad school, etc. It is not handed to you, and you have to go through a lot of systems and people to get what you want sometimes.

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How was your online learning experience at your college? What resources did your college provide you during this time?

Having more open note and flexible exams really helped, and it was a lot easier to attend office hours and learn from past lectures/review sessions since most of them were recorded.

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What did your college do well or poorly to support students and communities when COVID-19 first hit?

Rutgers offered financial support and the option to stay in dorms if unable to come home, and made the move out process very flexible and easy. However, ever since COVID-19 hit, Rutgers has been discussing laying off workers, such as PTLs, in order to save money, despite them putting millions towards athletics and having a massive endowment.

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Questions about Student Life

 

If students are interested in your major/concentration, what extracurricular activities do you recommend they do at your college?

For Computer Science, there are multiple clubs at Rutgers that focus on CS such as USACS, WiCS, FizzBuzz, RUMAD, and Rutgers Blueprint. These clubs focus on getting a job in the industry, mobile app development, UI/UX design and marketing, and building a community with CS majors. Definitely get involved with those, as well as participating in hackathons and doing research! I'm pretty involved with Women in Computer Science, and I am currently working on a creating a club at Rutgers that focuses on the intersection of Computer Science and ethics/social justice. As for other extracurriculars, I am involved in Students for Environmental Awareness, Students of Color for Environmental Justice, Defund NBPD, WRSU (the radio station at Rutgers), AMLU, and Students for Justice in Palestine. Academically, I focus on CS, but for hobbies and extracurriculars, I like to be a part of social justice related organizations.

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What are common things to do on weekends? Do students commute back home for the weekend or are there events on campus?

Usually I hang out with my friends and get homework done. My friends and I will usually go to basement shows on the weekends since they're super fun and introduce us to local bands in the area. Rutgers doesn't hold much events on campus on the weekends but there are so many things to do in New Brunswick that it really makes up for it.

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Do you have a job during the school year, or is it common for students to have on-campus jobs? What is that experience like?

I work as a Writing Center Tutor, and it is a good job since I work with really nice people and students, and it gives me time to focus on writing. A lot of people I know have an on-campus job, either through work study or not. If you do not get work study, you can work at the dining halls and cafes, in computer labs, as orientation/tour leaders, as tutors, and much more. All of these places work around your academic schedule and are very flexible.

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Extra Questions

 

What advice would you give to current Shen students when applying to your college?

Apply to multiple schools within Rutgers, and it is okay to come undecided! I love that Rutgers doesn't make you apply to certain majors, so within schools like SAS, SEBS, SOE, and RBS, you can always change your mind on what you want to pursue and its very easy to explore your interests.

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What makes your college special to you?

I love the people at my college, it's student body is so diverse, supportive, and not competitive, and I've met so many amazing people. It really gave me a place to thrive and do what I want and meet people with same values and goals as me, something that was very hard to do at Shen.

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Before COVID-19, what was the housing like at your college? What would you recommend to Shen seniors to find their roommates?

I lived in a standard double my freshman year, and a suite my sophomore year. I would definitely recommend joining Facebook groups to find roommates and friends, and start that early so you can really build a friendship before coming to college. Also, research the dorms (on Rutgers' website or their reddit) and if you apply early, you have a higher chance of getting the dorm you want, with the roommate you chose. All of the campuses are great to live on! I lived on Cook/Douglass (freshman) and Busch (sophomore), and Cook/Douglass had the best food options, scenery, and freshman pursuing all different kinds of majors. On Busch, more of my friends lived in my building and near me, the bus stops were closer, and I had more classes on it since its the "STEM" campus. Do your research about all the campuses and see which one best fits you!

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How is the financial aid situation at your college?

Rutgers is kind of stingy with their financial aid and scholarships, especially for out of state students, but I think it is still a good price compared to private schools.

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