Why Rutgers?
“Rutgers is no longer just a place I ended up—it’s
becoming the place where I’m starting to grow into the
person I want to be.”
“Oh my god, you’re from Massachusetts? Why would you ever come here?” I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve heard this question since arriving at Rutgers. Each time, I stumble to answer, because the truth is, I’m still figuring it out myself. Out of the 22 schools I applied to, how did I end up here? Why Rutgers? Why leave everything familiar?
Virginia Tech was my dream. For months, I envisioned myself walking around its beautiful campus, living the college life I had always pictured. But then reality hit. Financially, it wasn’t working out, and geographically, it posed too many challenges for my family. I had to choose another school. I fixated on a few colleges—Bentley, WPI, URI, UConn, Purdue—exploring them for a week each. I was lost in a cyclone of options, none of which seemed to satisfy my desires. That’s when my parents suggested Rutgers.
At first, Rutgers felt like a compromise. The idea of leaving Massachusetts for New Jersey wasn’t appealing. It felt like I was settling for something less. I had this perception that Rutgers was filled mostly with in-state students. I imagined it would be difficult to break into social circles that had already formed. The idea of starting fresh, surrounded by people who already had established friend groups, was daunting. It felt like a transgression against the familiar life I had built. Still, I enrolled, uncertain of what would happen next. The question "Why Rutgers?" followed me.
Why Rutgers? As I navigate my first few weeks here, I’m beginning to understand that the question isn’t just about why I chose Rutgers, but what Rutgers is becoming for me. The metaphor of a door comes to mind—Rutgers is a door I wasn’t sure I wanted to walk through. But doors don’t just open to something new; they also close old chapters. This door closed on my Virginia Tech dreams, but it opened to countless possibilities I hadn’t considered.
Rutgers has opened me to opportunities that I didn’t even know existed. It’s not just about the reputable, virtuous academics or diverse student body on paper. It’s more about the enchantment of new experiences that are reshaping my perspectives. I’ve started to find my rhythm, whether in casual conversations with people, or getting involved in clubs I’d never thought I’d join back in high school.
Take my involvement in the student activities fair. Back home, I never saw myself as someone who would jump into a new environment with so much enthusiasm, but at Rutgers, I found myself signing up for things—clubs, events, random meet-ups—without hesitation. It wasn’t because I had to, but because the school felt like it was giving me permission to be curious, to experiment with my interests. That’s when I realized that Rutgers was helping me to grow in ways I didn’t expect.
The diversity here is another part of it. Coming from a small, predominantly Jewish town in Massachusetts, I didn’t realize how limited my exposure to different people and perspectives had been. At Rutgers, I’m constantly meeting people from different backgrounds and experiences. It’s made me realize that being here isn’t just about getting a degree; it’s about becoming someone more open and aware of the world around me.
So, why Rutgers? It’s not because it was my dream school, or the obvious choice from the beginning. It’s because now, being here is shaping me in ways I never anticipated. It’s the people I’ve met, the opportunities that are unfolding, and the way I’m starting to see myself differently. Rutgers is no longer just a place I ended up—it’s becoming the place where I’m starting to grow into the person I want to be.
In the end, the question “Why Rutgers?” doesn’t have a single, definitive answer, just like Jhumpa Lahiri’s question about “Why Italian?” evolved over time. There’s something beautiful about the uncertainty Rutgers has brought. While it wasn’t the clear answer I initially hoped for, it’s giving me the opportunity to explore new friendships, new academic challenges, and new ambitions. It’s an ongoing process. Everyday at Rutgers, I discover more reasons to embrace being here. What started as a backup plan has become a path of its own, and that’s something I never would have imagined when I first stepped foot on campus.