Heyyy! I’m Kayla but my friends call me Kat (like the icon Kat Strafford from the best movie ever: 10 Things I Hate About You). I’m a freshman intending to declare a double major in Psychology & Theater Studies. However I am considering switching to double in Nursing & Theater Studies, but more on that later, & if yoursomeone who loves art but isn’t sure about majoring in it, I’m the one to talk to! I’m also a (northern) Jersey girl since birth, & am the first in my family to go to college! Ever the caffine-addict, you can tend to find me around CookDoug or College Ave campus with a Alani or Coke Zero in my hand, chewing on some gum. When I’m not holled up in a booth at Panera (for the unlimited sips deal of course), you can find me at the Cook Rec center running on the treadmil, cleaning tables at the Neilson dining hall, or scribbling the meaning of life (biology) on the whiteboards at Alexander Library. I love to help people & answer questions, & would be elated to show you the best study spots for groups & solo, what spots have the best food, & what super-secret apps you need to b eat the bus & snipe the courses you want!

Hometown

Park Ridge, New Jersey

Major(s)

Psychology & Theater Studies; considering Nursing

Clubs, organizations & involvement

I am the Residence Hall Association Freshman Dorm's Lippincott & New Gibbons Hall Government Co-President. As president, I evaluate the budget, plan monthly events for residents, connect with other redidence hall governments, & worth with RA's to make sure residents are both having fun & taking care of their new home. Additionally, I am a Dining Hall student worker at the Neilson Dining Hall on CookDoug where I clea tables, close and open the dining hall, and serve​/​restock food for guests. I am also a member of the 1st Gen Student Union, Roture Magazine, TEDxRutgers, Pre-Nursing, & F.A.C.E Modeling clubs!

Describe your college experience

I'm a 1st-generation college student, so I came in Rutgers with little idea of what to expect. The campus is very big & social event heavy, so you can always find something to do or somewhere to go, but as someone who cherishes her alone time, I've found good tucked away study spots. The dorms have their ups & downs, as does the bussing system & food, but I'm greatful for the opportunity & happy to be back to studying after graduating.

Tip for future students

Some tips I have for future students​/​things I wish I knew before starting is to: complete any tasks (especially pre-fall semester) in advance (& all tasks & homework in general); befriend uppderclassman as they're the ticket. toa lot of insider information (like the courses sniper app or a better bus tracker; try everything once as its better to know something isn't for you than to be left wondering what if; check RateMyProfessor while you are picking your courses, have many more backupdorms in your ranking when it comes time to choose your dorm room; start reaching out to people online (especially instagram) to find a roomate early; sit in the front of your classrooms & lecture halls & befriend your professors; go to every office hour you can & from a relationship with your proffessors; never stop applying for scholarships; apply for roles​/​projects​/​etc even if you don't think you are qualified enough; check the dining hall menu before you go to check if its work it or not; bring a reusable bottle (& food storage containers); bring good walking shoes; keep in contact with your home town friends & family, even if its just a instagram reel or funny photo; & so many more!

Favorite class

My favorite class has been Self & Identity social psychology class with Proffesor Rob Foels. I'm increadibly passionate about psychololy, & was fortunate to come into Rutgers with 15 credits, including a general psych credit, so I got to skip straight to the juicy stuff! The class is very gounded, with no electronics allowed, & we spend the whole lecture contributing our perspective on assigned chapter readings for the textbook he is writing himself. The exams are also very fun, as he writes the quesitons very informally, with jokes & engaging questions.

Career goals

What I hope to do after college depends on my decision in the middle of Spring semester. I am in the midst of deciding if I should stay double majoring in psychology & theater studies (where I will graduate in less than 3 years) to get my double major, & from there either pursue psychology as a career to financially support my passion for art & acting, do a masters so I can do more with the psychology degree while pursing theater, switch to the school of nursing to later become. apsychiatric mental health nurse practitioner to support my passion for pscyhology & theater, or finish the degree & go do an accelerated nursing program & continue the previously mentioned path. Either way I want to continue pursing the arts while supporting myself financily with something relatied to the field of psychology.

Ideal way to spend a free night

My ideal way to spend a free nigh depends on the kind of "free" and who else is "free." While I would decribe myself as somewhat introverted, that moreso refers to the fact that I feel recharged socially by personal time rather than social time, but I love doing my own thing with my friends or engaging others in conversation and answering questions! No classes would mean hitting the gym, grabbing some dinner, & heading to the Alexander Library with my roommate & friends where we'll study for upcoming assignments & exams. Or I might research some auditions to self tape & book a booth at the Alexander Library to record. No matter what I will find something to do!

High school or secondary school

Bergen County Academies

Favorite spot on campus

My favorite spot on campus is the Panera Bread right next to College Ave Student Center. Its right in the center of College Ave, next to the bus stop, the gym, up the street from the Yard, & a cozy, well lit place to study into the night with unlimited refills on coffee & soda before grabbing dinner from the Atrium next door & heading to Alexander Library to study until midnight.