Kinjal is a resident assistant for Campbell Hall on College Avenue campus. A senior from Marlboro, N.J., she is majoring in political science, journalism, and creative writing.
On being a Resident Assistant (RA)...
I make sure that all my residents are considerate to others. My favorite part of the position is the sense of community that it brings. I really love my staff; they are really supportive. It’s great to have someone to talk to in the community. If I was ever lonely, sad, or just in the mood to chat, there is always someone there for you. It’s great to just walk down the hall and see whose door is open. The community is really fun. Every year I’ve been at Rutgers gets better and better.
On writing...
I really like the stories you can tell through comedy. One day, I’m going to try stand up comedy. I would also like to try improv as well. Comedy can be like a boy’s club and it’s hard to assert yourself as a woman. I once mentioned to my residents that I would like to do stand and they said “Can we please go to your first show?”. When I write a clean five minutes [of material] I’ll be ready.
I really admire comedians like Seth Meyers, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling, who can shed light on issues through comedy and their writing. Comedy can be really honest and truthful. I think without comedy you can’t really address some issues. You really need to be able to talk about hard stuff and be able to laugh and find light about it. I really like political comedy because even if there are jokes behind an issue, it’s still bringing attention to it. My high school senior quote was actually, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night Live from future me”. Hopefully in the future I’ll be on a stage, cracking jokes in front of an audience.
Rutgers and family...
I’ve been around Rutgers since forever. My uncle, my sister, and my cousin all went to Rutgers. I really love Rutgers. I think it would be really cute to have my kids come to Rutgers also. Rutgers is always changing and it has a great legacy. Being at Rutgers feels like a big family. I have no regrets on anything I’ve done here.
On interning at WNBC...
I’ve been interning in the investigative journalism department. I’ve been doing a lot of research on a range of topics from corrupt politicians to prison systems. Working at “30 Rock” [30 Rockefeller Center] is really cool and I see a lot of people I admire around the building. I’ve been there for four semesters, I first started working with the planning unit and assignment desk and I’ve been with investigative news for the past two semesters. It’s been great working on a varying range of news topics that I’ve been passionate about.
On life after Rutgers…
I really hope I can tell stories about strong women and minorities. I want to write about stories that I’m proud of and that can also tell a part of my story. Hopefully, my stories may then appeal to others. I want to offer a take that is unique and that can give others a better understanding of different issues.
