Meet Nick Luu!
Nicholas Luu is a transfer student at Rutgers New Brunswick from Mays Landing, New Jersey. He’s a Biotechnology major in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball and watching football.
1. Why did you choose to major in biotechnology?
It’s an interesting field that is going to play a huge role in the future. I once read an article online about artificial tissues that can help regenerate things such as hearts, but it’s also involved in other areas, such as sustainability and GMOs. Ever since then, I’ve been interested in biology and its applications in the world and knew I wanted to be a part of this.
2. Where is the best place to play basketball at Rutgers?
I’d have to say Cook-Douglass is the best place to play basketball because there are some pretty good ballers there, so there’s actual competition. The floor also isn’t slippery, which is a very important factor when playing basketball. If you want to play on your own, a good time to play is during typical class hours- so 1 to 3 p.m. But, if you want to play when it’s super packed, I recommend that you go from 6 to 8 p.m.
3. What is it like being a transfer? Was it difficult transferring?
I transferred from Stockton University my Sophomore year, and even though a lot of my credits didn’t transfer it was still pretty easy. The reason why I transferred from Stockton to Rutgers was because I was too close to home at Stockton and I wanted to go to a bigger school. Not many people in the transfer dorm (New Gibbons B) are willing to talk to you. It also doesn’t help that the other side of the dorm was made up of non-transfers. One of the biggest challenges that came from transferring was the transition to more challenging academic work- it was just harder overall.
4. What is your favorite class that you’ve taken at Rutgers so far?
I actually have two classes that I’ve enjoyed being in. Issues & Concepts in Biotechnology showcases a lot of different aspects and applications of biotechnology. There were guest speakers who came to talk to the class which was really awesome. I also liked Medicinal Plants- which I initially thought would be solely about drugs, but I ended up learning about the qualities of lavender, marigold, ginseng, poppy seeds, and of course about opiods and marijuana. The professor who teaches this class is also pretty cool.
5. If you were an ice cream flavor, which one would you be?
I would be Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked.