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Preanka Pillai

Preanka Pillai is a Rutgers Business School sophomore majoring in marketing and business analytics and information technology. Her column, "Unboxed," runs on alternate Fridays.

PILLAI: National service program can help unify younger generations

As a student leader at Rutgers, I have often mused about what it means to serve a larger community. I enjoy planning events centered around civic engagement, DEI and wellness for my fellow students because these opportunities allow us to learn about one other in a casual setting and discuss topics that we care about. Oct 13

PILLAI: It is time to retire five-paragraph essays

It all starts with a letter. When we are toddlers, adults guide our clumsy fingers as we grip a pencil and scribble a letter of the alphabet. Once we pass this milestone, we form letters into words, which we associate with illustrations. “A” is for “apple,” “B” is for “balloon” and so on. Sep 15

PILLAI: Virtual internships should be here to stay

“I wish we could go to the office,” an intern said from his little box in the gallery of faces displayed on Webex. “An in-person internship experience would have been really great.” Sep 1

PILLAI: Do not underestimate Rutgers’ networking power

In high school, I associated the term “network” with computer systems and the digital world. In college, I now think of a network as a diverse array of people who can offer career-related and personal guidance to one another. Apr 9

PILLAI: Violence during Women's History Month is reminder of work to be done

During Women’s History Month, we are supposed to commemorate the women who dared to create, discover, advocate, lead and innovate across countless fields. We are supposed to celebrate women from all races, religions, nationalities and ethnicities who speak up for their communities and, thus, design a better future for everyone.Mar 26

PILLAI: Challenges in 2020 will have lasting impact on American society

One year ago, I had a dubious understanding of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and not the slightest idea of what the months ahead would bring. Right before spring break in 2020, my roommate returned to our dorm and saw that everything in my half of the room — a stack of books, a floral blue tapestry, string lights, clothes, my nautical-themed decorations — had vanished.Mar 5

PILLAI: Generation Z brings new skills to modern workforce

Condescension from elders is something that Generation Z knows well. Born between the late 1990s and the early 2010s, this generation is often on the receiving end of remarks such as, “Just wait until you enter the real world,” “Kids these days do not know how to interact with people in real life because they are so addicted to social media,” “You have been brainwashed by the liberal education system” and the ever-popular, “When I was your age, (insert irrelevant anecdote here).” Feb 19

PILLAI: Social media can be champion or destroyer of democracy

When Facebook started gaining popularity, users probably did not expect the site to become a magnet for conspiracy theories and plots to subvert the U.S. government. Then again, we should have been more suspicious of a platform whose predecessor was FaceMash, a misogynistic site that allowed Harvard students to rate their peers based on appearance. Feb 5

PILLAI: Food for thought during quarantine

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has changed our perception of food and our own eating habits. During my brief months on campus as a first-year, I often scurried through the Livingston Dining Hall at the dinner rush.Jan 22

PILLAI: Some cheaters never learn

If we treated our president the same way universities treat students who cheat, he would have been expelled a long time ago.Dec 3

PILLAI: Rebuilding America's schools

President Donald J. Trump may not be keen on facilitating a peaceful transition to the next administration, but President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are already preparing to implement their agenda. Nov 19

PILLAI: Geneva Consensus Declaration undermines women's rights

On Oct. 22, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar joined 32 other nations to virtually sign the Geneva Consensus Declaration, which proclaims that abortion is not an international right. It is ironic that these countries used 21st-century technology to commit to 17th-century ideals.Nov 5

PILLAI: Have presidential debates always been this toxic?

Presidential debates have not always embodied the chaos that is usually reserved for sibling squabbles and Model United Nations conferences gone sour. Oct 22

PILLAI: Comedy, entertainment can help us through these tough times

The return of "Saturday Night Live" (SNL) this weekend reminded me that comedy is an outlet that is keeping me and many others afloat during the quarantine.Oct 8 2020

PILLAI: America has not asked right questions about 9/11

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is an island of stillness and peace in an otherwise bustling city. Approximately one year ago, I visited the site with my classmates during a field trip for a Byrne seminar titled “9/11 and American Religion.” Sep 24 2020

PILLAI: America’s first female president will be woman of color

In November 2016, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was set to give an election victory speech under an actual glass ceiling at the Javits Center in New York City. Sep 10 2020

PILLAI: Coronavirus' implications were predicted in these two films

PILLAI: Online classes have their moments

PILLAI: Congress must pass substantial voter-by-mail law

PILLAI: Democrats must move away from their traditional candidates

PILLAI: Black History Month serves as reminder to reignite discussion

PILLAI: Shakira, Lopez offered insight in their concert

PILLAI: Endorsment of white candidates from candidates of color proves problematic