... been to New Jersey

**... been to New Jersey** is the fifth episode in Season 4 of the Netflix series, *Never Have I Ever*. It is also the thirty-fifth episode overall.

## Synopsis

*On a school trip to New York, Devi discovers that college may be scarier than she thought, Eleanor faces disappointment and Fabiola remains tight-lipped.*

## Plot

Devi, Eleanor, and Fabiola, along with other senior-year students from Sherman Oaks, embark on a trip to New York to visit colleges. Devi is excited to tour Princeton with Blair, a former model student and Devi's idol from Sherman Oaks.

Fabiola hides the fact that she applied to Princeton and instead tells Devi she applied to Yale. In New York, Ben receives a special tour of Columbia University due to his father's connections, while Fabiola accompanies Eleanor for her auditions at Juilliard.

At the Vishwakumar house, Kamala shares her suspicions of Len cheating on Paati with Nalini, who dismisses her concerns. Nalini looks forward to having the house to herself while Kamala and Devi are away, as Paati goes on a vacation with Len. Andres, Margot's father, continues to help Nalini with odd jobs around the house.

Devi meets Blair and realizes that Blair has changed and no longer prioritizes academics. Instead, Blair takes Devi to a nightclub rather than showing her the Princeton campus. Eleanor auditions for Juilliard, and Professor Warner questions Fabiola about hiding her application to Princeton from Devi. Fabiola explains that she wanted to surprise Devi but admits she was afraid of Devi's reaction. Eleanor receives a rejection from Juilliard, leaving her heartbroken. At Columbia, Ben feels out of place and less intelligent than the other students, making him awkward around them.

Blair tells Devi about the freedom and partying in college, which makes Devi doubt her own potential. Nalini returns home from work and realizes that being alone is not as enjoyable as she anticipated. Fabiola and Eleanor return to the hotel and find Ben there. Eleanor is upset about her rejection. Fabiola texts Devi, inquiring about Princeton, and learns that Devi is at a party. To cheer up Eleanor, Fabiola takes her to the party, where Ben asks to join them. Devi discovers that Blair is not a Princeton student but a bartender at the club. Meanwhile, Andres visits the Vishwakumar house looking for his phone and ends up staying with Nalini. They discuss the experience of being alone after their children leave for college and share their respective challenges.

In New York, Blair reveals to Devi that her college experience was filled with distractions and she eventually got kicked out due to her partying lifestyle. This revelation shakes Devi's confidence. Devi calls Paxton and apologizes for judging him after he left college without trying. Fabiola, Eleanor, Ben, and Devi find themselves outside the club, and Blair invites them inside for a party. Inside, Eleanor shares her rejection from Juilliard, but Devi and Fabiola encourage her not to give up on her acting dreams. While dancing, Devi is groped by a college student, but Ben intervenes and saves her.

Outside the club, Devi expresses her uncertainty about wanting to go to college anymore after her experience with Blair. Ben assures her that she is different from Blair and that she can balance studying and having fun. Devi gives Ben advice on fitting in at Columbia University by educating himself through reading articles. The group reconciles, and Blair informs them that the groper has been kicked out. However, they are asked to leave the club as they are underage. Professors Warner and Shapiro arrive to take the students back to the hotel, and Professor Warner is angry about the students leaving the hotel and going out to find Devi. The trip is cut short, and the group returns home early.

The next morning, Andres leaves a handmade birdhouse outside the Vishwakumar house as a gift for Nalini. Meanwhile, Devi is happy on her flight back home, knowing that she and Ben are friends again. Devi confesses to Fabiola that she feels guilty because Fabiola couldn't visit Yale. Fabiola in turn feels guilty for lying to Devi.

## Cast

### Starring

* Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as Devi Vishwakumar
* Poorna Jagannathan as Nalini Vishwakumar
* Richa Shukla as Kamala Nandiwadal
* Jaren Lewison as Ben Gross
* Darren Barnet as Paxton Hall-Yoshida
* Ramona Young as Eleanor Wong
* Lee Rodriguez as Fabiola Torres
* John McEnroe as The Narrator

### Guest-Starring

* Ranjita Chakravarty as Nirmala
* Ivan Hernandez as Andres Ramos
* Jeff Garlin as Len
* Alexandra Billings as Jennifer Warner
* Benjamin Norris as Trent Harrison
* Victoria Moroles as Margot Ramos
* Genneya Walton as Ms. Thompson

### Co-Starring

* Jade Bender as Blair Quan
* Quinn McPherson as Seth
* Paul Schackman as Diedrich Fenton