Looking forward to a post-thesis life

As of Sunday afternoon, politics concentrator Christine Brozynski ’10 knew exactly how much time she had left: 72 hours. Though she has yet to settle on a title for her thesis, Brozynski has nicknamed it “The Tiny Horror.”

“I know it will get done on time, but how polished it is will be inversely proportional to how much I sleep in the next two days,” she said.

Brozynski is a former columnist for The Daily Princetonian.

English concentrator Aundeah Kearney ’10, whose thesis is due at noon on Tuesday, said she will need to finish working by 9 a.m. on Monday to allow sufficient time to print and bind the final copy. “It won’t be done, per se, but I’ll stop typing at some point,” Kearney explained.

Despite the impending deadlines, neither Brozynski nor Kearney was particularly concerned about how working up to the last minute would affect her thesis grade.

“I’m not worried about how I do, because as long as I hand it in, I’ll graduate,” Brozynski explained. “My post-graduation plans are pretty much set, so the grade isn’t very important to me.”

“Whatever happens, happens,” Kearney said. “I’m pretty much P/D/F-ing life right now.”

History concentrator Rob Engelke ’10 said he is pleased with his end result, which is titled “Sport and National Sentiment in Post-World War II West Germany, India, and Ireland.”

“I’m just editing now, and I’m happy that I will be able to turn in something I can be proud of,” he explained.

Even seniors with later deadlines were caught up in the thesis-writing frenzy.

Philosophy concentrator Paul Boswell ’10, who has until April 26 to turn in his thesis, said that he plans to attend the celebration for all seniors in his department after handing in the finished version.

After spending so much time in his carrel, Boswell is particularly looking forward to taking advantage of the spring weather. “Part of the reason for being in the carrel is to avoid the sun, so I can actually get some work done,” Boswell said.

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Wilson School concentrator Andrei Stetsenko ’10, who was putting the finishing touches on his thesis, which is due on Wednesday, did not hesitate when asked about his post-thesis plans.

“I’m going to New York with some friends,” he said. “I’m really happy with how it turned out, and I’m looking forward to spending more time just hanging out.”

With the knowledge that she will soon be done, Kearney is eagerly anticipating her post-thesis celebration: a trip to the Six Flags amusement park, following visits to graduate schools in California.

But other seniors had simpler plans that would keep them on campus.

“Sleep is my first thought,” Engelke said. “I’m just going to kick back and let go of some of the stress.”

Brozynski also said she was looking forward to some time to relax.

“My celebration will consist of a very long period of uninterrupted sleep, perhaps followed by several naps,” she said.

Equally appealing to her was the anticipated change of pace in her day-to-day life. “Life will be different because, well, I’ll actually have a life again,” she said.