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Seniors Submit Theses to Hist. and Lit.

Concentrators With Earliest Deadline Celebrate End of Year-Long Ordeal

By Michelle K. Hoffman

Senior History and Literature concentrators bade farewell to months of research and nights of toil yesterday as they turned in their theses at Burr Hall and uncorked bottles of champagne.

Students who had already handed in their 40-to 60-page projects joined those scrambling to beat the 5 p.m. deadline in celebrating the end their year-long endeavor.

History and Literature has the earliest thesis deadline on campus. Other department will receive the remaining senior theses during the next two months.

Exuberant students praised roommates for their emotional support and late-night caffeine runs.

"I owe it all to 'Team Thesis' and my roommates," said Peter T. Lattman '92. "They let me do my [thesis] work while they played Nintendo all night."

A sense of exhaustion and elation flowed through the room as students and professors munched cookies and discussed future academic plans.

But for many thesis writers, sleep and recreation were still foremost on their minds.

"I've gotten out of the practice of sleep," said Edward W. Fox '92. "I'm going to party."

And despite blurry eyes and sleep depravation, most of the 64 thesis writers--the largest crowd in recent years--were there to celebrate.

"There are more people here," said James Engell, chair of the History and Literature Steering Committee which oversees the interdisciplinary concentration. "[The parties] must be getting better."

Thomas M. Lauderdale '92 said he "was just so excited about turning it in." He says his plans are a little more extravagant for post-thesis senior life.

"[My thesis] has been done for a while. Lastnight I didn't work on it--I rearranged my room,"he said. "I changed it into a pleasure dome."

He added, "I just want to go dancing."

Ruth L. Tannenbaum '92 said she proceededdirectly to "watch TV with my roommates and drinkwine" after finishing her thesis on the FrenchResistance in World War II.

Close to Deadline

Some students, however, came dangerously closeto the deadline, finishing their theses only anhour before the party. Johanna Even '92, whofinished her thesis months and months before itwas dues, advised future thesis writers to "spaceout your time and plan ahead.

"[My thesis] has been done for a while. Lastnight I didn't work on it--I rearranged my room,"he said. "I changed it into a pleasure dome."

He added, "I just want to go dancing."

Ruth L. Tannenbaum '92 said she proceededdirectly to "watch TV with my roommates and drinkwine" after finishing her thesis on the FrenchResistance in World War II.

Close to Deadline

Some students, however, came dangerously closeto the deadline, finishing their theses only anhour before the party. Johanna Even '92, whofinished her thesis months and months before itwas dues, advised future thesis writers to "spaceout your time and plan ahead.

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