Seniors Play and Delay

In order to avoid working on his senior thesis on the philosophical foundations of punishment in modern democratic theory, Jesse M. Furman '94 says he allowed the Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan skating drama to captivate his attention.

Furman, a social studies concentrator, now says he is more bored of that story than he is with his thesis.

His new diversion? Other events in the Winter Olympics and electronic mail.

Although Furman admits to indulging in the normal procrastination methods such as talking to friends, enjoying long dinners and devoting time to extra-curricular activities, Furman says his interest in the Winter Olympics and e-mail are specifically tied to his avoidance of his thesis.

"It's much more appealing to watch the Olympics than to sit at my computer and write all day," Furman said. "I've discovered a new interest in sports that I never knew existed."

Furman is one of hundreds of seniors facing thesis deadlines. And he, like many students, is discovering new methods of procrastination in an attempt to avoid writing his thesis.

The methods include sending electronic mail, watching TV, sleeping and even doing work in other classes.

Elizabeth A. Cotter '94, a sociology concentrator, is writing her thesis. on public, attitudes towards wives working inHungary, Germany and the United States. She saysone problem in constructing her thesis is that heradviser is on sabbatical in Germany.

To procrastinate, Cotter likes to take "the oldnap because you feel like you are actually doingsomething good for yourself."

But naps don't relieve the stress in Cotter'sDunster House room, where all of her roommates areworking on their theses--though all have differentdue dates.

"In the early stages, we were very supportiveand we look lots of time listening and helpingeach other," Cotter says. "Now it is hard tosupport each other because we are all involved inour own pain."

Heather N. Feldmeth '94, a folkloreconcentrator writing a thesis about a series offIrish women's religious songs says her roommatehelps her work and procrastinate.

"At the same time we help each otherprocrastinate by talking, we also give new ideasnot push each other to get back to work," Feldmethsays.

Electronic communications with friends andloved ones can also be a means of procrastination.Furman says he spends anywhere between 15 minutesto two hours each day on e-mail depending on theprogress of his thesis.

"I don't have to move," Furman says. "I canjust turn on a different program and my thesis isno longer there and a letter from my friends is."

And if e-mail doesn't work, some students saythey take even more drastic measures.

"I do much more work for other classes thanI've ever done to avoid my thesis and nonethelessfeel good about myself [by] not wasting time,"Furman says.

Winthrop House Senior Tutor Greg Mobley saysthere are "a handful of spectacular cases ofprocrastination" but stresses that most studentswork in an orderly fashion.

"The problem is sometimes [seniors] let othercourses slide when they are writing theirthesis--they can want to work on one thing at atime--and risk not graduating if they fail thecourse," Mobley says.

Assistant Dean for Undergraduate EducationJeffrey Wolcowitz, who was once the Dunster Housesenior tutor, says one student he knew wanted towithdraw from the spring semester because he wasworried his thesis was "going nowhere."

"He completed it one time and got a summa,"Wolcowitz says.

Of course, if you really want to procrastinate,there are fool-proof methods.

Richard C. Glen '94 calls himself an "honestprocrastinator."

"I just don't turn the computer on," Glen says."I just don't even bother

To procrastinate, Cotter likes to take "the oldnap because you feel like you are actually doingsomething good for yourself."

But naps don't relieve the stress in Cotter'sDunster House room, where all of her roommates areworking on their theses--though all have differentdue dates.

"In the early stages, we were very supportiveand we look lots of time listening and helpingeach other," Cotter says. "Now it is hard tosupport each other because we are all involved inour own pain."

Heather N. Feldmeth '94, a folkloreconcentrator writing a thesis about a series offIrish women's religious songs says her roommatehelps her work and procrastinate.

"At the same time we help each otherprocrastinate by talking, we also give new ideasnot push each other to get back to work," Feldmethsays.

Electronic communications with friends andloved ones can also be a means of procrastination.Furman says he spends anywhere between 15 minutesto two hours each day on e-mail depending on theprogress of his thesis.

"I don't have to move," Furman says. "I canjust turn on a different program and my thesis isno longer there and a letter from my friends is."

And if e-mail doesn't work, some students saythey take even more drastic measures.

"I do much more work for other classes thanI've ever done to avoid my thesis and nonethelessfeel good about myself [by] not wasting time,"Furman says.

Winthrop House Senior Tutor Greg Mobley saysthere are "a handful of spectacular cases ofprocrastination" but stresses that most studentswork in an orderly fashion.

"The problem is sometimes [seniors] let othercourses slide when they are writing theirthesis--they can want to work on one thing at atime--and risk not graduating if they fail thecourse," Mobley says.

Assistant Dean for Undergraduate EducationJeffrey Wolcowitz, who was once the Dunster Housesenior tutor, says one student he knew wanted towithdraw from the spring semester because he wasworried his thesis was "going nowhere."

"He completed it one time and got a summa,"Wolcowitz says.

Of course, if you really want to procrastinate,there are fool-proof methods.

Richard C. Glen '94 calls himself an "honestprocrastinator."

"I just don't turn the computer on," Glen says."I just don't even bother