Corks Pop As First Seniors Turn in Theses

The champagne could not arrive sooner for the senior History and Literature concentrators who scurried to hand in their theses on Friday before 5 p.m., the first concentration to do so in the College.

The seniors enjoyed each other’s company at the annual champagne bash in the Department’s Barker Center offices after handing their 40- to 60-page works.

“I thought it would feel like a big weight off my shoulders but now I realize that the birds are singing and that there are classes to attend,” said James Benenson ’02.

He vented his frustration at the thesis process by aiming the cork of a champagne bottle at a wall hanging on the first floor of the Barker Center.

Relief came both from completing theses as it did from avoiding technological disasters.

Katharine F. Douglas ’02 had her computer stolen three weeks ago from her off-campus apartment. Luckily she had printed out a draft of her thesis on lynching photography two days prior to the burglary.

For her part, Susan P. Long ’02 said she will never have mint tea again—the beverage of choice of both Long and her thesis advisor. The two met frequently at Cafe Algiers during the last two weeks of putting the final touches on her thesis on Renaissance dueling and farce.

The seniors commiserated about printing problems and sleep depravation. But they also shared their plans to celebrate.

Kate A. Agresta ’02 planned on celebrating the entire weekend, since both her boyfriend and roommate are History and Literature concentrators as well.

Agresta’s thesis focused on religion and anti-communism in early Cold War America.

The seniors said they were proud to finish their theses and were happy to be the first concentration finished.

“Being done first is the reason I chose the concentration in the first place!” said Daniel A. Rosenthal ’02, who wrote on Walt Whitman’s war.