Hello from the other side of the FitzRandolph gates!

I did indeed graduate Princeton a couple months ago (don't worry, that all worked out). Although, the last months of school were so crazy, I had no chance for closure on this blog! Since I'd really love to share how my time at Princeton wrapped up, I'm going to make a few final posts.

First up, an update on the great and terrifying:

The senior thesis is the culmination of a year's research, thought, and writing. You might remember I was sketching out a senior thesis on Jane Austen's juvenilia back in October? I am very happy to tell you that by its April 2016 deadline, it was finished. And I loved it! 

Also, it had pictures.

What was it about again?

For only writing six complete novels, Jane Austen has done pretty well at drawing a crowd and marking her place as oh, I don't know, an unparalleled cultural and literary phenomenon. 

And yet despite her oeuvre's fame, nestled into the collection well before bright and sparkling "Pride and Prejudice," is a body of work that has little public voice. My thesis explored the stories and writing of Jane Austen commonly known as the juvenilia, work written while she was eleven to seventeen years old.  

The first 30 pages of my thesis presented a brief look at Jane Austen, then examined the criticism and nature of these earliest texts (which are amazing, as I hope you'll see). The next 70 or so pages of my thesis explored four specific texts critically, plus a creative component. What does that mean? That the English department is the best department.

I. Bringing "The Mystery" to Life

In theater, characters typically act in the paradigm where no audience exists; Jane Austen's short play "The Mystery" takes that trope and runs. Most of the play consists of characters whispering to each other, blithely unbothered by the fact that the plot is a total mystery to the audience.

You can find the play online in the middle of this article!

Since the Austen family performed with each other as an early version of home theater, for the creative portion of this section, I brought the play home to my own family. I performed "The Mystery" with them over Christmas, and then edited and analyzed what it meant to give bodies to the elusive, yet rollicking script. 

Some snapshots of the play:

Scene the First, as I introduced from the window. 

A great way to start off a play.

Those are indeed napkin cravats. Also our cat, Yupi! 

And what did Daphne whisper, in a voice inaudible to the camera? Who knows.

II. Defenestration with "Frederic and Elfrida"

We tend to have a very prim view of our famous authoress. But the visual language in the late 18th century caricatures that were around young Jane Austen were far from proper. Check out Mark Bill's comparison of a comic satirizing the royal class in the late 18th century, and then the late 19th century. 

One is definitely more exciting!

Flavors of the caricature style show up in the juvenilia's "A History of England,"  illustrated by Jane Austen's older sister Cassandra.  

I analyzed "Frederica and Elfrida" through the lens of 18th century prints, hoping to capture and enjoy the wild energy and exaggeration that lies laughing under her careful language.

For example: "From this period, the intimacy between the Families of Fitzroy, Drummond, and Falknor daily increased, till at length it grew to such a pitch, that they did not scruple to kick one another out of the window on the slightest provocation."

Or how any classic, dramatic beauty in Charlotte's suicide - a very Ophelia, river death -- is interrupted by the name of that elegant body of water. 

This was a fun chapter indeed! 

III. The Sweet Deceit of "Love and Freindship"

You've definitely seen the art of C.E. Brock and Hugh Thompson, Jane Austen's early champions of illustrations. They feature beautifully proportioned ladies and gentlemen, neatly dappled in watercolors and often framed by decal of curling ribbons. 

I don't claim to have their artistic prowess, but I did have a ton of fun parodying the style in contrast to young Austen's story, "Love and Freindship" (yes, spelled "e" before "i") in particular.  

When Augustus takes money from his father, he didn't steal from his desk, he "gracefully purloined from his father's escritore."

Things don't end well for the stories' beaux:

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Laura and company come across a terrible scene of "two gentlemen, most elegantly attired, but weltering in their own blood." Note how she first notices their dapper fashion, though!

IV. A Day Well Spent with "The Beautifull Cassandra"

In the very last section, I dove into the delicious "The Beautifull Cassandra" (yes, two "L"s. She was an idiosyncratic young speller!).

It is a novel of twelve tiny chapters, each about two sentences long and filled with laughter. On her adventure, Cassandra steals a bonnet, passes up a beautiful man,

knocks over a chef as she devours ice cream,

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and goes on a whole host of other adventures! Since my critical portion explored how this brings new meaning to "children's literature," I printed the creative portion in a small, spiral-bound book.

Turning it in

After many long discussions with my amazing adviser, Professor Claudia Johnson, months of research, writing, drawing, filming, my first ever all-nighter as I put on the finishing touches, going over notes made by the amazing Katherine Hawkins who proofread my 100+ pages twice...

...I turned in my thesis and creative books to the English department!  

You know that feeling of when you turn something in thinking, "my body and mind feel like death, but I am so happy right now?" That's what this moment was for me.

Looking back, I'm not entirely sure how it all came together, but I think of the thesis with real love for the literature, gratitude to the English department for letting me pursue a creative-critical thesis, and a smile when I think of the happy desperation my fellow English major buddy and I shared, scooting around the library on those rolling office chairs, chasing and poking each other as midnight approached. Truly, a thesis is a sign of my academic maturation! 

Also, I sliced my finger on a page just before I wrote my name, so the last page the Princeton honor pledge literally signed in a little blood.

After I finished my last midterm exam, I was definitely ready to be done with the books for a while, and on the first evening of break, my friend Poupée and I went to see The Mousetrap, a play at Princeton's award-winning McCarter Theater.

As I walk down the sacred halls of Target, I am reminded of my favorite time of year—school supply shopping. I remember getting the list of supplies in elementary school: four tissue boxes, a pack of highlighters, colored pencils, scissors … I always tried to get the best deals, searching through the weekly ads every Sunday morning when they were posted. However, when I got to college, I realized the same type of school supply shopping was just not going to cut it anymore. No teacher was telling me how best I should attack his or her class. I had to discover for myself what was going to work best for me. Was it the binder? The folder? Or just cramming papers into my backpack (This final option has never worked for me.)

As corny as it sounds, this idea of school supply shopping is very much like the college process itself. No one is there to tell you how you should spend your time or what you should buy. For most people, it’s the first opportunity to live on your own, decide what you want to eat, what clubs you want to attend, what time you want to go to sleep. Everything is trial and error. And while you might try something for a few weeks, you may realize that it’s not what you want continue. That’s totally okay. College, especially the beginning of college, is all about trying new things and seeing what sticks.

So the best advice I can give you is to go on a shopping trip. Put a bunch of items in your cart, both new and old, and see what works best for you. And I’ll be honest, I brought binders all the way from Arizona, because that’s what I had always used. But after a few days of using them, I went to the U-Store and bought folders, because that’s what worked betterr for me in college.

To be a Princetonian is to have a voice and know how to use it.

My six fellow Bridge Year Brazil participants and I have spent the past seven months living with homestay families in a community in Salvador called Candeal.

The prefrosh are here, which means the semester's almost over and, in my case, my Princeton experience. It's crazy to think that just four years ago, I was deciding whether Princeton was the place for me. So with the nostalgia kicking in big time, I spent some time thinking about advice I would give to my prefrosh self, and asked my fellow bloggers to contribute their thoughts too. Good luck, future Tigers!

Talk to current students and get to know your fellow prefrosh! Aside from exploring the beautiful campus and consuming all of the free food everywhere during Princeton Preview, what made me most excited about going to Princeton was meeting current students and other prefrosh. They were all so friendly, interesting, and easy to talk to, and I couldn't wait to return to campus and get to know more of them over the next four years!

—Serena Zheng '17

Congratulations! You were really hoping for this, and it happened, so you should really celebrate. Go hiking every week, or read 12 books over the summer, or watch all of Sherlock again. Just remember to spend time with family. It's going to be much much tougher for them than it is going to be for you.

Speaking of which, the next few years are going to be incredibly fun, very stimulating, but also challenging at many times. And when that happens, remember that you are extremely special and talented. And sometimes that may not be reflected in a letter or a number, but you are no less special.

On a more tangible note, take the classes that you are interested in, not the classes that you think you should be taking. Well, except Writing Sem, you have to take that. Explore: what you should be doing most at this point is stimulating yourself. 

And apply for the Bridge Year Program; there is no reason not to.

—Avaneesh Narla '17

My best advice to my prerosh self? Well, my best advice would probably be what I have learned about extracurriculars and balance here: that I can realistically engage in three things that I love at Princeton. You'll be bombarded (in the most fun and wonderful way!) with so many clubs and opportunities to try at first—and I definitely enjoyed trying a bit of everything during my first few months at Princeton. But I've found that it's ultimately most meaningful to engage fully with my schoolwork and two more major activities each semester. This, for me, has been most rewarding and has helped me define my priorities - and also leaves some free time for relaxation and friends! I would also say that taking a full day off and leaving campus to spend a fun day in New York City or Philadelphia with friends is sometimes the very best thing, even when you have a heavy work load and it feels irresponsible. I've realized the importance of taking a true break and have found that a day off is often just what I need to reset and to be committed to working hard again for the rest of the week. On a more practical and immediate level, definitely buy a (very) warm winter coat and quality rain coat—sooner than later! Take a lot of pictures—you (and your friends) will be very happy later. And while it's always important to think about the future, don't spend so much time planning for the next thing that you're not fully present here at Princeton. You'll get the most out of your Princeton experience if you see your time here as more than just a stepping stone. Lastly, don't wait as long as I did to realize how delicious the ice cream in the dining halls is! Congratulations, and welcome to Princeton!

—Makenna May '17

 

One of the things I wish I had focused more on during my college process was researching some of the specific programs that the school offered that interested me. While some people come into college pretty undecided (which is totally fine!), I came in knowing I wanted a biology degree and to probably go to veterinary school. Of course my path can change, but I wish I had taken some time to see what types of biology classes the school offered, and if there was any animal care experience available for me to pursue while taking classes. Even if I didn’t actually do anything I had intended, it would have been helpful for me to do a bit of research, just so I could have a better idea of what opportunities were available to me before stepping foot on campus. Therefore, I highly suggest looking into any and all departments that sound interesting, just to get a sense of what opportunities you might have when you get to Princeton. Plus, it gives you a list of things to get excited about for when you get to campus.

—Michelle Greenfield '18

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They say hindsight is 20/20. Fitting, I think. (Haha. 2020, get it? Ignore my bad puns; I'm still mid-thesis.) Anyway, it's safe to say that after almost four years here, I'm starting to see things pretty clearly.

I didn't really have a prefrosh experience at Princeton, but I do remember that when I first set foot on this campus freshman year, I thought I had a very clear sense of who I was and the things I would enjoy doing. While there's nothing wrong with that  (it's mostly a good thing, in my opinion) I think it led me to inadvertently limit myself to certain experiences. I did what I knew myself to be good at and didn't jump at the chance to venture into new activities. But college is a perfect opportunity to explore all the things you're even remotely passionate about or interested in, and that's something I realize more and more with each passing day. Soon, I won't have all these options available to me in one place. 

So, dear prefrosh, my advice to you is the same that I give myself every day now: go for it. Even if you find out it's not your thing or you fail spectacularly at it, embrace the chance to learn something new about yourself. 

I didn't try out for the dance group that is now such a huge part of my Princeton experience until the spring of my sophomore year. I went to auditions to support a friend and ended up having so much fun that I came back twice to really try it out. My "prefrosh self" liked to dance, but had never done it seriously and didn't think she could be a dancer. I was so nervous about failing that I almost never went for it. Now, I can barely remember my life here without BAC.

So, to recap, I'm going to hit you with all the clichés: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." "You never know until you try." "Just do it." They're all true and all very useful. Consider holding on to them for at least your four years here.

—Tomi Johnson '16

All of us students have something called the Passport to the Performing Arts. It's a fancy name to essentially say that we are able to attend world-class performances each year without any charge to us.

FOMO—meaning Fear Of Missing Out—is a serious condition that Princeton students know all too well. When this word first became in vogue, I do not know, but since stepping onto the sacred grounds of Princeton’s campus, it has become part of my everyday vocabulary.

See, in high school, I thought I was super busy and always thought life would be easier if I could be in two or three places at once. For instance, I needed to be at softball practice, but a friend of mine invited me to go watch a movie, and then I had an essay to write for APUSH (A.P. United States History). I had to pick priorities, and I thought then, just how would I ever decide what I wanted to do? Little did I know things would get even worse (in the best possible way) when I got to Princeton.

Now, rather than two or maybe three things going on at the same time, I need an army of clones in order to do everything I want to do on a given day. For example, the following is a typical day in the life of Michelle filled with dozens of choices about what to do.

8:30 a.m: I get up to go running. I should have probably slept in since I was up late studying last night, but I need to train for a half marathon. I also could have joined my friends down in Butler College for a group workout, but that would require coming back up campus to shower after, which would eat up valuable time. 

10 a.m.:  I could go to breakfast at Quad (the eating club I am a member at), but I decide to eat an apple and peanut butter in my room and get some reading done. It would have been fun to see my friends or perhaps meet new friends, but getting work done is also a good decision.

11 a.m.: Go to class. It’s honestly a shame I have class at 11 because I need to make a McCosh appointment and 11 was the only time available today, but class is far more important and takes priority.

12:20 p.m.: I want to catch up with my friends at lunch, so I could go to the dining hall. But there’s a speaker coming today at 12:30 p.m. who sounded interesting. I could try to go to the speaker for a little bit and then go eat lunch, but that sounds really complicated, so I decide to just go eat with my friends.

1:30 p.m.: Organic Chemistry Lab. Lab is really interesting, and I often feel like a mad scientist. However, because it’s so long, I’m unable to do anything else that occurs during this three-hour block.

4:30 p.m.: I have a Center For Jewish Life board meeting as soon as I’m out of lab. Unfortunately, office hours for my stats class are at the same time. And to make matters worse, there’s a workshop this afternoon for looking at climate change through the lens of art that I would have loved to go to.

6 p.m.: There is a Firestone society meeting tonight, which is essentially a book club. I also have volleyball practice. There’s an organic chemistry review session that I should probably go to as well, since I didn’t quite understand the lectures this week. And at some point I should probably think about eating dinner.

8 p.m.: Princeton Student Events Committee is hosting a study break tonight filled with smoothies and make your own zen garden. One of my friends is in the Naacho (South Indian dance group) show tonight that I definitely want to be at to support her. There’s an arch sing at some point with a few a capella groups that would be fun to visit. Then there’s my best friend who I haven’t seen all week because she’s been studying for an exam that I really want to catch up with. And I can’t forget about my RCA’s (residential college advisor) study break tonight with grilled cheese from Say Cheese restaurant in downtown Princeton. SO MANY CHOICES!

11 p.m.: Although some people might continue the saga until the early hours of the morning, my day ends here. I want to stay up later to chill with my friends, and I do feel like I’m missing out on fun times by going to sleep. However, I value sleep way too much and know this is the best decision for my well-being.

So there you have it. So much going on in a typical day, and this isn’t even everything. Princeton is incredible in the diversity of events that occur every day, which is absolutely amazing, but it means that I’m faced with hundreds of choices each and every day about how I want to spend my time. Although I still struggle to realize that I can’t do everything and be everywhere, I have to prioritize and do what I think is best for that day.

All in all. This is a great problem to have. I’d rather have too many choices than not enough. It’s just a shame that the choices are all so good!