In Post-Thesis Life, Familiar Ideas Lead to New Ways of Thinking

Every spring, an April day rolls around when a sizable number of Princeton seniors heave a collective sigh of relief. They have just submitted the final draft of their thesis, and some ceremoniously mark the occasion by turning a tank top inside out: What used to read “THESIS LIFE” on their chest now roars “PTL” — post-thesis life.  

For months, these seniors will have poured their souls into a research project that marks the capstone of their Princeton academic experience. Some refer to the arduous process as “birthing a book.” Forming a question, writing the words, consulting endlessly with their advisor ­— these are steps in a rite of passage that almost all Princetonians will recognize.

For many, and especially for those who don’t go into academia, the thesis will likely end up sitting in an obscure corner of a bookshelf, out of sight and out of mind. But from time to time, the thesis makes a surprising reappearance in the post-Princeton life, re-emerging in unexpected ways. 

To read more, click here.