Why French?

What inspired you to pursue an honors thesis in the French department?
I wrote a thesis in French because I was writing a thesis for the History department that utilized French documents. Since I was already looking at line-by-line comparison for some of my project, it felt silly to not write a piece in French.

What aspects of French language, literature, or culture did you explore in your thesis that you found particularly interesting or engaging?
I wrote about pre-revolutionary French documents from 1789 called The Cahiers de Doléances and compared the topics within them to the topics within the Napoleonic Code. My ultimate theme was about the way civil society attempts to settle itself.

How did the process of researching and writing your thesis impact your overall experience at Rutgers?
Researching at Rutgers allowed me to finally sit on my own questions and feel like I was providing a point to be made in ongoing scholarship.

What skills or knowledge did you gain through the process of completing your honors thesis?
The thesis taught me to never stop questioning things. If we look at law documents at the surface, all they are is a set of laws. My thesis allowed me to challenge where documents come from. This view of society and what they allow themselves to take part in shapes nations.

What was the biggest challenge you faced while working on your honors thesis, and how did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge was giving myself permission to just write. Even if it wasn't exactly what I wanted to be talking about, necessarily. Sometimes it is better to just get words on a page because that will direct you for if it's garbage or if it's something you should explore.

How did your thesis advisor or other members of the French department support you during your research and writing process?
My thesis advisor Professor Swenson trusted me, a student he's never had, to run with a topic that he, himself, thought was going nowhere. He was my second reader for my history version so Professor Swenson really immersed himself in my project which allowed the edits to our French version to go smoothly.

What advice would you give to other students who are considering pursuing an honors thesis in the French department?
Pick a topic that inspires you! If you pick something that you can't fully immerse yourself in, you won't finish. It should be the first thing you say when anyone asks you how your semester is going. It becomes a work that really is a part of you.

How has the experience of completing an honors thesis in the French department prepared you for your future academic or professional goals?
The French department thesis showed me that the COVID Zoom classes and the Canvas quizzes were worth it. This thesis was a full culmination of every grammar test and conjugation panic.

Looking back on your time in the French department, what are you most proud of achieving through your honors thesis?
I am proud of how, despite my thesis being apples and oranges, I stuck with it. Comparing these two documents was very bold, they are thought of historically as completely separate things. Because they are. But this thesis was the ultimate test of never giving up and never doubting myself.