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Sitaram · Site Admin Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 1079

My Senior year, 1971, was the first year that the name was changed from "Senior Thesis" to "Senior Essay". I was disappointed. I felt it was far more impressive to say that I had written a thesis.

I have posted a link at my profile to my Senior Essay.

A fellow alumnus just now wrote me regarding that essay and his renewed interest in Hegel.

I related to him an interesting anecdote regarding my work on that essay.

I thought I would start a topic here, and repost my anecdote, to afford prospective students to think about their essay writing experiences, and to provide a place for others to share their account of essay writing.

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There is a curious story behind my Hegel essay.

In high school, one Saturday, I went to the Yale Co-Op bookstore in New Haven, with a desire to understand what philosophy is all about. I went to the hard cover book section and chose Hegel's Phenomenology of the Spirit, because the title seemed ponderous and impressive. The book remained unread until the beginning of my Senior year at St. John's, when Hegel's Phenomenology was the first reading.

The very first seminar on Hegel gave me an idea for my senior paper. I began work on it in September. By Thanksgiving vacation, I had a first draft.

By Christmas break, I had a finished paper, but I continued to work on it diligently, through the entire 6 week writing break in the Spring. I read every book I could get my hands on, including a preceptorial on Kojeve's "Introduction to a Reading of Hege's Phenomenology"

A few seniors were half way through the six week writing period, and had not yet chosed a topic.

I felt most blessed. It was a gratifying experience.

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