Anastasija Petrovska, Class of ’25

As a double major in Honors English and Honors Philosophy, Ana engages in endless thought provoking conversations in her classes. Currently working on her original English thesis on the role of abjection in art, Ana enjoys spending her days hanging out with friends, working out, and most importantly, reading with a cup of coffee.

What made you pursue English as a major? What’s the most fulfilling part of your major?

I came into SBU undecided and I first fell in love with philosophy, so I declared that my first major. But, with philosophy, while the readings are very thought-provoking, the way in which they are presented is a bit dense. When I then took an English course here, I was surprised that the concepts we were learning about were the philosophies I was learning in my philosophy courses but they’re presented in a condensable and artistic way. The principles are very similar, and the thought processes are the same, so I thought to myself: why not declare a second major? It was a conscious choice, and I’m glad that I get to look at my English thesis as a passion project.

Do you feel like being a double major in English and Philosophy amplifies the conversations/viewpoints you have in both of your majors?

Yes, but it gets tricky. Because there are interdisciplinaries that cross over between my majors, it’s sometimes difficult to keep the focus and attention on the readings you’re doing in one particular class, even if some concepts overlap. I have to remember not to bring in an ongoing conversation that I had from a class five minutes prior into the reading and discussion in my next one. So while I see connections all the time, and feel inclined to share, the hardest part is actually trying to concentrate on one class at a time.

Tell me about your Original Thesis; What led you to this topic? Who’s mentoring you?

My original thesis idea came from a summer read, Powers of Horror by Julia Kristeva. A one-sentence summary (though it hardly does her work justice) is that abjection disrupts the subject-object binary, calling binarism into question entirely by outlining a psychological process rather than a fixed category of: subject/object. Abjection further challenges an individual’s subjectivity and relationality with others in the world. Kristeva writes poetically and abstractly enough for me to filter my interactions with daily artworks such as music, other books, advertisements, even memes through the concept of abjection. I remember putting on my headphones, hearing Zombie by The Cranberries, and instinctively beginning to analyze the metaphor of zombies application to Kristeva’s case study of the corpse. After taking EGL494 last semester, I started questioning whether applying theory to the consumption of art is an ethical way of engaging with it, especially in works depicting violence. Professor Celia Marshik is my mentor. One of my favorite parts of the English Honors thesis and process is the ways in which your project molds and shifts in ways you couldn’t really consider or account for as it happens naturally in the research and conversations through your cohort, professors, and even the scholars of whom you’ve entered a scholarly conversation with. 

What does a typical day at SBU look like for you?

Typically, if I wake up before class and have time, I’ll do some reading with coffee. I love slow mornings and taking my time. Then, I’ll go to my classes and linger in the library or the Humanities building. I’m in several clubs too, I’m on the e-board for the Philosophy Club and I’m a member of Pink Gloves (a boxing/self defense club). I like going to the gym, reading, cooking, and hanging out with my friends. 

What career path are you interested in after you graduate?

My dream career is to be a Professor in the humanities discipline. I like the university environment and want a career where I’ll be surrounded by young people who shape my worldview as I shape theirs. I also believe education is the best avenue for meaningful engagement. I love fostering thoughts and ideas with others, creating ripple effects that extend beyond the classroom. If I choose a different path, my backup plan is probably law; primarily because I see it as a form of activism that applies educational perspectives to drive forth action.