The 35th annual Quest symposium will be on Wednesday and will showcase a number of different student presentations all in the never ending “quest for knowledge.”

Over 100 presentations will occur over the course of the day, covering a wide variety of topics including cutting-edge student-led scientific research and envelope-pushing artistic endeavors will occur in the Marano Campus Center, the Shineman Center, Penfield Library and the Academic Quad. It is an opportune time to attend a discussion and maybe learn something new.

Most classes are canceled making it easy to attend faculty and student presentations or even present during the day. Kudos to those presenting on the day some students refer to as “Questmas” and a day of social activities not connected to academics. Student presentations have gone on to be shared and praised at national conferences and win recognition and research grants for their hard work.

The night before Quest day, is colloquially known as “Questmas Eve.” Wednesday is not a day off to booze and slack off, its a day to learn and has been that way since it’s inception in 1980. Students who take the easy route and party the day away are not taking full advantage of the educational opportunities that the university is providing for them. Squandering knowledge for a free night of slacking off or partying should be frowned upon, but it has almost become an inside joke among the student body.

Take a look at the symposium schedule and see what is happening. It may surprise you to see what some of the topics are or who may be coming to present. You may even end up sitting in on a presentation or browsing the posters lining the hallways of the Marano Campus Center.

Utilize the weekend to celebrate and even dedicate it to Quest day if you want. Don’t stay out too late on “Questmas Eve” because you may have presentations to attend for some extra credit.

At the end of the day, though some might not want to admit it, Oswego State is a place of higher education. Quest promotes the feeling to strive for higher learning.  Those who do not take advantage of the opportunities provided are doing themselves a tremendous disservice.