Oswego State students are planning a variety of activities, some school-sponsored and some not, for this years’ Quest Day.

The day is scheduled for the first Wednesday in April every year, and classes from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. are canceled so students can attend the event.

“Quest is a symposium dedicated to sharing the scholarly and creative pursuits of students, faculty and staff of the State University of New York at Oswego,” according to the Oswego State webpage.

The webpage says the purpose of the day is to recognize the research and academic activities of members of the Oswego State community.

Some students expressed interest in the presentations without the incentive of extra credit, like Liam Weaver, an operations management major.

“I’m going to attend Quest Day and see what my fellow students have been working on throughout their years at college,” Weaver said.

For students who plan to attend Quest Day, the events will begin with a welcome station, with a “red carpet selfie station” available in the Marano Campus Center main concourse, along with coffee and snacks.

Some of the presentations planned include a presentation given by the Black Student Union, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. in 231 Marano Campus Center, an award ceremony for creative from 10 a.m. to noon in 114 Marano Campus Center, and multiple planetarium presentations beginning at 3 p.m. in the Shineman Center Planetarium, running every half hour until 4:30 p.m.

However, not all students use Quest Day to attend presentations. Colloquially known as “Questmas Eve,” some students begin partying on the Tuesday before Quest Day, and forgo the optional presentations on Wednesday for day parties and leisure.

“I think it’s definitely a day for students to make choices, whether to do presentations, some people report, some people day drink!” said Elizabeth Stanistreet, a public relations major.

This year, Nathan DeSantis, an adolescent education and Spanish major, will balance the academic and social sides of Quest Day.

“I’m going to attend one of my friend’s presentations on French culture earlier in the day, and go to a party after,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis said he will likely do something on Tuesday before Quest, as well, considering the fact that there will be no class the following day.

Many professors provide extra credit to students who attend presentations during Quest.

Many students also use Quest Day to work on other things, rather than party. Austin Goralski, an English major, is one such student.

“I have a class that’s offering extra credit if I go see a presentation, so I’m going to go see one,” Goralski said. “But if I wasn’t going for extra credit, I still wouldn’t drink for [Quest] probably. I’d most likely just get other work done.”

Goralski said that he does not think students that party during Quest Day are doing the smartest thing.

“It’s probably not a good idea to party in the middle of the week, but that’s college, I guess,” Goralski said.

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