Everyone should do something for Quest at least once during their time here. If you do not know exactly what Quest is, it is  a day dedicated to sharing the scholarly and creative pursuits of students, faculty and staff at SUNY Oswego. It is filled with presentations that come in the form of talks, competitions, panels, debates, shows, posters, readings, recitals and demonstrations. Most times when I hear students talking about Quest, they usually mention sleeping in and using it as a day off. I used to be one of them too because I more than understand the need to sleep in and take a break. We are getting closer to finals and things are ramping up so it makes sense that students would like to take this day as a freebie and relax for a little while.

However, it would not hurt to check out what other people are working on. I saw some really interesting presentations including : “Hip-Hop Therapy: An Effective Model for Black Mental Health” by Keturah Hancock, “Leaving the Nest and Leaving the Closet: Associations between Overprotective Parenting and Mental Health/Positivity in LGBTQ+ College Students” by CassandraVanDamme, “Children of Immigrants and Independence in the College Setting” by Fatoumata Balde, “Cuba, Where Art Speaks Louder Than Words” by Jevon Walton,  “​​Application of Epigenetics to Human Trafficking” by Gretchen Dowd, “Female Gang Members’ Impacts on Drug Trafficking & Crime” by Joy McClinton, “Let Young Black Girls Reclaim Their Voices and Reconnect With Their Ancestors A How to Guide By Using Legendborn By Tracy Deonn” by Lacey Rusaw or ““Ugh, another group project!”: Examining How Personality and Cohesion Influence Grade Outcomes in a Group-Project Based Course” by Patrycja Kulesza, Gabrielle House and Ashlee, Moore.

They all sound like interesting projects and for the few that I was able to see, when I snuck away from my own poster, they were great. It was an amazing opportunity to hear students talk about something they had worked so hard on, while learning something new about a topic I most likely would have never thought about. That is the beauty of Quest, you get to explore the creative minds of your peers and discover a new interest for yourself. And you will find something interesting for yourself, even if it is just a little, because almost every department presents and the topics and mediums that they use are all different in some way that it naturally makes you curious about at least one thing. 

If you are here next year, go to Quest and see what all the hype is about. I promise it is worth checking out at least once during your time here. Sleep in and get that rest you need, then check out Quest and see if you can find something you like or walk around until you find something worth your time. If you do not, then get a snack on your way out and call it a day.

Photo by: Gabriella Patterson