The Volga Region University hosted an exciting event for its youngest students: a quest organized by members of the Student Science Club. The event aimed to immerse first-year students in the university's active campus life, with a focus on intellectual growth and acquiring new knowledge.
The scale of the event expanded significantly this year, with around nine teams of five students taking part. The organizers prepared ten stations for the participants, each requiring not only general knowledge but also quick thinking and ingenuity.
As Ulyana Petrova, the club’s head, noted, this event is a favorite among the organizing team:
– “QuestUM” is a favorite event for our team, because it is specifically for first-year students - we want to interest students in doing science.
Preparations for the quest began long before the start; as early as the beginning of the year, activists were developing the concept for the various stations and recruiting team mentors. The Student Council played an active role in the organization, as is tradition, given that this event is pivotal for fostering unity within the group.
“This is the second time our team has organized this quest. This year’s event was just as exciting as the first, as we wanted to raise the bar and involve as many students as possible. We prepared more stations and made them more diverse.
The activities didn’t just test knowledge; they included exercises for interhemispheric coordination, as well as active games that required quick thinking and rapid decision-making,” said Ulyana Petrova.
The new station-based format allowed participants to showcase a range of skills, from logical thinking to teamwork in unconventional situations. The first-year students not only learned about the scientific club’s activities but also took their first step into the world of student research—a realm full of discoveries and new challenges.
"Everything went great—I’m thrilled! The participants gave it their all and had a blast, and most importantly, they received memorable prizes from the university and are now fired up for an active student life," shared Ilya Khaustov, a participant in "QuestUM."
Text: Ulyana Sokolova
