Okay, so you’re bored again. Despite the convenience of being able to open a social media app, see if anyone has been emailing, calling, or texting you, there’s far more life to live than what lies behind the small screen of your cell phone. It’s true that especially as a college student, lives are busy. Frequently, it feels as though it would be better to turn our brains off, rather than enrich them after a long day. However, when adopting that habit, we neglect the many experiences life has to offer us. This is not meant to encourage to get in your car and drive to California on whim, but rather find oppurtunities to find the little joys in everyday life.
As a society, we are obsessed with romanticizing anything we can. From walking to class in the scalding heat, to sitting on our couches under fairy lights watching nostalgic TV shows, it’s human nature to look for beauty. Side questing can aid us in finding this.
Firstly, don’t overcomplicate the task. A side quest can range from actually visiting a new location to trying a new food, or educating yourself. There are plenty of online modules in various topics that can be done at your own pace, that may help you learn something new! Additionally, even ordering a new menu item at your favorite coffee shop or restaurants can warrant a new experience.
Another thing you can do in search of a side quest is to simply start saying yes to things. One of your friends asks if you want to go to Cook Out at 1am on school night, maybe don’t make it habit, but indulge in the experience. Cook Out runs (or really any location of your choice) can turn into drives, walks, or any other experience. All it takes is a yes!
Furthermore, another side quest you can do is setting on obscure goal. An example this is to try to gain access to a new location, community, or memorize something. A friend of mine has an entire deck of Trivial Pursuit cards memorized, gaining both knowledge and an entertaining trick in the process. Personally, last year I set an adventurous goal to go into one of the Greek Mansions on campus, it’s a goal I met, but it also gave me so much more than that. As someone who was initially wary of the Greek community, it showed me that the organizations on this campus are committed communities that give back to CNU in unique and individual ways.
When we open our minds up to new experience, we open doors to new knowledge, friendships, and experience. In fact, I recently ended up attending an anthropology class that I’m not enrolled in. So go on that late night drive, get coffee with that person you’ve always wanted to know better, read that book you’ve never been quite sure about, ask for new opportunities, you never know what it might bring. I know for me, it brought me so many friendships and countless stories to tell. I think those are things that everyone deserves to have.