For many of us college students, life can feel like a constant, unending cycle of the same few tasks. Academics, work, chores, and other responsibilities can fill up our schedules every day, making it hard to truly relax and enjoy life. That’s where the art of side questing comes in.
“Side quest” is a term that originates from video games, meaning a small mission to be completed outside of the main goal. But over the last couple of years, social media platforms such as TikTok have redefined the phrase as an action that deviates from your usual routine, breaking up the monotony of everyday life.
The best part about side quests is that they are customizable to fit everyone’s life. They can be free or paid, big or small, and planned or spontaneous. They can involve anything from outdoor activities or arts and crafts to larger trips or events.
For example, you could invent a new recipe from the ingredients you have, take a road trip to a place you’ve never been to, or attend a pottery class.
Incorporating spontaneous activities into your life has proven benefits. Research shows that rigid thinking is linked with poor mental health. While a side quest may not solve all your problems, it is a way to have new experiences, which broadens your perspective.
Interestingly, due to a decrease in neuroplasticity, people’s thinking tends to become less spontaneous as they age. However, this can be mitigated by actively taking steps to maintain a flexible mindset. For this reason, young adults and college students can massively benefit from side questing as it trains them to think in a more flexible way.
Depending on the type of side quest you choose, there can be other benefits as well. For instance, choosing outdoor activities that involve sports, walking, or other physical activity can help people meet their exercise goals and improve both physical and mental health.
Activities involving art can be a form of relaxation and boost creativity. The possibilities are truly endless.
College students may feel that many side quests are unrealistic due to time, money, and other factors. However, there are many convenient ideas they can try. For students, a side quest can look like joining random clubs or attending events on campus you normally wouldn’t.
Something as simple as taking a walk somewhere different can be made into a side quest.
Some people may also worry that random side quests are a waste of time, distracting them from work and studies. However, side questing is best done with a balanced approach. Rather than replacing important items on your schedule, side questing can instead serve as a more productive way to spend what free time you already have.
For those who struggle with the tendency to spend too much time on social media, side quests can serve as motivation to be more active, creative, curious, or involved in the community instead of spending hours scrolling.
How is a side quest different from regular hobbies or activities? Part of it is that side quests can be one-off events, with no pressure to do them on a regular schedule. For example, if your side quest is to try archery, you don’t need to enroll in a weekly class and buy a bow.
You could instead just attend a singular class to see if you enjoy it, and decide where to go from there. This makes it a very low-pressure way to try out new activities without the commitment.
Overall, side questing is an easy, flexible way that anyone can make their life more interesting and fulfilling. For college students in particular, it can serve as a way to improve mental health and have an escape from school and work that is still productive.
What will your next side quest be? Let us know @HerCampusSJSU!