Sometimes the things that end up changing most lives do not start with the intention of reaching anyone at all.
For Laurier student Ariel Babi, running began as something simple. It wasn’t about building an audience, creating a platform, or going viral. It was something he started for himself near the end of his second year, simply trying to move more, clear his head and figure things out one run at a time. But somewhere between documenting those early runs and sharing pieces of the process online, something unexpected started to happen. People connected with it.
What began as a personal habit slowly became a community.
And now, that same energy is helping power a 30-kilometre run from Laurier to the University of Guelph in support of Colorectal Cancer Canada.
When Something Starts Just for You
One of the most interesting parts of Ariel’s story is that he never planned for his content to grow the way it did.
He described his running content as something that started “selfishly” in the best possible way. It was something he did because he genuinely enjoyed documenting his progress and challenging himself. Running became both an outlet and a routine during university, not something designed for an audience.
That honesty is part of what makes his story resonate.
Instead of chasing visibility, he focused on consistency. Instead of trying to create something for everyone else, he created something that reflected where he was in his own life. And somehow, that authenticity was exactly what people connected with most.
It was not until a video during reading week this semester that things noticeably shifted. What had once been a small running habit shared online suddenly reached more people, and the run group he had been building with friends started to grow into something bigger than expected.
Sometimes the things we build for ourselves end up meaning something to others too.
Turning a Run into Something That Matters
The Laurier-to-Guelph run isn’t just a distance challenge. It represents something personal for the group behind it.
Ariel is completing the run alongside friends Ryan and Michi, who both have personal connections to the cause. Ariel’s own connection runs deeper through his family, as his mother works in cancer research. Supporting Colorectal Cancer Canada felt like a meaningful way to turn something physical into something impactful.
Together, what started as an idea between friends became a fundraiser that has already raised thousands of dollars, with even more support coming in.
Ariel shared that he believed the video announcing the fundraiser would gain attention due to the amount of effort and intention into it. But what surprised him was not whether people would care, it was just how many people chose to support them.
It’s one thing to run for yourself. It’s another thing entirely to run knowing people are running with you in spirit.
Side-Quests First, Computer Science Second
One of the phrases Ariel has recently become known for is something many students have probably seen across his content already: “side-quests first, computer science second.”
At first glance, it sounds like a joke. But the more he explained it, the clearer it became that it was actually a mindset.
For him, side-quests are not distractions from responsibilities. They are intentional experiences that help him stay motivated and curious about what comes next. They act as what he described as a tactical reward system, something that keeps him moving forward when university life starts to feel repetitive or overwhelming.
Instead of seeing side-quests as something separate from growth, he treats them as part of the process of figuring out who he is becoming.
Universities can sometimes make students feel like there is only one correct path forward. Coursework, deadlines, and expectations can make it easy to forget that exploration is still allowed. Ariel’s mindset is a reminder that trying new things is not falling behind. It is often how people move forward.
Sometimes seemingly “unimportant” side-quests end up teaching you the most important lessons.
Running as More Than Just Fitness
Although running started as a physical habit, it gradually became something more meaningful.
Like many students balancing academics, responsibilities and uncertainty about the future, Ariel found that running gave him a structure during busy semesters. It created space to reset mentally while still working toward something challenging. Over time, it became a steady part of how he handled stress and stayed grounded.
Part of what makes his content relatable is that it was never created with the goal of being relatable in the first place.
He simply documented what he was already doing.
And because of that, other students began to see pieces of themselves reflected in the process.
What started as something individual slowly turned into something shared.
Learning to Embrace the Havoc
Another phrase Ariel shared during our conversation was something he described as one of the original ideas that guided him and still does: embrace the havoc.
Universities rarely follow a perfectly organized plan. Most students are balancing academics, friendships, future plans, and personal goals all at once. Trying to manage everything at the same time can feel chaotic, but that does not always have to be a negative thing.
For Ariel, embracing the havoc means accepting that being busy with things you care about is sometimes a sign that you are moving in the right direction. It means letting yourself try things even if you are not completely sure where they will lead yet.
That mindset has already taken him further than he expected. From starting to run less than two years ago to organizing a 30-kilometre fundraiser to run and build a growing student community around it, his path has been anything but predictable.
He isn’t planning on slowing down anytime soon. One of his future goals includes possibly running an ultra-marathon, maybe even another long-distance campus-to-campus route someday.
Advice for Students Still Figuring Things Out
As someone approaching graduation, Ariel shared something many students probably need to hear more often.
Side-quests are not wasted time.
Trying new things, exploring interests and saying yes to opportunities outside your comfort zone are often the experiences that help you understand what direction you actually want to go in. They are not distractions from the university experience. They are part of it.
Sometimes the most important growth does not happen in lectures or assignments. It happens in the things you choose to try just because they interest you.
And sometimes, those side-quests end up becoming something far bigger than you ever expected.