The Beauty of the Side Quest

My name is Victoria, and I love my job in the STEM environment. I work as a secretary at a local hospital and witness some truly remarkable events. When I clock out and go home, I stop making charts and calling codes and write poetry and magazine articles instead. I’m an English major and have had big aspirations to work in publishing all my life. I'm not even remotely interested in the medical field. I may be just a secretary, but people are always taken aback when I divulge that I work at a hospital. Some may see this as random (the nurses I work with definitely do), but I see it as the ultimate side quest.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a side quest refers to an activity or venture one partakes in that is done just for fun, or for the plot, if you will. It is not a part of your primary objective, but it is something you do in addition to your central path. When striving to fulfill your purpose in life, you’re executing your main quest, doing things you need to do to get to where you want to be. A side quest is something you do because you want to. This is where all a person's lore comes from. The concept originates from the gaming world and is something players do to help their character gain life experience points. I believe this translates over to real life seamlessly, as undergoing different trials and tribulations provides a person with immeasurable growth and understanding.

As someone who’s never been big on video games, I learned about side quests on TikTok last year. I found the concept fascinating and oddly validating, as if the internet finally found the perfect word to describe the detours in life that make it all the more interesting. How else would you explain an individual with such varied experiences? An example of this is a friend of mine who is the only white barista in a Latin coffee shop, was raised on a family farm across the country, and has a past life as a professional ballet dancer. Yes, this is someone I actually know. The lore goes crazy. These are all seemingly unrelated ventures, and they make for a pretty untraditional yet incredibly intriguing individual.

I believe in the value of the pursuit of side quests. The most beneficial aspect to me is their exploratory nature, diverging from the binary “expected” decision. How dare you stick to one path, refusing to deviate from it? Life isn’t meant to be experienced that way. Side quests allow us to break the mold and step out of roles we, or others, have imposed on us. By getting involved in something that someone in your field, culture, or social circle would traditionally never be, you are building your own story. Humans aren’t one-dimensional beings, and our decisions form our characters, especially when dipping a toe into various spheres and experiences. There is so much beauty in being multifaceted; the structure of society can make us lose that uninhibited childlike curiosity that pushes us outside of our comfort zone.

Side quests force us to challenge ourselves and step out of our designated roles, which, in my opinion, is the only way we can grow. Trying new things, especially when those things used to feel so unbelievably out of reach or out of character for you, can be such a rewarding and important process. Side quests also present the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life who can teach and supply us with perspectives we’d never come across before. This opportunity is an integral part of the growing process as diverse perspectives broaden our own, leading to higher emotional intelligence, the stimulation of creativity, and a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

To me, side quests are an integral part of life. They push us past our limits and strengthen our character in unimaginable ways. They teach us that we can do anything we put our minds to, whether it aligns with our principal path or not; life is what you make it. Side quests yield understanding, empathy, and self-discovery; a non-linear life experience is no less than any other kind. So, apply for the position you’re not qualified for, go to the concert alone, run the marathon, and then go skydiving after all that. You never know when a side quest could turn into your central one.

Strike Out,

Writer: Victoria De Notaris

Editor: Emily Montarroyos

Tallahassee

The Art of Ugly Makeup

15-Second Hooks