My 10‑year‑old son loves open‑world video games – think Zelda or Minecraft. These are the kinds of games where you choose your own adventure. A “side quest” is simply a detour on the way to the end game – it is expected and often welcomed by players. Such detours can lead to fun, new experiences; however, they can also derail your progress. Stray too far from the intended destination and you may struggle to find your way back.
In my original post about this series, I promised to share the good, the bad, and the ugly of my academic adventures. With one course now complete, I’ve already encountered an experience that encapsulates all three.
In my degree program, we’re assigned a small team to collaborate on specific learning activities and assignments. For interdisciplinary students like me, the scope of that collaboration across courses is still a bit unclear. Although we’ll share a few core courses, we ultimately head off on our own paths. Because teamwork, collaboration, and co‑creation are part of my daily professional life, I didn’t anticipate any major roadblocks beyond the usual group‑formation challenges – especially in a course focused on academic writing. Boy, was I wrong.
As part of the institution’s commitments to Indigenous Peoples, all courses integrate Indigenous perspectives. As you can imagine, despite the best intentions, colonial systems like academic institutions don’t always manage this integration well. And this is where the side quest began. With a mix of settler and Indigenous voices, our team agreed we had to find a way through. There was no option to bypass or ignore.
The good: My teammates are amazing human beings; they are genuine, kind, and caring. I truly enjoyed the connection we built, and I believe we succeeded because of each other. Our final submission was a true collaboration, and I’m proud of the work. I cherish the learning I’m taking away from the experience.
The bad: We got stuck. Really stuck. We struggled to express what we wanted to say while meeting the learning objectives and course parameters. Early drafts were a jumble of tentative, half‑formed ideas that didn’t move us forward. At times, it felt like we were spinning in circles.
The ugly: Even with a central emphasis on relationality, I often felt misunderstood and unheard. I wrestled with imposter feelings. Ironically, I was also working on two other co‑writing projects with different teams at the same time – both of which were positive, energizing experiences.
At this point, I don’t have a tip or takeaway except to say that sometimes the side quest is simply part of the journey. Onward!
This response was reviewed and refined using Microsoft Copilot to assist with grammar, spelling, and clarity. The AI was used solely for editing purposes and did not alter the original ideas or voice of the author.
Did You Know?
Life Strategies supports organizations, associations, and community groups in need of targeted solutions for their workplace challenges.
Learn how Life Strategies can support:
- Assessing training needs / skill gaps
- Conducting research (e.g., environmental scans, surveys, interviews)
- Developing in-house training solutions
- Facilitating focus groups, town hall meetings, or retreats
- Facilitating strategic planning / visioning with leadership teams
- Designing and implementing career development interventions/services
- Developing and strengthening leaders
- Navigating interpersonal conflicts within the workplace
- Offering one-on-one or group career coaching/counselling
