Undertale: digital resolutions (a QotM answer)

January’s Question of the Month is brought to you by Chris from OverThinker Y: creative blogger, talented composer and all-round nice guy. To find out more about him and his site, as well as how you can get involved, take a look at this post.

Whenever the clock strikes midnight at the end of December, millions of people attempt to better themselves over the next 12 months. They set out to ditch bad habits and adopt new regimes, feeling optimistic for the future and eager to make their mark on the new page before them. Sadly though that sentiment is short-lived: last year one in five people failed to keep their New Year resolutions in the first week alone.

Perhaps that’s because our goals are unrealistic and we bite off more than we can chew. But do we really know what it’s like to be challenged? Do we truly understand what it’s like to have the fate of the world on our shoulders, to face countless foes because we want to do the right thing for those we care about? Do we get how important it is to come up against adversity yet remain strong and positive?

One person who does is Frisk from Undertale. The kid in a striped t-shirt might seem not seem like the hero we need at first but wait until you get to know her (him?). This is one protagonist from whom we could all learn a few important life lessons.

Don’t let anything hold you back

Did Frisk let her fear hold her back when she fell through the barrier on Mount Ebott? Not at all. Many would have been terrified at finding themselves trapped in the Underground but she was determined to make her way through the kingdom of Monsters and return home. She may have had an uphill battle in front of her, full of danger and difficult decisions, but sometimes all you need to do is take the first step on the journey ahead of you.

Take small steps and celebrate your successes

That journey may be an incredibly long one, so it’s important to recognise how far you’ve come and reward yourself for the progress you’ve made. Frisk saves regularly and takes time out from her quest to enjoy the fun things in life like eating ice-cream, petting dogs and listening to music with friends. Giving yourself mental boosts like this before turning your attention back to your goals will make you all the more prepared to achieve them.

Everyone is a potential friend

Frisk may have entered the Underground alone but by the end of her journey, she had many friends standing by her side (if you played nice). She could have attacked the Monsters she encountered along the way, turned her back on them because they were different and showed them no mercy; but instead she chose to talk. Even a human-hating skeleton can turn out to be a ‘Cool Dude’ capable of friendship if you give him a chance.

Stay determined

Instead of letting the graveness of her situation overcome her, Frisk takes joy from the small things: playfully crinkling through leaves, hearing the sound of muffled rain on a cave-top, knowing that the mouse might one day hack into the computerised safe and get the cheese. All of these seemingly small acts fill her with determination and give her the strength to continue, showing us that sometimes we just need to look at the positive side of life.

Here’s one character who’s got her act together and will be able to achieve whatever she sets her heart on. Maybe we should all embrace our optimistic sides and be a little more like Frisk.