A classic first day in EQ.
Yes, there are a lot of quests in the game but the primary way to gain experience is by killing mobs. For the most part quests are about getting items or raising your faction with certain NPCs. But there are a few good experience quests, like in the northern part of Greater Faydark is a zone called Crushbone and it's full of orcs who have a chance to drop Crushbone belts that can be turned in to a NPC in the Dwarf capitol of Kaladim. You can also sell these belts to other players.
The wiki has a wealth of information, this is a good place to get started.
https://wiki.project1999.com/Newbie_Guide
Good luck in your travels!