I second this - try Debian or Debian/Proxmox before going Qubes.
The server I got is debian with proxmox so it'll be easy to set that up on my laptop too
I think it’s the best lightweight solution. In the vein of Qubes, Tails is also a fun derivative to play with if you haven’t. That’s more recommended for USB boot, but on secure machines virtualization of it is good.