So my question is not so much how to make one, but how to play one, i'm a mage and i'm not doing the mq, I'm also a dunmer. on my warrior class i just go kill and mine stuff, but i can'd do that as a mage... so what do you guys do as mages to like level up and what not?

I'd go for destruction, illusion and conjuration. Destruction alone can be VERY difficult - using illusion spells such as frenzy, fear and calm can make it easier to manage. Conjuration is also a good tool, because atronachs and such can make good companions in battle.
You'll need the dual-casting and impact perks in Destruction - I tend to take ALL of the dual-cast perks actually.

Become a necromancer! It's a lot of fun. Conjuration, Illusion, alchemy and a small splash of destruction. You may want to go it the necromage perk; I haven't decided if I want it yet.

Plan your battles: fear, frenzy, summon, reanimate, poison. It's all good.

Go with Human tank. Destruction + Restoration + Heavy Armor = Tank. I use enchanting to help with magicka consumption and carry more magicka potions than health. Most creatures won't be able to do serious damage to you as you blast fire ball after fire ball.

I think the OP wants to know what you do with your mage in the game instead of what skills and perks you've taken...

My mage and I like to go around helping people that need help. I don't play him too different from my warrior to be honest except with my mage instead of mining ore and smithing, I look for enchanted items so I can learn their enchantments. I do just as much killing of baddies in Skyrim with my mage as with the warrior, I just have to be a bit smarter on how to fight them since charging into a charrus nest with no plan equals dead mage.

oops, Yeah it involves more foresight and sometimes good old RUN AWAY!!! and come back and kill it

I do all the Daedric quests. As you, I'm not doing the MQ with my mage.

If you are asking, "how do you chose which actions to take" rather than "how should I build one", I'd say, don't try to figure out what a "mage" would do. Or any other class. Roleplay based on a personality. You make up the character's personality, then play it.

IF you want build tips...Illusion is the most powerful school in the game, thoroughly perk'd. Destruction and Conjuration until Illusion is thoroughly perk'd OR don't use Illusion at all, and just use Destruction and Conjuration. Destruction must be perk'd up to at least "impact" though I'd say.

I just do the quests (not the MQ). I usually don't level enchanting, as a mage, because even though the game considers "enchanting" a magical skill, it really isn't very useful for mages. It's more of a warrior/thief thing. Mage's can get decent gear as rewards and drops, and their abilities takes up any slack in their gear. Warriors and Thieves are the ones that really need enchanting, to make up for their lack of spellcasting abilities.

I am a conjurer destruction mage. At low level I used to kill an enemy, ressurect him to fight for me and let him tank. I did that until I got the Astronachs (sorry if I mispell it). Ever since I always summon a Frost astronach if I need a tank or flame astr if I need extra ranged dmg, while I use destruction to electrocute my opponents.

Dont be afraid to sprint away from opponents that get too close and kill ranged enemies first. Unrelenting force and ice form can be very useful shouts to keep melee at bay.