Odyssey is an online news and entertainment platform where college students create the content that is published weekly. Jeez, could you imagine something worse? It's not like college students have thoughts, or the ability to eloquently put them into words, right? Actually, you're wrong, and in the last year, my first year creating for Odyssey, I have been amazed at my own work and the work of those around me. Odyssey is giving us an outlet through which to speak up, and this is a huge deal! So, if you clicked on this expecting to see more hate on those, "Open Letter..." articles, you're in the wrong place. Here are 11 reason Odyssey actually DOESN'T suck:

1. Odyssey gives college students a chance to create content that they care about.

The content creators for Odyssey get to pull form their own, personal idea banks; they are never assigned a topic. This allows for a broader range of content that is shared on the site each week! If that particular creator cares about puppies, he or she can write that article. If a particular creator cares about the election, he or she can write that article, too! And, of course, there is so much to choose from anywhere in between.

2. Odyssey provides readers with new and unique perspectives.

Some weeks, you can find 15 different articles on the same topic, but all with a different twist, view, or outlook. Having so many different creators from so many different background, places, and experiences can only be seen as an advantage and provides something for every reader.

3. Content creators for Odyssey aren't censored.

Odyssey doesn't tell a creator what he or she can write about or what he or she can say on the topic. We edit for grammar and format, not for content.

4. Odyssey provides college students the opportunity to show that they are aware, thoughtful, and care about social, political, and other important issues.

Our generation has been critiqued for being mindless, technology-obsessed, lazy fools. Want to prove everyone wrong? Odyssey gives you the chance to use your brain and create content that showcases how much you actually are thinking.

5. Odyssey helps provide college students with a platform to create and share their own voice online.

Other than through a blog, often times people don't feel that they can create a voice or persona online. Odyssey says, "You can!" We invite anyone who is interested to explore becoming a content creator. You don't even have to be an English or journalism major. We want your unique view on life!

6. Odyssey empowers current leaders and helps to foster future leaders.

There are many opportunities for leadership within the university level teams, and it is important to understand that every person from the content creator who writes to the editor-in-chief of a team is a college student. Odyssey builds leaders on campuses and in the world.

7. Odyssey is on the cutting edge.

Odyssey is growing at extremely rapid rates! According to a piece in Digiday from 2015, "The Odyssey, a 6-year-old community news platform, says it’s inverting the local-news formula by combining community-based news with coverage that appeals to a broader audience...The site’s writers, many of whom are current and former students, publish around 2,000 stories a week on not only local matters, but larger issues as well...the site got 1.5 million visitors in May [2015], through its internal numbers are closer to 10 million." These numbers have only continued to expand. Odyssey is making an impact.

8. Odyssey allows college students to share their experiences.

From the daily grind through class, relationships and work; to study abroad, internships, mental illness, success, failure and so much more, Odyssey allows for students to detail their ideas and experiences and share them.

9. Odyssey gives content creators and their readers an opportunity to identify with each other, showing solidarity of experience.

With the sharing of ideas and experiences comes the understanding of a commonality of experience. While our world is focused on pointing out the differences in people, Odyssey works because people can find common ground within these articles, and then they share them. It's awesome.

10. Odyssey's content creators are often on the front lines of their stories.

Odyssey's content creators are writing stories from their everyday lives. This means you are reading content that the creator experienced first hand. There's a special element of being more personal that makes Odyssey's content original and unique.

11. Odyssey wants to be the platform our generation needs.

Odyssey saw a need; our generation was being silenced due to the neglect to give us an outlet. Odyssey is stepping in and handing us the mic. This is a big deal, and we shouldn't let it pass us by. Read and share Odyssey articles, and if you want your voice to be heard, pursue an invitation to become a content creator with your university's team!