Going into freshman year of college, one of the things I thought about most was how I was going to spend my time outside of the classroom. Over the summer, an opportunity arose on my class Facebook page: a chance to write for Odyssey Online. Having not heard of the organization, I did my research and found out that Odyssey is a millennial voices website that allows writers at chapters all across the country (although mostly on college campuses) to explore any topic in which they are interested. Most writers, or “content creators” produce a piece a week, usually submitted on a weekend and published by the start of the next week. I applied on a whim, thinking that it would be interesting, and have been writing for the organization ever since. It has been a great experience creating a piece each week (more or less), so I wanted to share some reasons why you should consider writing for Odyssey in the future.
You can write about whatever you want. One of my favorite parts about Odyssey is the freedom it gives its creators to delve into any area they want. Unlike many college-based newspapers, which often assign topics to team members, I have never been told what I “should” write about. This freedom allows me to discuss whatever I am most passionate about and means that I can create better, more passionate pieces.
The skills you will gain from writing about disparate topics. Going off of the first reason why you should write for Odyssey, being able to write about whatever you want likely means you will explore diverse subject matters. Doing so will allow you to effectively develop written narratives and arguments on many different topics. This will help you in the future, as you will be able to write clearly no matter what you are discussing.
The chance to learn or further immerse yourself in topics you might not otherwise think about. Writing for Odyssey has definitely made me more aware of current events, as I am always thinking about how to incorporate them into my articles. Being more aware of news allows me to have a better sense of the community, nation, and world around me. The opportunity to improve your written communication and argumentative skills. Because any piece of writing requires effective communication and a persuasive argument, writing for Odyssey has helped me enhance my ability to create clear, coherent, and strong arguments. In other words, my time on Odyssey has helped me become a better writer, something that will serve me well throughout my time in college and the rest of my life.![]()
More opportunities to write than you would have otherwise. Since my classes tend to have more tests and papers, being involved with Odyssey has allowed me to continue to take part in writing even if I don’t get to do it as much as I want to in the classroom. Thus, writing for Odyssey can be a great experience even if you are not an English major. In fact, it might be even more rewarding if you are in a STEM or social science field. A supportive team of fellow creators, both in your chapter and beyond. The great thing about joining Odyssey is that there are hundreds of chapters across the country. With so many members, you are instantly becoming part of something bigger than you when you join Odyssey. I have found that creators from across the country have shared my work and I have done the same for them. On a smaller scale, the Odyssey Team at Brown has been a great support system for me. I have made some great friends from meetings with members on the team and have met people who I likely would not have met otherwise. A stronger social media presence. In our social media obsessed world who doesn’t love an excuse to boost their social media presence?! When you submit an article for Odyssey, you have to share it to at least one of your personal social media pages in order for it to be published. This forces you to post to your social media at least once a week, which is great in my opinion! 
Because we want creative, passionate, and fun creators like you. If you are reading this, you might be considering writing for Odyssey! Even if you are unsure about it, I encourage you to apply to the chapter at your college or in your area. We are always striving to make our platform stronger and more awesome, and bringing new members on board is one of the best ways to do that. TO APPLY TO ODYSSEY, CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW AND ENTER THE REQUESTED INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY YOU HOPE TO JOIN. ONCE YOU DO THIS, THE LEADER(S) OF THAT COMMUNITY WILL RECEIVE A NOTIFICATION AND SHOULD REACH OUT TO YOU SOON.
Link to apply:https://muse.theodysseyonline.com/apply
You can write about whatever you want. One of my favorite parts about Odyssey is the freedom it gives its creators to delve into any area they want. Unlike many college-based newspapers, which often assign topics to team members, I have never been told what I “should” write about. This freedom allows me to discuss whatever I am most passionate about and means that I can create better, more passionate pieces. 
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