Writing for Odyssey has been one of my top stress relievers for the past few months, but when writer’s block hits, so does the stress of submitting an article on time. Great article ideas don't come easily, and sometimes it feels like they just don't come at all.

1. Assume an idea will come to you by your submission date. As long as you come up with something the day before you submit, you’ll be able to finish it on time, right? Procrastination is very real, especially with classes, work, and other extra-curricular activities filling up your schedule.

2. Forget that you’re supposed to be brainstorming ideas until the very last minute. Your wake-up call usually comes in the form of a text from your editor asking what the hell you plan on writing about. I’ve gotten quite a few of these texts. Don’t be like me.

3. Make something up on the spot. You practically close your eyes and point. Whether it's something you heard in the news that morning or something that's been grinding your gears for the past week, you have to start somewhere. The beauty of the Odyssey is that you can write about anything you want!

4. Change your mind completely, most likely more than once. You finally sit down to write, and you just can’t get more than a paragraph out. No matter what idea you come up with, you can’t come up with anything. No idea seems good enough.

5. Hide from your editor (sorry, Bri!). Your article was supposed to be submitted last night, and you’re still struggling. Your phone starts blowing up with reminders, and you just want to curl into a ball. Eventually, you have to face reality and start typing.

6. Give up and write an article about how you can’t write an article. It may be a cop out, but it’s definitely relatable. All writers experience writer’s block at some point. There’s no shame in it.

7. Realize you actually have to come up with a better idea next week. You can’t write about writer’s block every week. It's time to pay closer attention to current events or to ask your editor for some ideas.

8. Repeat. Hopefully you don't have to repeat this on a weekly basis, but writer's block will probably find it's way back to you at some point.

In all honesty, though, the Odyssey provides so many tips and resources for its writers to create top-notch articles. From fellow creators, editors in chief, and managing editors, you always have somebody to give you ideas and push you in the right direction. My best tip is that finding something you are passionate about will never leave you struggling to reach your word count.