Deciding to write for Odyssey was one of the best decisions I've ever made, but that doesn't mean it's not difficult at times. I am by no means calling myself an expert writer. I don't get paid to share my opinion; I do it for the love of writing. I love being able to share my voice, my thoughts, and my stories with the public, but it's not always easy for me.

I discovered pretty early on that one of my biggest struggles was going to be the deadlines. Having to write an article a week didn't seem like too much work. Between work, sleep, and socializing, I started slacking on my writings. Most weeks I cut it pretty close, but I never missed an article. Week after week I find the deadline comes faster and faster, and sometimes it's hard to keep up. By the time I submit one article, go through the editing process, and publish it, I am already roughly three days away from my next deadline. There's no doubt in my mind that this stress is completely and utterly at the fault of my constant procrastination. Nonetheless, the deadlines never fail to cause me stress week after to week.

As time goes by, my idea bin for topics keeps getting smaller and smaller. I keep a notebook of all my writing prompts, but I keep crossing them off faster than I can write new ones. I'm finding it difficult to create new interesting topics every week that are relevant and unique. On multiple occasions, I have started writing an article and never finished it because it is too political, too sensitive, or too common of a subject. I do my best to write from a neutral stance so I don't offend anyone. Through this experience, I have become more open to sharing my personal opinion. My articles will never be able to please everyone, and I have accepted that. I believe the best writings come from a place of experience. If you write on a personal life event, write things you are truly passionate about, or show the audience who you are- you've most likely created a wonderful piece of work.

I try to use my position at Odyssey to express my voice as a writer. With every piece I write I try to show as much of my personality as I can. I write the way I speak and I enjoy revealing tiny bits of myself through the articles I publish. It's easier to express myself when I am truly passionate about the topic I am writing about. Sometimes an article will just flow out of me, and I wont have to think about how the piece represents me and how I represent the piece. Those are the articles that make me want to keep writing. I don't want my articles to sound like articles; I want them to sound like a story- like an extension of myself. When I finally get that across in my article, it's complete.

As the weeks fly by, I can't deny I am proud of what I have produced on this platform. I'm filled with so much happiness when I see a group of people who genuinely enjoy hearing what I have to say. When my article Explaining My Depression To My Partner hit 100 shares, I was completely speechless. I couldn't believe that I could reach so many people and relate to them on such a personal level. I do this for the opportunity to reach out and relate to even one person. I have the platform to say what others don't have the strength to say. I am thankful for the chance to use my voice to educate, help, or relate to such a wide variety of people. The Odyssey has help me find who I am, and I'll keep using it to try to help others in any way I can.