Writing has always been an outlet for me. When I was young and something bothered me, I would write about it. There was something about putting pen to paper that allowed me to clear the jumbled up thoughts in my head and make sense of them. As I got older, I realized that I not only enjoyed writing, I was pretty decent at it. I consistently found myself receiving good grades and positive feedback on my work. Classmates began requesting that I peer edit their papers, and I found that I actually quite enjoyed helping them.
When I heard about Odyssey, I thought that it seemed like the perfect opportunity for me. I began working on my application piece right away. However, my anxiety kept building the more I started typing. I had never before written anything that had the potential to be seen by so many people via the internet. I began overthinking every word that I wrote, wondering what others would think while reading my article. Finally, after trying and failing to write something I was pleased with, I closed my laptop in frustration and told my team's editor that I had changed my mind about applying. Even though I loved writing, I did not have enough confidence in my own work to be able to subject my writing the the judgmental eyes of the internet.
Over the next couple of months, I continued writing privately. Finally one day, after feeling especially inspired, I locked myself into my room for two hours and pounded out an article very near to my heart about the impact my softball team has had on me. When I finished and sat back to examine my work, I realized that my message was too important to me to keep it hidden away in my computer's documents file. I reapplied for Odyssey, this time forcing myself to click the send button. My team's editor ended up really enjoying my article and offered me a spot on Ohio Northern's team. That week, I published my application piece as my first article. I was extremely nervous about it, as the inner workings of my mind had never been so exposed before. However, when numerous family and friends reached out to me to tell me how much they enjoyed my article, I realized I had made the right decision.
Now, I have published 18 articles for Odyssey on a variety of topics ranging from silly entertainment pieces to informative articles that I hope can inspire my readers. Even though it is difficult sometimes to meet the quota of one article per week amidst my busy schedule, I continue to work hard and write. I have never before had more confidence in my own voice, and I hope that through Odyssey, I will be able to continue to grow and develop my voice while inspiring others with my work. I am a strong believer in the power of words, and thanks to the internet and writing platforms like Odyssey, myself and others have the opportunity to have their unique voices heard with the hope of reaching readers around the world.
