This time last year, I joined The Odyssey as a content creator and I never thought that I would have grown so much as a writer and as a leader.

Before joining The Odyssey, I was a second semester freshman who didn't really have a place. I wasn't really involved with any other clubs on my campus and I didn't interact with many people. One night, after a long study session that lasted nearly 4 hours, I went onto my my Facebook and I saw that they were looking for writers. Automatically I was attracted to the idea - and without even thinking - I decided to apply, and surprisingly they answered back within the next few days. I talked on the phone with one of the Managing Editors and I thought to myself, "I'm definitely going to like this." They were so nice and understanding, therefore I was excited to get started.

Fast forward a few months, I was writing articles every week and I was putting out articles about Donald Trump, women's rights, college, etc. I was writing things that didn't have to be graded and I could write about what I was passionate about. One day in class, I was sitting on my computer and I noticed that I got a Facebook message from someone at a Marketing and Publishing company that read my articles on The Odyssey and wanted to collaborate on an article about music streaming. This opportunity came from being apart of a great organization and my hardwork as a content creator. Without The Odyssey I wouldn't have had this real-life experience.

Fast forward a few more months, I became the Community Health Manager. This position really showed me that working on a team really pays off and that getting to know people, and trying to communicate online can be difficult sometimes, but it's 100% worth it.

After an entire summer in this leadership position, I became the Editor-in-Chief of the Mercyhurst Odyssey team. Being in this position, has given me so much experience and leadership skills. I have to work everyday to ensure that my team produces the best content they can and because we are a small college, not many people write for The Odyssey, so in this case quality is more important than quality.

I've learned so much during my first year with The Odyssey and I can honestly say it's one of the most rewarding organizations anyone can be apart of. Everyone is always really nice and they all have real-world experience, which makes me even happier because I will also be apart of the professional world in a few years.

The Odyssey gave me a place to go when I didn't have anywhere else to go. I feel like I'm apart of something bigger and something that I know will only grow bigger and bigger. I feel like it's so important to develop yourself professionally and creatively, so I am very excited to continue my journey with The Odyssey, because they encourage both!