To say James Madison University is lackluster in any sense would be a crime. With over 300 clubs and 55 Greek chapters, JMU’s student involvement seems endless. At James Madison, we pride ourselves not only on our campus involvement, but also in our sense of community.

Now we are providing a unique outlet for our Dukes by going digital with The Odyssey! Here, our students have a place to electronically publish their ideas and inspirations. Ranging from their take on the news to their lifestyle and anything in between.

When I first applied to be Editor in Chief,  I was unsure of what to expect. Once I found myself surrounded by talented writers and creative minds, I knew we were onto something genius. Despite having only made it through the whirlwind of the first week, I am eager to continue on this exciting venture with The Odyssey staff members.

Although we managed to pull our articles together by Sunday night, I definitely have come full circle emotionally. For a more behind-the-scenes look, here’s a series of my reactions to our first week, as portrayed by the infamous Kristen Wiig.

1. Excited. 

Excited is an understatement; I was thrilled to hear I would be the Editor in Chief for The Odyssey at JMU. After aimlessly searching for my next JMU endeavor, it seemed like this new position found me. 

2. Nervous. 

Once the butterflies faded away and reality set in, the nerves did too. Editor in Chief? What have I gotten myself into? After being thrown the curve ball of having to hire an entire staff in a week, I was on edge. 

3. Confused. 

Naturally, my bewilderment grew as I trained for the duties of Editor in Chief. My online training introduced me to the server where I would be reading and editing future articles. It really started to sink in that I would be the boss and, as we got deeper into the training session, it became a challenge to keep up. After my training, I was confused and a bit frazzled, but I was determined nonetheless.

4. A Little Overwhelmed. 

After the training, my Contributing Editor and I were left to fend for ourselves and create our new team. After countless emails, text messages and phone calls, the interviews began, and one by one, we hired our amazing staff.

5. Surprised.  

Surprised? Yeah, just a little bit. Why was I so nervous in front of my newly hired staff? I think it was because when they asked questions, I was looking around for someone else to answer them… only to realize that I’m the one in charge here. Once I got the surprise of responsibility out of the way, meetings were able to run more efficiently.

6. In Love. 

Upon walking into the first few meetings, the writers’ excitement was palpable. Not only were they talking article ideas, but also they were mentioning think tanks, group chats and dinners. That’s when I knew they weren’t just fellow staff members; they were going to become my teammates and friends.

7. Proud. 

Our writers did it! In just one week our small team of 18 constructed their own unique articles and have helped to officially start The Odyssey at JMU. I could not be happier with the turn out so far, and I am eager to see what the future holds for our new team.