I'm sure you have been on the Internet and stumbled across an article about the "Top 10 Restaurants in..." or "Top 20 Things To Do This Summer." You might have even come across articles on "Finding Your Confidence" or other topics that relate to everyday (struggles within) life. It is very likely then, that you have read an Odyssey article before! If not, that's perfectly fine too!
This social media platform is constantly growing because there are so many great things about it. For starters, anyone can join a group in their local community -- yes, that means you can join! Calvin College has one, and that is the reason why I'm writing this article. There are numerous benefits to being a part of Odyssey in your community, but here are just some of the great perks:
1. Odyssey at Calvin College
There are more than 1,000 local communities, and Calvin is one of them! As if Calvin College is not great enough already, there is this great opportunity to get involved in a group at Calvin College while building your resumé in a different way. Which brings me to my next point.
2. Build your resumé
This is particularly beneficial for those who want to be journalists someday or are pursuing degrees in English. Writing an article each week, you begin to form an online published portfolio. Even if you do not have a writing major, you can write about what you're passionate about (Jesus, teaching, nursing, animal welfare, laughter, friendship, etc.) and still impress those future employers.
3. Share you ideas and experiences
As you may have noticed, Odyssey allows you to write about whatever you want to write about! Write about your goals, camp experiences, waking up super early during a period of time, work, summer, fall, current events, and so many other things. The sky is the limit! Not only can others learn about your experiences, they can learn from what you have gone through. That is exactly why the Odyssey exists.
4. Show appreciation
You can right articles that show appreciation for your mom and dad, roommates, camp experiences, HOBY, etc. It is great to voice your appreciation for things and to let people know that they are appreciated.
5. Inform others
Just like you are reading this article and learning about Odyssey (specifically at Calvin College), you can learn about so many others things such as the Burkini Ban and Flint Water Crisis. Also, more informally, you can share your experiences with your friends and family— my family and friends have gotten to know me better by reading my articles! They can see how funny I am and the crazy experiences I go through at times.
6. Find your voice
Time for a story! When I first started writing for Odyssey at Calvin, I was not comfortable sharing my thoughts in an article to the whole world, but I did it with the encouragement of my Editor in Chief! After publishing a few articles, I received much encouragement from people around me! I was pleasantly surprised and began to feel more comfortable sharing my thoughts and excitement. I have found that is also a good way to process through process through your thoughts almost like having a journal.
I hope you have a better understanding of what Odyssey is and how you can take part in it! You can request an invite to our team by visiting this link here.
