Who knew writing a few hundred words every two weeks could be this challenging? Having been part of Odyssey for the summer, I learned that I was more terrible with deadlines than I thought.

That wasn't the only thing.

I learned to be more confident in myself. Though my writing didn't attract much attention, it was quite scary to publish my experiences and thoughts online where everyone can access it.

I think many people, especially women, have a tendency to excessively humble themselves to the point of disregarding their own opinions when we express our thoughts with an apologetic attitude as if speaking up would make us seem rude and obnoxious.

Publishing small articles on Odyssey helped me break the fear of speaking up and embarrassing myself. Through written words, I opened myself up a lot more during the past few months than I ever did in many years. It wasn't easy writing about my personal struggles, but it helped me have meaningful conversations with new friends. It was always a pleasant surprise to connect with unlikely people.

Through the extremely personal articles to light-hearted listicles, I want to thank the Odyssey for this platform that allowed me to speak up, supported by such a strong team of editors and other writers. Though I was extremely lacking in many ways, I'm so grateful for this experience that made my summertime special and kept me motivated to write.