As I sit down to write this article, I've just finished an 8-hour shift at work, my feet hurt, I have to study for my political science class, there are unread, unanswered emails in my inbox, as well as at least three textbooks and four articles that require my attention.

Admittedly, I kind of want to cry, but there's no time for that. So, what do I do?

I write. I write and reflect on how and why I came to be apart of the amazing platform that is Odyssey Online.

I love to write.

Sometimes, I find myself so swept up in the busy, ever-moving current of my life, that I forget the main reason why I joined Odyssey. I love to write. In times of great stress, great joy, or any and everything else in between, I write about it. So why should now be any different? Myself and the thousands of creators who have found a voice through Odyssey are all unified by our love and appreciation of self-expression and openness; this love and appreciation is evident in any of the articles you could read on our platform, that I am so thankful to be a member of.

I am a part of an awesome network of fellow EICs.

Although I'm new to this role, I've already been welcomed into a close group of local EIC's who can readily sympathize and sometimes empathize with a lot of the things I'm struggling with. Whether I need people to rejoice with after a victory, or some sound advice on how to handle a situation, I know I have an amazing group of new friends, ready to help in any way they can.

My team is truly amazing.

My team is full of truly gifted writers, whose passions and writing styles vary. From social justice concerns, to pop culture, to campus life, to personal revelations and open letters, I feel like we always have such a diverse range of topics week-to-week. Getting to know people from my campus who I, most likely, never would've interacted with otherwise is amazing. Even on a small campus, it's easy to have tunnel vision, and only see or socialize with the people you already know. Each week, these ladies get better and better, and even though that means I'll have to keep getting better, too, to keep up with them — it's a challenge I'm more than ready for.

I love what I do.

I love helping people, and encouraging them to be their absolute best. I love seeing creators on my team tackling issues they never thought they'd write about, or revealing stories of hardships that they never thought they'd muster up the courage to tell, or laughing out loud while reading a hysterical piece someone wrote about their favorite show. The possibilities are endless as a content creator for Odyssey, and it's truly a wonderful thing.

In a world full of people trying to put me into boxes, slap labels onto my forehead, or force me into their pre-made molds, Odyssey just lets me be me. And that's pretty damn cool if you ask me.