I’ll start off by saying that this semester has been rough. Not socially, but academically and mentally. I’m taking 17 credits and I have a part-time job. Balancing homework, sleep, having time to eat and being around friends has been difficult.

The first week of school, I bought a longboard. This is probably the best investment I have ever made. Not only is it something I can do when I need a break from homework, the majority of my friends picked up longboarding. It’s something that brings me an extraordinary amount of happiness.

But, I must say there is something else that truly makes me smile. There have been a lot of dead days this semester, where I’ve had little sleep, zombie eyes, and the idea of smiling repulses me. I’ve been writing for Odyssey for over 6 months. It’s a way to keep writing in my life. Oddly enough, I’ve never had any complaints writing for Odyssey. I absolutely love it. I always assumed my parents were the only ones reading my articles.

However, I’ve had people come up to me on campus and say “Dude, your articles are so good. I read them every week.” That is something that makes those Dead Days instantly better. It means the absolute world to me knowing that there are people who actually enjoy my writing. Some articles have been better than others, but hearing that from friends, strangers, and family members remind me why I continue to write.

For me, writing is something I can do to clear my head. Not only that, I am an extroverted introvert. Known as the free spirit, I define as an ENVP/INFP. I’m also a Gemini.

So, I always have something going on in my head. I also tend to constantly perceive how other people appear. If someone’s upset, I can usually tell. I will admit, that sometimes I try to not notice as it’s very overwhelming. I range from being lighthearted and carefree to overly emotional and sensitive.

I’m not always an open book, there are certain times when I rarely say a word around certain people. I can be pretty goofy around people I’m comfortable with. But new people, I’m shy and quiet, I'm taking in information and processing. I promise you, I always have something to say. I always have something going on in my head.

I’ve learned that the healthy way of expressing those thoughts is through writing. I have many friends who read my articles and say to me “Wow, you are actually really funny,” “You actually have pretty cool ideas,” “You are really creative.” People have this perception that if you are introverted, you aren’t thinking anything. Or you aren't interesting.

That’s far from true. Just because we don’t say anything, doesn’t mean we aren’t thinking anything. As a writer and a human being, I’m always thinking about something.

Yes, I can be quiet. As a kid, I used to go on long car rides with my family. My two brothers talk more than they breathe. Every once in a while, my parents would say, "Is Emma still in the car?”. Yes, I’m thinking. I’m taking in my surroundings. I need quiet sometimes. However, I love being around people.

Introverts think more than anyone else. Just because, we don’t always share our thoughts, doesn’t mean we don’t have them. A lot of us are artists, musicians, and some of the smartest people you will ever meet. I will say, I’m more of an extrovert than an introvert, but I can relate well to both.

I’ll just add, to anyone who reads my articles: Thank you so so much. It truly means the world to me. Knowing that someone takes time out of their day to read my writing is truly a blessing.

Being fortunate enough to be able to write for an online journal, where I have the privilege of rambling on for 500 words about a topic and it's published, is pretty neat. As of right now, I am studying Elementary Education with a minor in Journalism.

I’m hoping to help kids build their writing skills and show those quieter kids that just because they are anti-social or don't want to play football and soccer, doesn't mean they aren't brilliant. I would like to look into Freelance Writing on the side. There is always room for improvement and I look forward to the future.