I have been in the Aspiring Journalism Professionals community of Odyssey for almost eight months, and it was the best decision I ever made.

Since joining Odyssey, I have not only improved my writing skills but my professional communication skills, as well. I started out with the role of Content Creator, moved up to Contributing Editor, and I have fallen in love with it.

The best feeling in the world is when I saw my work published and out in the world for the first time.

Writing has always been a passion of mine, but I never went farther with it than simply writing essays for school. Odyssey gave me a voice and showed me that the things I have to say matter.

I felt so proud of myself because I created awesome content, and people really liked it, which was ultimately the best part. They loved what I had to say and wanted to keep reading.

I think that there's a misconception about Odyssey as it's a digital publication as opposed to a job that you attend every day. You can't possibly make something of yourself by dedicating your time to something from the internet, right?

Wrong.

You can be a successful journalist from the comfort of your own home without any catch.

Odyssey has granted me opportunities to dive into the freelance writing realm of the digital world so I’ve been able to see my work not only grow with Odyssey but also spread across the web.

I have built my portfolio through Odyssey, as well, which has landed me an internship at D Magazine for the spring.

If you’re interested in journalism and writing like I am, this is an excellent step to starting your career because you’ll learn to stick to deadlines, take criticism, learn what attracts an audience to keep them reading and you have the opportunity to move up within your community and take on new roles.

Being a part of this platform has provided me the ability to express my creativity and be a part of such a fantastic team.

When I get to where I want to be in five years with my career, I'll know who to thank.