Flashback to 6th Grade Catholic School Week: Career Day. My mind was changing almost every year, but I enjoyed having an active imagination, and jotting it down. I was into writing stories at the time, and dressed as one for the front of the classroom. My notebook was filled with character descriptions, story ideas, and well of course school notes.

Year's went by, and my "What I Want to Be When I Grow Up" changed a few times, but I never lost that spark for writing. When I would later go through a cancer ordeal, my inspiration for writing came back stronger than ever. I found writers to be insipred by, and personal stories that got my mind thinking. Most of the ideas were inside of a journal, waiting to be turned into something later. When a friend of mine started talking about the Odyssey, and people being editors and writers, it was intruiging. I later joined a community, and here I am now.

The open expression has being like a healing process, and a great way to express ideas, and thoughts out to the world. Being able to share my story, and perhaps help inspire others is an incredible feeling. But the one thing I wasn't expecting in becoming a writer for the Odyssey, was how it would help me transition into College.

Shortly after I started my first semester of College I was diagnosed with cancer, and had to medically withdraw. Then, after treatment ended I was already passed a series of deadlines, and kept chasing them. Now, I would be a junior in college, but here I am in the application process with the next year of graduating seniors.

With becoming a writer for Odyssey, I've been able to be set back into a schedule. Meeting a deadline, a structured format to follow, and creative writing, it's almost like an open forum class. My mind can focus and concentrate better, which is something cancer survivors can struggle with during survivorship. So having this space to zone in is a perfect fit! (It also becomes a pretty cool resumé piece). It can sometimes be crazy trying to think of what to write about, but I know it's the same kind of stress you find in writing college papers and assignments. Writing my college essays have become three times easier since I started writing!

I've gotten to explore the area of a career I've dreamed about since my childhood and share it amongst a group of my own peers. It's helped me branch out and share my experiences. To hear inspiring feedback, and to find it, is an incredible feeling that I know I'll take with me for the rest of my life. Plus, it's fun! And now the transition into college writing will be so much easier.