To those of you who put down Odyssey, I write to you in hopes you will give me just five minutes of your time.
It has come to my attention you find our articles silly, perhaps. We write “Open Letters” to our moms or our ex-boyfriends filled with open-ended thoughts and answering questions years too late. However, in reality, when we repost these articles to our Facebook pages, the chances of our ex-boyfriend really reading that article is slim.
But the truth is, we do not repost these articles on the slim chance the guy who screwed us over last year will finally realize what he did was wrong. You see, these articles find a way to express what we are thinking, the emotions we are feeling, and the daily struggles we are going through and put them into words. It is helping us heal.
When we read an article about an "Open Letter to a Former Best Friend" the memories of that best friend come floating back. The times we spent laughing at the mall or cutting class seem like they weren’t so long ago. The article sparks us to wonder about them. And maybe, just maybe, we will text them, catch up with them, and rekindle that friendship that fell apart years go over something immature.
Odyssey staff, contrary to some belief, is not composed of a small percentage of privileged students, and that is not our intended audience. Our staff is composed of a variety of students, all from different walks of life. Yes, because we are merely college students, we may lack some credentials in the world of journalism, but that shouldn't encourage you to put us down or look down on us. Students are taught to start their passion somewhere, and most importantly, to reach out to those around them. That is what we do here at Odyssey. We strive to make a connection. To connect with millennials during the vast amount of activities they have going on in their lives.
So whether they need inspiration to keep studying through midterms, they need to know they are not alone with their daily struggles, or just need a good laugh with memes from "The Office," Odyssey is there for them. Odyssey is composed of students that are no different from anyone else who walks campus; we understand the struggles of everyday life and that it’s nice to not feel alone.
While you shame others for sharing our articles, remember that we are just trying to be a part of a larger group. We are just making a connection with other millennials of similar interests and lifestyles. Because sometimes, in this big world, it is easy to become lost, forget about those you love, and feel that you are the only one. At Odyssey, we write to let our peers know they are not alone, give them a giggle in class, or the motivation to keep going.