After 36 published articles and a writing every week for almost a year, I am still often asked by my friends and family why I decided to start writing in the first place. What pushed me to share my ideas on social media and become dedicated to a platform like Odyssey, a website that provides college students with the freedom to voice their opinions with no significant restraints?

My initial response to this question is usually short and vague. I started writing regularly because I wanted to try out something new, because I wanted to join a new organization on campus, because why not? When I first began writing, I was neither sure what to expect, nor did I anticipate people to actually take the time and read what I had to say.

While most people usually think writers publish their work and continue to write so that they can influence the world around them, I decided to start writing for myself. I wrote articles while waiting for lectures to begin and when I wanted to procrastinate on studying for exams. I wrote articles when I needed to clear my head but had no one to turn to and at times, when talking was too difficult. Writing helped me process my own thoughts and maintain my composure at a time when it seemed like life had lost its stability.

By giving myself a mission to write for myself, I added a much-needed sense of certainty and purpose to my life. As I continued to write, I became more confident in my own abilities and opinions. I began to realize that while I had only intended to write for my own happiness and personal fulfillment, I was also able to make an impact on people who I had never met before. I could share my own experiences in the hopes that they would be able to relate to and learn from my triumphs and miseries.

Although not everyone wants to be a writer, I believe that it is important for every individual to find something that they truly love doing — a hobby that gives them personal satisfaction and helps them ameliorate themselves.

If someone had told me a year ago that I would be publishing my own content and expressing my beliefs on the internet for the entire world to read, I would have never believed them. This journey has been both challenging and rewarding and I am immensely grateful for what I've gained from it.