Dear Odyssey readers,

As a young, aspiring writer I am always seeking opportunities to create new pieces and share them with the masses.

Writing has always been a journey for me, my entire life I have been scribbling in diaries. I love to write and I love the way that words can educate, inspire, and even transport a reader to another moment in time.

Throughout my life of writing, especially throughout my first year of college, I have been fortunate enough to write for several different platforms. I started my own blog, I found a dysfunctional family within the school newspaper, and I discovered Odyssey.

For me, Odyssey presented a new way of sharing my ideas with a wider audience. Here was this exciting new platform for college students and I was thrilled that my articles seemed to be reaching people. I had never felt that kind of success from my blog. It makes sense that the word odyssey means a long wandering or voyage.

I was able to share ideas that I felt strongly about and I was very proud of some my pieces. Each week, I tried to write something thought-provoking and meaningful for Odyssey. Some weeks I was incredibly proud of the collection of words I managed to piece together by midnight on Thursday. And some weeks I was not. Some weeks I felt that I had to throw something together just for the sake of having written something.

I want to be proud of everything I write, not just a few pieces here and there. I have learned a lot about writing this year, and I feel that I have grown through my experiences with Odyssey. But this is the end of my journey.

As I continue with my education and take on more responsibilities, I want to focus my energy on different things. I want to have more freedom to write what I want on my own time. I have been suffering from a lack of inspiration these past few weeks, and I need to take some time to write on my own terms.

I am grateful to the staff of Odyssey and the friends I led to it, it’s been a journey. I will never stop writing but it is time for this odyssey to reach its conclusion.

Sincerely,