When scrolling through your Facebook feed, now more than ever, it is filled with videos, links, and articles. Facebook has become an easy way to share ideas, write about interests, and stay updated on different current events. There are hundreds of videos, images, and more importantly, articles being posted on your newsfeed every day. Even without clicking on the articles, when looking at where they come from, a surprisingly large amount of articles come from sources where the authors are not certified journalists with full-blown careers, but rather are college students sharing their own knowledge and opinions.
Odyssey is an online and print publication with articles written by college students all across the country. The publication was established in 2009 at Indiana University and over time spread to a variety of college campuses. Started by college students Evan Burns and Adrian France, Odyssey was created to define a social media content platform that allows the millennial generation to share what matters to them and to provide an opportunity for their voices to be heard through news and content. When the idea for creating Odyssey began, Evan and Adrian asked an important question: "Could they flip the traditional top-down editorial model to harness thousands of ideas from real people to truly democratize content creation and give influencers an opportunity to express themselves and actually be heard?” (Odyssey Online). In my opinion, this is still an extremely crucial question that should continue to be analyzed when looking at where Odyssey stands almost seven years later.
Each week, students all over the country submit a 500-word minimum article on a subject of their choosing. They then decide which category their article falls under, submit it for editing, and one week later their article is published and ready for the world to see. I began writing for Odyssey in June of 2015. I am not aspiring to become a journalist but do enjoy writing, which is why I was so interested to get involved. What truly convinced me to join the Odyssey team was the fact that I was not restricted to one column or topic each week but rather I was given the opportunity to write about any topic or idea I desired. Being able to share my thoughts and words with the public sounded incredible and is the reason this publication was ultimately started. With that, I decided to become a writer for the team.
Even though the purpose of this publication was to allow millennials to produce content that acknowledges our thoughts, opinions, and ideas in the media does not mean that it has been executed as well as it was intended to. I have read some very thought-provoking articles from various writers on Odyssey, but when the publication becomes known for its “listicles” and articles involving “gifs,” that is where its reputation begins to take a turn.
Not only is it important for the writers to acknowledge where the millennial generation stands today in terms of different events and occurrences, but to recognize that as college students we are in an extremely crucial point in our lives, where there is so much to learn, discover, and decide for ourselves. Our experiences, opinions, and ideas truly matter and can be used to provide insight from a unique perspective, or even to make a difference in the world. While there may be "10 Ways You Know You’re On Spring Break" or even "25 Reasons Why You Have the Best Roommate," let’s put an end to the reputation we have created for Odyssey. We are provided the opportunity to share our generation’s thoughts, ideas, and opinions with the rest of society. Let’s put aside the “listicles” and “gifs” and allow ourselves to demonstrate who the millennial generation truly is. Share your stories, demonstrate your research and knowledge, write your opinions on current events, bring new stories to life; let the world see who the millennial generation actually is through your articles.
