It's heartbreaking to see all of the negativity directed toward the entirety of Odyssey and all of its communities. A simple Google search of "an open letter to the odyssey online" pulls up many harsh statements and ignorant generalizations of the company, its management, its content creators and its mission.

Odyssey is so much more than what it appears upon first glance–We, Erin Gallagher (Editor in Chief, SUNY Potsdam) and Dakota Jewell (content Creator, SUNY Potsdam) hope to create a sense of understanding between Odyssey and readers by sharing nine little known aspects about this amazing company that we are proud to be a part of.

1. The Odyssey Mission

Odyssey (not "The Odyssey" or "The Odyssey Online") is a platform for thought provokers of the millennial generation to share their ideas on a global scale. We come from an endless array of unique backgrounds, and as such, provide many differing perspectives on topics that matter to us. By allowing the voices of all these individuals to be heard, Odyssey is doing what is known as "democratizing content." Democratizing content is the mission of Odyssey. Instead of allowing only one-sided opinions, Odyssey allows all angles to be presented. This is super important, given the current nature of other media outlets.

-Erin

2. The Screening Process

What many people don't know about Odyssey is that while Odyssey is open to most anyone, there is still a screening process. The screening process involves either a call or face-to-face meeting with the local Editor in Chief (or occasionally a Contributing Editor). The Editor in Chief determines whether the individual is a good fit for the team. Most of the time, they are, because Odyssey wants as many voices as possible to be heard to maximize the democratization of content. The screening process is not about being a "good" writer. It's about being a motivated individual with stories that need to be heard. Any individual who is committed to Odyssey has the potential to succeed as a content creator.

-Erin

3. What It Means To Be An Editor In Chief

Being an Editor in Chief at Odyssey is a lot more difficult than the average person likely thinks. Those who discredit what the Editors In Chief do should know the many responsibilities we have: Community outreach, on-boarding new team members, starting conversations, organizing meetings, editing a portion of the team's articles each week, keeping open communication with the Assistant Managing Editor, keeping open communication with the rest of the team, writing their own article each week... the list goes on! Those who know me well often ask how I devote 21 hours per week to Odyssey (most of which goes unpaid). My answer is that I love being a part of Odyssey so much, that even though receiving a payment is great, meeting great new individuals, improving myself as a leader, an editor and a communicator are even more important.

-Erin

4. What It Means To Be A Content Creator

Content creators play an extremely important role here at Odyssey and are the leaders in starting important conversations through the subject of their weekly published content. As mentioned earlier, we all come from different backgrounds and hold differing perspectives on various topics, which, in my opinion, is part of the reason why Odyssey is a great platform to write for. Everyone can be a content creator, no matter their story. Odyssey allows their content creators to have their own freedom to discuss what is on their mind and what is of current importance to the individual, whether it is showcasing their perspective on a topic or discussing an event that relates to their own background. The freedom is yours and the choices are endless!

-Dakota

5. Weekly Deadlines

Anyone who has a part in Odyssey, has weekly deadlines that need to be met. We don't just write when we feel like it. Odyssey becomes a part of your daily life once you join a team. These deadlines are set for editors in guidelines provided by the main Odyssey offices in Manhattan. There are loose guidelines for content submission deadlines given by Odyssey, so Editors In Chief have the responsibility of setting an appropriate deadline. Meeting these deadlines can be tough (especially during busy times of the year), but we persevere and continue to put out thought-provoking content weekly. This dedication to meeting deadlines helps to better ourselves for our future careers and in daily life. Being punctual is always a plus!

-Erin

6. The Offices

Odyssey is headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind. with offices in midtown Manhattan and other positions scattered across the country. Teams primarily work with the highly skilled employees in the Manhattan offices. These lovely people are always on their A-game, working day and night to make sure everything runs smoothly. They include Copy Editors, Assistant Managing Editors, and Managing Editors among others. All of the Odyssey employees are super dedicated, and I don't know what I'd do without them!

-Erin

7. The Work Experience We Gain

Being a part of Odyssey is a great way to gain work experience and also looks fantastic on a resume! Writing for Odyssey shows that you are an individual who can meet weekly deadlines, can work with others who are within your own community, are an overall dedicated individual and are able to create new content that is eye catching, current and reflective of yourself. Within my own experience with Odyssey, it helped me to land an internship for the upcoming fall semester due to being on my resume. Employers are genuinely interested in the extracurricular activities that college students take part in and how it will relate to the field that they wish to go into.

-Dakota

8. A Great Experience

Odyssey provides an outlet for content creators to share their perspectives, ideas and own stories in life. This outlet allows for our voices to be heard by people all over the world. We are able to develop stronger writing skills, strengthen our opinions and learn inner-personal skills to consider another person's perspective on a subject. Many teams share their articles weekly with their fellow team members in a group chat. This starts conversations on important topics and allows us to gain more insight. This social interaction extends into social media where articles are shared for the world to see. It's always a great day with Odyssey when you are enlightened on a new subject, learn more about a topic you're interested in, or inspire a total stranger through conversation. We are always growing and learning, which is what makes Odyssey a truly awesome experience.

-Erin and Dakota

9. Working Together As A Community

One of the greatest parts about being a content creator for Odyssey are the bonds that you create along the way within your own community. You will find other individuals who are passionate about sharing their own ideas and perspectives and enjoy the process of writing! Communities also provide a great place of support if you are feeling stumped as to what to write about, challenge you to grow as a writer and will also help you to develop stronger and more educated perspectives on topics that may interest you. Content creators also have the option of collaborating with other content creators within their community, which is a fantastic way to both learn and work with those around you, along with showcasing multiple voices within a piece. We are all in this together!

-Dakota