About 3 months ago, I made a decision that would shake up my weekly routine forever. I went from a Content Creator Reader to Content Creator on the wonderful website the Odyssey Online via my school's (SUNY New Paltz) chapter. Ever since, I have spent my days writing about Long Island summers, things better than the almighty god Donald Trump, the various stages of completing schoolwork, preaching for peace, and so on. Like every experience I have gone through, there is a lesson to be learned. In this case, there are multiple lessons I have learned. As a Content Creator for Odyssey, here they are:
1) So many possibilities, so little interesting ideas
Thinking of an idea for a new Odyssey article every week isn't as easy and magical as it seems. It takes lots of thinking, brainstorming, and procrastinating to come up with the genius of work you see by myself and other Content Creators every week. Nothing feels more satisfying when you come up with a great idea, but then you have to start thinking about....
2) Deadlines, Dead-Lines
Everyone is familiar with this. Someone higher up who reigns over the puny little working folks assigns a new job or task or essay or Odyssey Online article. That puny little working folk gets to work, but doesn't feel like starting it. But then he/she sees the words: "Deadline: (INSERT DUE DATE HERE)" He/she gets to work. But then he/she has other things to do. And also, he/she has to eat, sleep, teach a monkey to juggle, visit every country in the world, balance a sofa on his/her chin, hang out with Barack Obama, save the city from weird looking creatures who are trying to attack us, and shower. Doesn't sound that bad, doesn't it?
3) Work, Work, Work, Work, Work
As mentioned above, it is all about working. On top of writing the next big thing, an Odyssey Content Creator like me must also balance academics and extracurricular activities (such as writing for the Odyssey Online!) It's a tricky balance, but time management is the best way to handle everything life throws at you.
4) Sharing is Caring
How does one spread the good word of my articles? Become a Missionary! No, LOL, just kidding. There is a magical thing that exists on the internet called social media, and it is one of the best things an Odyssey Online Content Creator has to his or her advantage. Sharing it across Facebook and Twitter is marketing at its finest in these digital times, and because I am not a marketing major, nor do I have a big marketing strategy, sharing it across Facebook and Twitter will have to do.
5) What I Like About You
No I am not trying to be romantic here, but I just want to be liked as an Odyssey Online Content Creator. You see kids, social media is one big bizarre cycle: Someone finds or writes something cool and unique, then posts it to his/her social media channels for all of his/her buddies to take a gander at, those buddies comment or "like" it (the latter being the more common action), the poster becomes an enormous success in his/her home page, repeat. You learn something new every day.
6) Still....
I love so many things: Food. Television. The Weekends. Sleeping. But one of the things I have enjoyed since the end of June 2016 has been writing for the Odyssey. It has given something for me to do, helped me hone my writing and social media skills, added something to my resume, and made me famous among my small audience of readers. To quote Charlie Sheen: "Winning!"
