As a freshman in a large college, I learned quickly that in order to make a name for yourself you had to jump on every opportunity you could find. I joined different clubs, branched out, and took every opportunity to network and socialize very seriously. I loved my major and the career I could make out of it and I wanted to hit the ground running.

During the second semester of freshman year, I stumbled upon an application for Odyssey. I’d seen the kinds of articles it featured on Facebook, so I decided I’d give it a shot. Immediately, I got a response from an editor and so began my journey.

While trying my best not to sound like an advertisement, Odyssey has become one of the biggest parts of my life. I was completely nervous and taken aback when trying to write my first article, but immediately after I went live, the article got hundreds of shares and was even recognized by celebrities. Since then, I personally believe my articles have shown growth and knowledge that I would never have had if I didn’t join.

Odyssey gives me the platform to speak on issues that are close to my heart from my unique perspective. Whether it was politics or relationship status, I learned how to speak intelligently and research thoroughly. I also grew accustomed to constantly looking at the news and being aware of the world around me, which is important for my field as a political journalist.

I could feel myself becoming a real journalist and getting closer to my dreams of being a political analyst so I began to enjoy writing weekly articles. Sometimes I struggled with the constant deadline, but it trained me to be aware of time as if it were a news budget. Even if no one read my articles, it felt like I was becoming what I always wanted to be.

This past summer, I was selected to write a paid content piece for a client based on my previous pieces. Regardless of the money, being recognized for something I was doing that I loved was one of the best feelings in the world. It felt like I was taking a huge step towards my future and it was only forward from there.

When the position of contributing editor opened up in my team, I jumped on the opportunity. I was entirely nervous and scared; I felt like I wasn’t qualified and I’d never held any kind of leadership roles before.

I’m completely in love with the position now.

Editing articles has become almost a pastime for me, giving me the means to read my team’s talented content and learning certain editing rules. I’ve gained structure and responsibility and its caused me to think I could take up other leadership roles within other communities in my life.

Having the opportunity to create my own content free of guidelines and restrictions gives me practice for when I will have to follow guidelines and a budget. People always say college is a time to try something new and sometimes fail. Having this position and being a part of this team means I can decide what I like to write about the most and practice exactly what I want to do without the fear of failure.

So what does Odyssey do for you? Does Odyssey put you ten steps forward on the path of your future career? Does it work as your personal blog or journal where you voice your thoughts? Does it help you become aware of the world around you? I know I’ll never be the same after becoming an Odyssey writer.