In the Fall semester of my freshman year, I saw links being posted about applications for Odyssey at Bloomsburg. I knew what Odyssey was, vaguely, from sparse articles I had seen on Facebook here and there, but had no clue until that point that there was a branch of Odyssey at Bloom. The first time I went to apply, I backed out halfway through the application. I didn’t think I was good enough. My second time around, I applied and a day later, I got an email from my editor asking for an example of my writing.

Long story short, months later and I’m a writer, as well as a Contributing Editor, for Odyssey at Bloomsburg and it has been one of the most exciting things to happen to me.

Every week I’m tasked with creating a unique piece of writing. This could stretch anywhere from the latest Harry Potter news to personal experiences to events happening around the country and world to pretty much anything under the sun. Sometimes it’s a struggle. There have been times when I’ve sat with my laptop open with a half an hour left until my article is due, yet I manage to pull articles through. A lot of the time, though, my Odyssey articles allow my voice to be heard.

There have been times where I have felt certain ways about situations big and small, but I haven't been sure how to verbally convey those thoughts. My articles allow me to put my thoughts into words and convey them in ways I may not have been able to before. Furthermore, it allows my thoughts to presented to a wider audience of people. Thousands upon thousands of people read articles on Odyssey every single week. My thoughts on the Pulse shooting in Orlando have the potential to reach to people nationwide, while without my articles those thoughts may reach my roommate and a random group of people in my dorm. My voice can be heard and I can speak out to so many more people because of Odyssey.

Odyssey also allows me to find connections in other writers. It allows me to know that I’m not alone. When I found out I had epilepsy in May of 2015, I thought I was alone in my condition. I had seizures at night only and from what my doctors said, that was unusual. After reading through my first ever article about my epilepsy, I looked through a list of similar articles. There was not just one, but multiple articles that people across the entire Odyssey platform had written about nocturnal seizures and the struggles those writers had faced. I read through every one of those articles and shared several. I didn’t feel alone anymore; I knew that people understood.

Writing for Odyssey means more to me than just a casual writing job. It’s a way for me to express myself in a whole new way that I never had before. It’s a way for me to connect with people who understand me in ways other people really can’t. Odyssey is an online revolution that is taking on journalism in a brand new way and is taking social media by storm. And I am beyond proud to be a part of this revolution.

Keep the flame of Odyssey burning strong and don’t be afraid to take a leap and become a part of the community that Odyssey represents. I did, and it was the best thing ever for me.