Typical day social media check. You probably scroll through Instagram and maybe check out your Facebook feed. Picture after picture followed by a political opinion status and then maybe another shared article. Seems like a majority of shared articles these days come from Odyssey.

If the title catches your eye, you probably click on it, read it and then marvel at how some college student can get their article to be shared 225k times. If you are anything like I was, you might be curious how to get involved. Maybe you will even apply to be a content writer and join.

There are so many reasons I get excited to write every week. I get such a thrill as my article is published, and I believe my fellow content creators can relate:

1. It's a Way To Get Your Opinion and Perspective Out There

Many millennials crave to be heard and known. Many of the writers for Odyssey come from the millennial generation and are inspired to create a voice. With media and online journals becoming more popular, younger adults who are passionate about different topics just want to share!

2. Articles Create Conversation

There is a significant amount of freedom in choosing article topics. Whatever catches my attention in conversation or debate through my week stays on my radar as a potential article prompt. When I write on topics that stir up excitement in me, I become more eager and confident in allowing those dialogues to continue with my peers. It permits me to open up to other perspectives all while expressing my own.

3. Exposure of Writing Ability

So, this is both something to be thrilled and terrified about at the time. Putting any of your work on display for the world to see and do what is may with it takes vulnerability. While I wait in anticipation with how many shares, comments, or conversations come from the published article, I also hold my breath to hear criticism. I always want to improve as a writer, and inevitably there will be some tough feedback.

4. It Unites People From All Over

When you being with Odyssey, you choose what community you would most like to create for. I began with a smaller community and then was transferred to a big larger team. What I have experienced on my team is effective teamwork and a pride in seeing other writers in my group publish their work. Even outside of my community, it is such a joy to come alongside other writers and promote their work as well!

5. You Learn How to Maximize Social Media

Before I started writing for Odyssey, I did not realize how social media and sharing your articles via different platforms takes serious strategy. My editors have done an amazing job at teaching us how to best share our ideas and articles with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and so many other media sources. I have learned how to use different sites to reach different kinds of readers and even engage people who have never read my work before!

Writing with Odyssey is a continual sense of confidence, accomplishment, and teamwork. Here's to more writing!