This past December, I had the privilege to join the Odyssey staff at Flagler College as a Contributing Editor and writer, and it has been one of the best experiences I've had while in college. Not only did I receive class credits while maintaining the positions, but I gained so much more!
For those of you who don't know much about Odyssey, or possibly have never heard of it, Odyssey defines itself as an “online social content platform which empowers its thousands of writers to contribute and share what matters to them, and enables content to find its most relevant audience organically. Odyssey is revolutionizing content creation and discovery, enabling compelling, high-quality content to be created and discovered at speed and scale."
Odyssey provides an outlet for millennials to voice their opinions, be heard, and make a difference in their communities, while offering their perspectives to the wide world of the internet.
Here is why you should join an Odyssey staff:
Your voice is heard!
Being an Odyssey writer allows your words to travel throughout cyberspace with the power to influence anyone who clicks your article and reads it! One day you may be inspired to write an article about a list of ways to distract yourself from a break-up, and someone with that struggle, could read it, and benefit from it. Then they will then share it to their friends, who will share it with theirs, until it circulation is untraceable! You are intelligent, have great advice and insight, which grants you the ability to change someone's perspective--to see things differently! Becoming an Odyssey writer allows you to obtain strength with words in a way that you may not have had access to before.
Exposure.
You are given the opportunity to learn new things! It's not always easy to appeal to an audience as you may think. Being an Odyssey writer will help you to develop and sharpen communication skills, allow you to adapt to different audiences, and you can experiment with different writing styles! Odyssey exposes you to different types of articles that you may have never written before. Who knows, you could be really good at writing them, and you didn't even know it. Don't let your skills go to waste! You won't only be exposing yourself to new things, but exposing your ideas and insight to the world! You can do this by writing these various types of articles:
Listicles.
Writing listicles is one of the most appealing and fun ways to write an article for those millennials who don't like to read too much content. All you need is a title to reel in readers, and make sure to have great headers to each item on your list, accompanied by a picture or GIF to then tempt the reader into the content that follows the header. An example of a listicle title is, "12 Ways to Ensure a Job After Graduation", something to which many of us would love to know the answer.
500 Words on...
"500 Words on" articles allows the writer to freely speak on a topic in which they express interest. It is typically on something going on in the news, or a reaction to something to which you are reflecting or providing insight. They're traditionally not very long, as the title suggests, but it's okay if they go over 500 words. No one will yell at you for it!
Lifestyle.
"Lifestyle" articles are great to share your ideas about, ya know, living! They can be about the best types of food to eat to stay healthy on a budget, or the struggles of being a student. Anything that applies to the way you think one should, could, or doesn't, live life.
Ideas.
Do you have any mind-blowing ideas that you want to share with the world? Odyssey is a great outlet for that, too! I'd probably patent it first, though...then write about it!
Fashion.
"Fashion" articles allow you to let us know if the latest trends are hot or not. You can even promote local designers! Just think, your words could be read by just the right set of eyes to launch a peer's fashion career!
Humor.
Everybody thinks they're funny. Are you? "Humor" articles allow writers to manipulate their skills in a way that many can't! Though some rely on the humor of other pictures/GIFs to emphasize it in their own articles, there are some who are truly funny on their own! Think you know how to land a joke? Give it a try!
Scene.
Do you know the hottest place to be seen around your city/town? Tell us! We are dying to know! "Scene" articles are a great way to promote hot spots around town that some of us may not even know exist! This type of article not only allows you to attract more people to a specific location that may be opening, or, possibly overlooked, but additionally, benefits the business about which you are writing!
These are just some of the types of articles that you can write if joining an Odyssey staff! There are also many positions within Odyssey which you can do in addition to being a writer, such as:
Editor-in-Chief.
As an Editor-in-Cheif of your school's Odyssey branch, you better bring your A-game! It's not easy to recruit, manage posts, edit, maintain a staff, conduct meetings, ensure content progression, in combination with writing an article every week, not to mention, so much more! If you think you can handle the responsibility in combination with school, I have three words for you: go for it! This is a great responsibility from which you can only benefit! Not to mention, it will look great on your resume!
Contributing Editor.
Being a contributing editor is definitely not as much responsibility as the Editor-in-Cheif, but it isn't easy either, so it's definitely "not a read". If you want an editing position without the crushing responsibility of being Editor-in-Cheif, this position is for you! Don't get me wrong, it is still a lot of work, but while you sharpen your editing skills by editing the staff's articles every week, and provide insight to the current Editor-in-Cheif, you become his/her/ right-hand (wo)man!
Photographer.
Do you know how to capture the right angles? Being a photographer for Odyssey is a great way to not only add photos to your portfolios, but in addition to the article, you will also be attaching your photography to other writers' work! I'm talking double-exposure, here! You could possibly be discovered as a great writer, a great photographer, or both, with a much higher chance!
Videographer.
Videographers capture the stories of our lives! If you choose to become a videographer, you are using your story-telling skills in the way of the future: through digital media!
Social Media Manager.
For those adults who told you to put your phone down and join the real world, as a social media manager, the real world is in technology! As a Social Media Manager, it is your responsibility to circulate the staff's content across the internet! You will track down websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, Pinterest boards, etc., for each article that corresponds with the topic. This position is super important because it circulates your and the staff's articles to ensure that more people are hearing all of your voices, and exposing them to bigger opportunities.
So if you are interested in having your voice heard, apply at the link below to join an Odyssey staff today!
