About a year ago, I decided that I need a new creative outlet. I felt stuck in a rut, which sometimes I still do. I needed a place to write down some of my thoughts and get experience writing for a current, modern platform. On a whim, I applied to write for Odyssey and got accepted to my team. My content focuses on the eclectic thoughts that I have in my head.

Writing for Odyssey is not quite what I expected (I'm not sure what my expectations were, exactly), but I'm glad I joined. It seems like there are a lot of reasons I write for Odyssey, but my reasons are actually pretty straightforward.

Throughout college and graduate school, I came to discover that I have a passion for writing. I did an intense amount of writing, which was mostly academic research. I also grew a love for playwriting, which is an entirely different style of writing. I think that writing is how I communicate best. I have a deep love for telling stories and reading stories. I also currently teach a writing class!

Writing is so ingrained in my life, and this is part of the reason I write for Odyssey.

When I started writing for Odyssey, I wasn't expecting to have quite so much creative freedom with what I write. The freedom makes it thrilling and frustrating at the same time. Sometimes I feel as though my articles are not as deep or profound as I want them to be. At the end of the day, what matters is that I am still writing.

I don't write to get recognition. I don't write so my articles go viral. I write for me.

I'm thankful whenever someone mentions to me that they've read one of my articles. It means the world to me that someone would take the time to get to know what's in my head. I think if you read my articles, you're learning a piece of who I am. The fact that writing has that power to build connections between people is incredible. If someone is positively impacted by the thoughts that are swimming around in my head on a weekly basis, then my expectations are more than exceeded.

Writing is a process that takes away stress and allows me to share my thoughts in a way I wouldn't be able to otherwise. Words are the most powerful tools we have to change the world and impact each other. The words we use matter. How we talk about people and each other matters. I think we all need to be more aware of the impact that the words we use and write have on each other. I want to be supportive of those around me. I hope that my articles at least let someone feel a little less alone in the universe.

That's why I write for Odyssey.