Almost every day I am asked why I continue to write for Odyssey. Why would I waste my time writing articles when I already have too much on my plate? Why would I force myself to write an article on my own time outside of school/nursing/work/sports? Why would I make time in my already hectic schedule to do something like this?

It makes me happy.

I mean, sure, it frustrates me and makes me mad sometimes but is that not how most things we love work? My major and my job and soccer all frustrate me and cause me stress now and again, so why should I expect anything different from Odyssey?

The answer is, I should not and do not. Deadlines for article stress me out almost as frequently as the deadlines for school papers and exams do, but I continue to write. I feel uninspired some days when I try to sit down and write just like some days I question why I play the sport I love; it does not mean that I quit or give up. It means that I take a breath and get ready to start over or continue with whatever it is, whether that be soccer or an article.

Odyssey provides me with an outlet for the creative side I possess where the rest of my life does not. Sure, I write papers and do research for nursing classes and other classes in school, but the content I write about for those is either already chosen for me or has strict guidelines regarding topics. Yes, I get to be creative on the soccer field to an extent, but not like the way I get to be creative with the words I express in an article.

I love the platform that Odyssey invites me to share my content on. Regardless of if I have a fluff piece that is a listicle with gifs and memes or a more researched piece about current events or policies, Odyssey encourages me to write and share. This platform gets a lot of flack from outsiders and even content creators for publishing pieces that do not advance an agenda or are not about hard-hitting controversial things; is it so bad that content is being published that is strictly for fun and that brings a smile to your face?

What is so bad about laughing and sharing an article with your friends only because it made you laugh or think about another person. Do not get me wrong, controversial topics and current events/modern research all should be shared and discussed as well. The beauty of Odyssey is that all of these content types get published and shared. Some days I feel strongly about something I saw in the news so I will write about it, but sometimes I just want to share something amusing with my friends and family too; both types of articles have an audience and a place to be published with Odyssey. All kinds of writers are encouraged to get their content out into the world on Odyssey, and that is why I love it. That is why I continue to write.