For the past 6 months, you have been reading, sharing, and reacting to my articles--and I thank you for it! One question that I get a lot from people is "why do you write?" Most of my engineering-student friends didn’t get it when I first started; we all have a massive work load and it is tough to find any free time, let alone do extra work.

The main thing that drew me to writing was that I have a ton to say! All of my life, I have been full of ideas and thoughts that just stay in my mind. I was able to write a little bit in Composition and Literature classes, but those are very, very limiting courses, stylistically. I went years without having a steady platform in which I could express my opinions. One day last summer, I saw The Odyssey was in need of creators, and, after a little research, I was set to apply. The thing that was most important to me was to be able to write what I wanted to, no matter if my opinion was not very popular. Being a young, conservative male, I often find, people with opinions and thoughts like mine are put down or censored. The Odyssey is just what I needed--a platform to let my voice be heard!

The other thing that urged me to start writing was that I enjoy it. I am going to go out on a limb and say that most engineers aren’t writers. The prototypical engineer is usually very good with numbers, but not so much with words. I am lucky enough to be good at both! Writing isn’t something that I do out of any obligation. I don’t do it because I have to; it is a passion. My ultimate goal in life is to always help people, regardless of the method. Writing for The Odyssey gives me yet another means to do just that! I know that I have had experiences a lot of other younger people haven’t. If I can use my passion and make someone else’s life a little bit easier, I will write until The Odyssey tells me I can’t any more.

I guess my final thought would be that if you enjoy something, just go and do it. You may be expected to do something else, but that doesn’t mean you cannot have your own passions. Whether it be writing, working on cars, or cooking, always embrace what you love and just do it. If you go through life just doing what is expected of you, you will be pretty miserable. I know that if I didn’t write, I would have all these built up ideas, opinions, and emotions. By writing, I can express them all. Make sure that you do the same. Don’t just do what is expected of you. Do what you love.

C.Long