Writing has been an important outlet for me to sort through thoughts and breathe when life became especially stressful. Telling stories and expressing my emotions on paper when I was too fearful to tell those around me verbally allowed me the freedom to explore feelings that I otherwise wouldn't. As I got older, time-consuming commitments and assignments made me lose touch with my passion for writing. Rather than it being an escape from reality that provided me with joy, it was now a chore. This was until I decided to join my friends in requesting to join Odyssey. What seemed like a small extracurricular activity turned into a hobby that broke up grueling college weeks and reminded me why it is that I write.

From topics ranging from satire, mental health, television, to the news I was given an opportunity to constantly practice writing. In producing content weekly, I was later given the chance to write for platforms such as The Huffington Post, Elite Daily, and The Mighty because I included a link to my Odyssey profile. Odyssey has been viewed as a controversial platform, but despite its criticisms, I personally feel grateful to have been able to write for them.

I now pursue my creative writing minor with excitement, strive to write for multiple platforms, and have found that writing is not an obligation but a passion. For this, I thank Odyssey. Thank you for allowing me to rediscover my love of writing this past year as well as for giving me a way to process events or topics that I may not have without you. To anyone hoping to continue writing but lacking in motivation, I urge you to search for a way to gain back that interest. Whether it's writing for a personal blog, a school newspaper, or just yourself, it's not too late to be devoted to your writing again.

If you are interested in requesting to join Odyssey, you can do so here: https://muse.theodysseyonline.com/apply