A few months ago as I was scrolling through Facebook, I kept noticing these Odyssey articles pop up on my newsfeed whether they were written by people I knew or complete strangers. On average, I would read about 20 Odyssey articles a day to either make me laugh, learn about something going on in the world, or just to read about what is going on in other people’s lives. I wanted to become a writer, but how could I do it?

After searching the Odyssey on Google, there was a page to fill out my information and a spot to check whether I wanted to be a writer or an editor. After completing the application I was not sure if I would hear back and eventually forgot that I even had applied. That was until I received a text message a few weeks later from an editor on the UIUC campus.

The editor had asked when I was available to have a short phone conversation and for her to fill me in on all things Odyssey. When I received the text message, I was sitting with my best friend, Emily, in the library and asked her should I do it? I felt like I wouldn't be good at it or I wouldn't know what to write every week. Emily told me that she knew my articles would be good and that if I ever needed help with a topic she would help me.

With the support of Emily and many of my other friends and family, I decided to text my editor back and set up a time to have the phone conversation with her. The next day at around 2:30 I received a call and was asked to tell my editor a little bit about myself and basically who I am as a person. The most important part of that conversation that I will never forget was “Why do you want to write for the Odyssey?”

I didn’t know if I should say that I wanted to write to be funny. Or if I should have said I wanted to write about issues going on in the world. Or if I should have said I wanted to write because it looked fun. Instead, I replied with, “I want to write for myself and for everyone else that won’t.” In life, I have always had a very hard time sharing my thoughts and feelings out loud. However, I have no problem typing them in a text message or even in an article for all my Facebook friends and Twitter followers to see. I wanted to write articles to help myself and be able to write about my life.

More importantly, I wanted to be an Odyssey writer to help people who are too scared to share their feelings, who might be in a dark place in their life or who just want some advice.

Although I am only 19 years old, I have learned so much over the last few years dealing with my depression, anxiety, starting college, joining a sorority and just about everything in between. Am I an A+ writer? Absolutely not. But, I am not doing it for a million pages views a week. I am not doing it to build my resumé. I am simply doing it to give myself a little inspiration, in hopes of inspiring others along the way.