Seven months ago I never could have imagined the types of friendships that I would form writing for my chapter of the Odyssey at Southern Miss. Before Odyssey, I was a shy, awkward, entering sophomore that had yet to find her voice. I'm still somewhat shy and very much an awkward person, but now, I know that I have a voice that is far louder than I previously thought.

When I originally applied, I was a bit apprehensive as to what was going to come out of it. Little did I know that a GroupMe message and a chance encounter in Walmart later would lead me to finding my home away from home.

To some people, Odyssey is "not real journalism." It's merely a collection of college students writing about what they want to. As an English major, I may not see whether Odyssey is "real" or "fake." But to me, it is a real medium that unique groups of people can use just simply to write. It's less about facts and more about legitimate feelings towards important issues that face the world or writer today. It may be less objective than other mediums today, but it allows feelings to be expressed.

I've written articles that are focused on a variety of subjects, ranging from listicles about my major, to my high school. But where I found my voice and passion was when I wrote about politics, feminism and the issues we face today. For decades, my heroes used their forms of media to get their feelings out to the public. Now, it's my chance to evolve not into the next Gloria Steinem, but into the next Emily Rasch. It's through Odyssey that I feel that I can inspire the next generation of glass ceiling breakers.

My three best friends and fellow content creators came from Odyssey. It's been nice to have people that want to genuinely know about your life, or to talk makeup. I am proud of the person that I have become because of them.

My friends at Odyssey were there for me when I underwent the emotions that I had after the election. They saw my many nervous breakdowns, anxiety attacks, and were there when I needed to cry or rant. Never once did they judge me for the thoughts I had or the feelings I felt. It was in these dark times that I realized just how lucky I was to have a group of people that made my large college campus feel not as big.

Now, I am getting ready to embark on a whole new journey with Odyssey as a member of the executive team. It's a little intimidating to think that I get to have a say in how things go. I am absolutely honored and blessed beyond belief for this new experience to happen. I cannot wait to have other writers on our amazing team and introduce them to the impact that Odyssey has had on our whole community.

if you are an eagle and ready to soar, Odyssey could be your chance to. I know it has been mine.