We all read these articles, and perhaps we relate to the message of the article, or maybe we find the gifs they contain really funny. But do we ever think about who comes up with this stuff? Before I began writing for Odyssey (which was not very long ago), I had always assumed that the writers for Odyssey were an elite group, carefully selected out of a much larger group of hopefuls. Maybe this was just me being ignorant, but that could not be farther from the truth. Sure, the people who write for Odyssey are talented and passionate and insightful, but anyone can do it. I mean, anyone. I applied to be a writer for Odyssey a few months back, just hoping that I would be chosen for this prestigious position. Within a day, I received an email notifying me that I was the newest member of Gettysburg's Odyssey team. Simple as that. What I'm trying to say is that Odyssey isn't some exclusive club, but rather, more like a glorified blog (in the absolute best way). Anyone can make their mark on this website, and here's why you should.
1. You can make it exactly what you want it to be.
At Odyssey, there are no specific guidelines regarding what you should write about or how long your articles have to be or anything like that. You can say (or write) absolutely anything you want to, thanks in part to the First Amendment, but more so to Odyssey's laid-back nature. It's all about expressing yourself and creating pieces of writing that are true to you.
2. It's a well-known platform.
Blogs are great, but it's a little more difficult to get the word out about a totally new website than it is to get your name out there on a really well-renowned website. Tons of people read Odyssey articles everyday; who says they won't be reading yours? There is a greater chance of people reading your words on here than on a just-starting-out blog. Odyssey is a great way to get your feet wet in the world of online articles and get your name out there.
3. You could get paid!
To put it bluntly, there's money in this thing (not kidding). If your article gets the most shares out of all of the articles from your school in a given week, you'll make $20. It's the best job ever.
4. You'll meet new people.
Odyssey is set up in "teams" based on which school you attend. Within my Gettysburg team, I've been introduced to new people that I wouldn't have met had it not been for Odyssey. Just like any other club or activity, this is a great way to branch out and make friends. You can even collaborate on articles.
5. It's a great resumé builder.
Even if you're too ashamed to admit it, everyone gets involved in things just so that they can tack them on to the end of their resumés. So, if you're on the fence about joining this community, keep in mind that this will look awesome on your life's transcript.
6. It's a good creative outlet.
Sometimes, you just need a way to get your thoughts out and vent a little bit, or maybe you have a really unique thought and you just want to share it with everyone else. Here at Odyssey, you can do that. This is a blank space that's just waiting to be filled with your brilliant ideas. It a great way to share your thoughts with people from all over.
7. You could go viral.
It may be a little vain, but it's still pretty cool. Imagine getting like 30,000 shares on your own piece of writing. It could be so satisfying and even validate any doubt you have about your talent. One of the girls on Gettysburg's team even had one of her articles about "Drake and Josh" shared by Drake Bell himself. Who wouldn't want that?
8. It's very laid back.
If you do make the right decision and decide that you do want to write for Odyssey, you'll only be writing one article a week. It is not at all time-consuming, and it's totally manageable. (If I'm being totally honest, I knocked this out in half an hour.) I know we're all super busy, but I bet you have enough time to spare in order to make yourself a part of such a great social literary platform.
