February 27th, 2018 marks my first ever article written and published on the Odyssey website.

I remember finding out about Odyssey on my college's Facebook page. I remember reading it and thinking it'd be an interesting way to get my foot in the door while simultaneously improving my writing skills.

Plus, it was also something to do so my afternoons weren't just naps and Netflix.

I applied right then and there. Within minutes I received an email from our former community's editor-in-chief. A few minutes later, I got my acceptance email. It was like getting into the college of your dreams again!

Yeah, it probably isn't that big of a deal. At least not to most of you reading this, but getting accepted into anything is a great feeling.

Regardless, this 27th will mark my first, official year with Odyssey. Believe it or not, I've actually been planning this article for months. Once you get into the hang of writing weekly articles, you start thinking ahead. I'm a busy bee so when I have spare time and feel like it, I'll brainstorm future article ideas or pre-write some in Google Docs.

I planned on writing all about what I've learned from Odyssey, as well as what the future will hold for me after I've graduated from both college and this lovely publication.

So, what did I learn? First and foremost, I learned how to manage my time better. Writing on a strict deadline gives me the extra push out of bed and off my couch to grab my laptop and write. And write fast.

It forced me to really plan my week out. I knew I had to get my articles in at a certain time, on a certain day. If anything came up, I learned to communicate with my editors. I essentially treated writing for Odyssey like a job rather than a hobby or an extracurricular activity.

Each article I write, each week it gets published and shared on the world wide web, I learn more and more about myself. I learned that, sure, I'm introverted. And I don't like talking as much as I do writing, but lookie here! An article I wrote using my own words is being read by people everywhere! It's like finally getting the voice I never felt like I had and using it to reach those alike.

I learned a lot about others, too. I read a lot of articles written by people who I'll probably never meet, and probably have no idea who the heck I am, but I'm still praising their work.

Along the way, I learned about other creators' lives. I recently became an "elite creator" and got put into this cool little group where other elite creators can share their common interests and article ideas.

I learned that Odyssey articles aren't necessarily news-y or factual, but instead full of diverse people's perspectives on everyday topics.

So, what's to come? As much as I'd love to continue writing weekly articles for Odyssey forever, I know eventually, my time will come. I'll graduate, I'll move on, and I'll always look back at the little writing fam I made along my way.

Also, my articles are forever on the Internet for you all to see, so I'll never actually be gone.