After deciding to start writing for the Odyssey last September, I never thought that I would then become the Editor-in-Chief at William & Mary by July. I applied on a whim to be a writer and contributing editor, and thought that it would be cool if I got selected for one of those positions. I knew that I would probably be let on as a writer, but I didn't think that I would become contributing editor. When I got the position of contributing editor, I was intimidated because I honestly had no idea what I was doing. I quickly realized that everything was pretty simple, and that it wasn't as intimidating as it seems. Being contributing editor allowed me to get outside of my comfort zone and to do things that I never thought I was capable of.
Now as I am becoming Editor-in-Chief, I once again am slightly intimidated even though I know that I have the training and ability to do this. Once again, I am going into territory I have never been before, and that freaks me out. I've never considered myself someone who would become the leader of a team. Leading and keeping up with a group of people is a scary thought in general. The thoughts of numbers and deadlines is also scary, even though I know I'll be doing most of what I did as contributing editor. A new, important title is just scary in general.
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While I am nervous, I'm also excited about the skills that this opportunity will give me later in life. I've always loved to read and write. I've also always loved to see and read about other peoples' views on topics. I love the Odyssey as a platform for sharing ideas with others, which also gives you multiple different perspectives about the same topic. It's also interesting to see what interests other people and how passionate some people are about their interests. As one of the many leaders in this community, I hope I can inspire people to voice more of their unique opinions. I also hope to learn how to lead and organize a group of people in a way that allows everyone to work together and get along. I love to have everything in order days in advance, so you could say that I'm not very good at just going with the flow of things. I'm hoping that this opportunity will allow me to become more open to just going with the flow, while also allowing me to be organized and plan out deadlines.
While it's terrifying to think that I'm the leader of a community, I know that I can do this and that it will provide me with the skills I need to be a better leader, writer and editor. It's an amazing opportunity, and I can't wait to begin my Editor-in-Chief journey.
