Being a part of the Odyssey has definitely taught me many valuable things. Over the past three months of being one of the many writers on the Odyssey, I have learned a useful thing or two that will not only help improve my own writing skills, but will apply beyond the Odyssey into other parts of my life.

1. Not everyone knows what the Odyssey is.

People who write for the Odyssey have been called everything from "wannabe bloggers" to "people who think they're professionals since their writing is 'published." For those of you who are unaware, the mission of the Odyssey is to amplify the voice of millennials through social media to bring relevant material to others. As a college student, this was an appealing organization to join because I could gain experience writing, editing, and working with a team of talented individuals. Also, it makes a nice addition to a resume.

2. You have to get used to the idea that you are not going to please everyone.

Other people who read your articles will have different views than you and will not be afraid to tell you. But, hey, your article got them talking. Isn't that what it was supposed to do?

3. You'll find it's not always easy to find inspiration for your next article.

Writing a weekly article doesn't sound that hard at first, but after a few weeks, you may feel as if you are running out of ideas. You may even turn in an article thinking this has got to be the worst piece of garbage ever written for the Odyssey . But even if it may not be your finest work, you still have to be proud that you somehow manage to get something in before your deadlines every week.

4. Speaking of deadlines, writing for Odyssey, you learn how to work on a schedule.

After about a week of being a member of the team, you get used to the rhythm of writing, submitting before your deadline, editing, resubmitting, and finally sharing your final article.

5. You also learn that not every article you write will be a hit.

You'll have your good weeks when your articles get thousands of shares, and you'll have your bad weeks when you barely make it into the double digits. It can be hit or miss. There's no recipe for writing the perfect article that's going to go viral.

6. You also realize the people you work with are really talented.

Although I may not personally know every member of my 35 member team, you can bet I've probably read and shared their articles. Reading other's articles can help inspire and improve your own writing, and there's no better feeling than when someone tags you in an article that they didn't know came from your own team (This really happened to me and I was so excited!! You have no idea!).

7. And, most importantly, writing for the Odyssey is fun!

I never anticipated writing for a website to be this fun, but every article I write makes me more excited than the last. You can bet I'm looking forward to where my future with the Odyssey leads me.

If you're interested in becoming a writer for the Odyssey, check out our application page.