Over the last (almost) two years I've spent creating content for Odyssey, I've always found comfort in writing about my goals and my growth as an individual. The opportunity to reflect on former pieces of myself that, when put together correctly, have built me into the motivated and capable woman that I am today has been incredibly rewarding. From tales of my growth as a writer, to my willingness to let go of grudges that I'd held against people who burned me in the past, to learning to love myself, to even, most recently, my desire to make myself a priority, for the first time in my life, it's become a subject easy to talk about.

Lately, however, I've found myself in the midst of a lot of change. While I'm happily settling into certain areas of my life, other areas aren't feeling as permanent and that's something that I'm not quite used to. My reliance on the once-crucial parts of my life that kept me going is no longer there, replaced with the reliable and long-term relationships I've built with my friends, family, and boyfriend.

I'm the happiest I've ever been, but at the same time, I'm the most lost I've ever been, too. I promised myself back in July that my junior year of college would be about focusing on myself and my growth as an individual, a promise that I followed through on and would eventually lead me to where I happily am today. But, perhaps what is stumping me the most is my need to let go of the things that once built me into who I am because they've begun to stifle my growth.

It's a sad thing to realize that the things that made you who you are today are hurting you more than they're helping you, almost as if you've grown too much. I guess, in a way, you could consider this my Odyssey farewell. Odyssey built me into the young, aspiring professional that I am today beginning when I was just a few months shy of turning 18 years old. Back then, Odyssey was the opportunity of a lifetime, and while it still is and always will be, I can't help but feel the need to close this chapter before it closes on me.

At this point, we're just one week shy of the new year. It's an opportunity to start over, to reinvent certain areas of your life that were lacking. For me, 2018 is a year of letting go of the company I've loved for so long, cherishing the memories and experiences I've had, and seeking out new ways to grow in the career that will carry me throughout the rest of my life.

So, in my final goodbye to the company that built me, I cannot help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude but heavy with sadness. I'm not sure when the next door of opportunity will open for me, I don't think that anyone does when they're leaving something they cherish so much behind. Whether it's one week, one month, or one year from now, my time with Odyssey will always be my proudest accomplishment in my career as a collegiate writer, and I couldn't ask for more than that.