Studying Abroad Taught Me How To Live

My article "Studying Abroad Taught Me How To Live" is my favorite article I have written.

When I studied abroad in England this past fall, I took the semester off from writing for Odyssey because I didn't want to have any distractions from home; I wanted to enjoy my study abroad to the best of my ability and have the time of my life, which I did. This was the first article I wrote after coming back from my study abroad and the reason I love it so much is because it was the first time I was able to actually explain how much my study abroad meant to me.

When people ask me about my experience studying abroad in England, I'm usually speechless and sum it up in eight words: "It was the best experience of my life." While that's true, it doesn't do it justice. This article means a lot to me because every time I read it, I am reminded of the joy I felt while I was in England, everything I learned during my study abroad, and like the article says, I learned how to live.

This article is so personal to me and I'm grateful that I had a platform like Odyssey to reminisce all of the incredible experiences I had while I was in England.

I Took a Semester Off My Major

This is the second article I wrote after returning from my study abroad in England.

Before leaving for England, I questioned if my journalism career would suffer if I took a semester off from doing internships, clubs, extracurricular activities etc. that related to journalism. While writing this article, I realized this was not the case and that my experience studying abroad meant more to me than any internship or club.

Writing this article was therapeutic and I know I'm going to appreciate this article in years to come when I reflect back on who I was as a 21-year-old college student.

Greeks Relying On Christ

I have been a part of an organization called Greeks Relying on Christ since I was a freshman in college. It has been such a rewarding part of my college experience and a lot of people don't know what Greek ROC (for short) is. I don't talk about my religious beliefs much so I felt very empowered and brave when I wrote about Greek ROC and told people about something that means so much to me.

My favorite part was the positive reactions this article got from everyone in Greek ROC. As far as I know, no one has ever written an article about Greek ROC, so it felt very rewarding knowing that I gave so many girls a voice and wrote about an organization that means so much to all of us.

Hollywood's Celeb Couples

Okay, so I was going to feature this article because I'm proud of it for getting posted on Odyssey's Facebook page and the headline being the subject line in Odyssey's weekly email, but I just realized that it's also gotten more than 5,000 views AND it was featured on Swoon! Getting an article featured on Swoon is a big deal for Odyssey writers and I'm really excited that an article about something as pointless as Hollywood relationships did so well.

In all reality, I had a lot of fun writing this article and digging into my obsession with Hollywood relationships. It was also a little sad writing this article because it was right after Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan-Tatum announced they were getting divorced.

This article isn't as sentimental as most of my articles, but it performed really well with page views and it restored my hope for a happily ever after by writing about Hollywood couples who are still going strong!

College Has Taught Me So Much About Life

I love when I get all sentimental and act like I know the right way to live life.

There is no "right" way to live life, but I appreciate my attempt to act wise, and I have to admit, some of the stuff I wrote was actually pretty clever. Not that I ever really take my own advice, but I was pretty inspired by the last line: "You only get one [life], so stop existing and start LIVING." It's like I predicted the future because I wrote an article almost a year later about how I finally learned how to live when I studied abroad.

I appreciate articles like these because I typically write them when I'm in a happy-go-lucky mood, so if I'm ever feeling down or doubtful, I can read some of my past articles and take advice from a girl who thinks she knows what she's doing. It's kind of clever when you think about it.

On a side note, the cover photo is terrible and this article made me realize I have not only become a better writer since March 2018, but I also became a better photographer as well.

Four White Walls

I'm not a poet and I've always known it (rhyme intended), but I am proud of this content. It's so insightful and it's amazing how just a few lines can provoke so much reflection from my time as a college student.

Letter to My Furry Friends

Writing this article was SO much fun because it gave me the chance to look at adorable photos of all of my pets! Believe it or not, it was really difficult to choose photos because I have SO many photos of my pets and I would have used them all if I could.

While I'm proud of this article, a simple "thank you" could never summon how much I love my pets and how much they mean to me.

Journalism Is Not A Useless Major

This article is one of my favorites on my list of favorite articles. I wrote this article roughly one month after I started interning at a news station.

I've always had a difficult time describing my love and passion for journalism and I am so proud of this article because it does just that.

When I read this article, I am reminded of a time when I felt like a real journalist for the first time and how proud I was of my accomplishments at that point in my life. If only I could have shown sophomore year-me this article, I would have known how far I would go in my journalism career just two years later; it might have given me hope and kept me from changing my major six times during my sophomore year.

Reading articles like this reminds me how far I've come since starting my journalism career in high school.

I Am Not An Emotional Person

This article gives me all the feels, which is ironic because this article is about how I'm not an emotional person.

I've always struggled with my emotions - hence the headline "It's Not That I Don't Care, I'm Just Not Emotional" - and this article helped me lay all my feelings on the table, or lack thereof I should say.

I got a lot of positive comments about this article which was great, but the comments that always mean the most to me are when people say "I know how you feel" and "I understand."

 7 Things Rejection Has Taught Me

Wow, I really wish I could tell December 2017-me that everything would work out just a couple weeks (maybe even a couple days) later. It's so interesting when I read old articles and compare my life then to my life now. God has a plan for my life and I love watching it unfold right before my eyes.

Rejection sucks but it's made me stronger and improved my character.

 Children Can Dream Big

If (emphasizing the word "if") I ever have kids, I'm going to read this article again and again because I was a wise 20-year-old who knew what she was talking about. This is the type of article I would read if I was ever feeling down and doubtful, because not only was I insightful about how I would raise my kids (*if* I have kids), but it reminds me to dream big and believe in myself more than anyone else.

 I Will Not Let Fear Control Me Anymore

"Fear. It has controlled my life for too long, and I am saying goodbye to it for good."

THIS LINE. THIS ARTICLE. Is. Everything.

I'm starting to think I'm pretty wise.

 17 Reasons Why I Can't Wait For School To Start

When I read this article years after I graduate from college, I am going to be reminded of all of my favorite things at Michigan State University, like the MSU Dairy Store, my sorority sisters and repping green and white everywhere I go.

Like I said at the beginning of this article, Odyssey has been my own personal (well, not so much because anyone with internet access can read my articles) online journal filled with my memories, my advice, my fears, my hopes and dreams and so much more. I know I will appreciate all of these articles in years to come.

 Single My Entire Life

I can't believe I wrote an entire article about my depressing love life, but honestly, I was thriving then and I'm thriving now. Maybe the next time I read this article I'll have a boyfriend. Who knows? Either way, I'm living the dream, figuring out what I want to do with my life and basically doing whatever I want with my life.

 An Open Letter To The Family Who Walked Out Of My Life

Around the time this article was published, it was my most successful article in terms of views. While it's no longer my most successful article, I am so proud of the honesty and emotion I conveyed throughout this article. Prior to writing this article, I had carried around the heavy weight of my family drama for years; once I shared my story, I felt free.

 What Even Is A Typical Sorority Girl

I wrote this article right after getting initiated into my sorority. I hope I squashed the rumors and stereotypes about sorority girls because we are smart, genuine, confident and strong women.

 10 Signs You're A Crazy Die-Hard Fan

I wrote this article right after my dad and I drove 250 miles from Michigan State University to Purdue University to see Hunter Hayes in concert. (It was also one of the best days of my life because I met my favorite singer Hunter Hayes for the first time, so it was DEFINITELY worth the drive.)

This article will always be my favorite article (even though I literally said that at the beginning of this article) because it's where it all started. This article is where I solidified myself as a journalist and started an amazing three-year journey with Odyssey.