I've let a few opportunities pass me by in my life, and I've regretted every one of those missed opportunities for a time. I wasn't about to add writing for Odyssey to that pile. The initial phone interview made me a little nervous, so I was relieved to hear I was accepted, and eager to get started. I'm my own harshest critic sometimes, and that self-doubt conflicted with my eagerness. I didn't think I would be able to consistently produce articles at the level of quality the Odyssey community expects week after week. Once I started, though, the ideas started flowing naturally. Inspiration strikes even when I don't think I have anything for a particular week in mind. One week, I felt so hopelessly distracted that I didn't think I would get anything done, but then it hit me: write about how to avoid distractions. I've enjoyed having the freedom to write about anything and everything and being able to get my insights out to the world, or at least that part of the world that reads our articles. The editors here don't dictate what I write about, which gives me more of a sense of ownership over my work, but I know they are there to advise and correct any errors that might slip through the cracks so you, the reader, see only the best possible content my fellow writers and I can produce.

The kind of reaction I want to help us avoid.

Last week, when I got a voicemail saying something about my status with the team, I had no idea what to think of that. When I followed up the next day, it turned out to be a status upgrade. I was offered the chance to be a contributing editor and didn't hesitate to accept, proving to me that my time with Odyssey has given me a boost in confidence. It feels like my hard work has been rewarded, but then again, when you enjoy what you do it doesn't even feel like work. This doesn't mean I'm going to stop writing. It just means I have an additional title. It means being more involved with a team, which is a big change for someone as introverted as I am. It also means I can make use of my experience here to help other contributors do the best work they possibly can. For my first order of business, I'd like to offer a few words of advice to any new writers at Odyssey. You probably have other responsibilities, so make use of those time management skills. It's helpful to have a number of ideas lined up in advance, so keep a list of any and all topics that might interest you. You might just save yourself from writer's block and blown deadlines.

Somehow I don't think it'll be this bad.

I'm looking forward to the added responsibility that comes with being an editor and the possibilities it might open up.