The beginnings of each day start out with a good morning text. No they are not from a guy nor am I sending them to any guy. They are sent from me to my Odyssey team. The ones who make sure everyone else is doing good before they even think of themselves. The ones who are always there to help and support one another. The ones who let me know everyday that I am the best EIC out there.

Six months ago if I even got a text from someone it was only from my mom, dad or sister. That was stable for a good few months before that also. I didn't have many friends. Yeah, there were a few here and there I would see every now and then. I never had a significant group of friends to call my "best friends".

April 2016 - I received about 7 or 8 applications from random girls who also attended Suffolk Community College. I had no idea who they were and I only thought they would just be a "writer" on my Odyssey team. I had no idea one day very soon that they would all impact my life so much.

June 2016 - We started to become pretty close at this point. We would talk often in our group chat, explain our hectic days to each other, and even have open heart-to-hearts just to vent to girls who understood one another.

We learned we all had a very distinct story behind each one of us. We all went through some type of pain, loss, heartache, and didn't have many people to open up to about it. That's when we all realized we had each other.

Ironic that each one of these people applied to be on my team within the same two weeks? More like fate. The team and I discuss this often as well. We believe that having this opportunity granted to all of us was like a message; we all needed each other at that very point in all of our lives.

Today August 28, 2016 - These team members know more about me and my life probably more than I do. I know them more than they know themselves also. I go out of my way every single day to make sure each one of them is doing good. I make sure they aren't upset over something, anything that could be going on in their lives. If something ever is, I help them overcome it.

Personally, I believe these are the qualities of what a leader should be. An example, positive influence, structured, but most importantly, a friend. Someone who understands and someone who will always be there for them. Especially if it's not related to Odyssey.

These few people know that I will always be there for them. I never had a group of friends that were so supportive of me before I met these very important ones, and they also know that. They have given me their all from day 1. Because of that I will give them my all and even more I can offer. Without them I would have never been able to enjoy such an incredible opportunity and experience.

So, when I send a good morning text to these crazies every morning, whether it's a really ugly selfie of me just waking up, or it's an actual message, I remember that they are more than just team members, they are true friends. Friends who will always tell the truth, friends who won't hide anything, friends who are supportive, friends who give me the world, and friends who I wouldn't trade for this world.

I look back on the last year of my life from this very day last year. I was more than lonely, more than a lost soul, and more than a girl who just wanted happiness.

Today, I am not lonely anymore, I have found what I love to do, and I have all of the happiness in the world because of these lovely friends I get to call my Odyssey Team.