I want to begin by first, talking (well...writing) about who I am and why I decided to join the Odyssey. See, I have a major in communications, and I thought it would be beneficial to join in order to sharpen up my writing skills. I've had countless teachers tell me that writing is like a muscle. You have to work it out to keep it going strong.

My second reason for joining, is I'm trying to put myself out into the world, to have my voice heard. I'm not planning to break any ground or become some huge idol, but if what I write could make an impact on just one person, that's a win for me.

Writing for the Odyssey would be an amazing opportunity for me to improve as a writer and also a person. Committing to writing one article every week seemed like a HUGE undertaking to me; I was worried about not meeting deadlines or not coming up with new ideas. However, after a little bit of thought, I decided that this was a perfect way to challenge myself.

I consider myself to be a creative person; I draw, I write, but my greatest weakness is that I go through multiple drafts within an hour. My trash can is filled with dozens of crumpled drawings that I thought wasn't good enough. By writing for the Odyssey, I am forcing myself to be more decisive with my creations, more confident in my abilities to write. I never had to deal with strict deadlines. I am learning to go beyond my comfort zone and face my fears of failure. I don't want to disappoint anyone, but I'm already feeling proud of myself for taking the risk.

Putting my words and thoughts out into the internet is pretty scary. I'm used to posting my artwork online, but I have never shared my thoughts in full detail. However, I think it's time for me to reach people in a different way, something much more direct than some goofy doodles. Maybe this way, I can meet new people, work with fellow writers, and gain support from people who are different yet similar to me.

I like meeting new people to see another perspective of the world that I wouldn't consider. So please, feel free to disagree with my opinions, and tell me why you disagree. I'm always open to learning something new because we are at our best when we're looking ahead. Improvement is what life is about.

I hope I didn't bore anyone to death (don't worry it's almost over). Next time, I'll do something more interesting. I really wanted to test the waters and talk about who I am before I start REALLY shaking things up. I have some plans for this page please keep an eye out!

Thank you for tuning in.