By Bridget Sjoberg | Staff Writer
Baylor students looking to express themselves through writing in a creative way have turned to the university’s chapter of Odyssey, which currently has nearly 60 weekly writers.
Odyssey is a website where college-aged students or other young people have the opportunity to produce weekly content through freestyle writing or “listicle” type articles. The site has over 12,000 writing chapters, many related to specific college campuses or neighborhoods within cities.
Shreveport, La., junior Macy Scott is the current president of Baylor’s chapter of Odyssey and has been writing for the site since the summer before her freshman year. As president, Scott acts as a liaison between the Baylor writers and the managing editors at Odyssey headquarters in New York. She also oversees articles and writers, reaches out to potential new writers and runs their Instagram page.
“Odyssey allows college students to talk about anything they’re passionate about in weekly articles,” Scott said. “We have members who like to write about their life at Baylor, their hobbies, politics, sports, their favorite Netflix series, current events or even just funny pieces or satire. I don’t assign article topics — the writers come up with ideas that they feel are important for their peers to read.”
Scott appreciates how the Odyssey acts as a creative outlet for students looking to express themselves through writing or share their voice.
“I’ve loved seeing my voice grow,” Scott said. “Being part of such an encouraging community of writers has allowed my writing to improve in a way that successfully transforms my inner thoughts into words that truly impact others. Seeing people across the country read and respond to my thoughts has given me the confidence that my words actually matter.”
Scott is a medical humanities major and plans to pursue a career in healthcare administration. However, she hopes to include writing as an important aspect of her life.
“Writing has always been a fun way to express myself, and I’ve always had a plan of writing a novel during my lifetime,” Scott said. “It’s a crazy combination, but I have an equal interest in the medical field and in writing, so I’m just trusting in God’s plan and seeing which discipline He will guide me towards.”
Tyler freshman Katy Dulany decided to begin writing for Odyssey after starting a blog and was looking for another way to share her writing with others.
“I’ve always loved stories in every shape and form, and for as long as I can remember I’ve loved writing and creating worlds with words,” Dulany said. “I was excited to have a creative platform with more structure and a challenge to get out of my comfort zone and actually begin sharing my writing with a wider audience.”
Dulany’s favorite article she has written thus far is titled “13 Things I’ve Learned in my First Month at College, from a Freshman who is Still Learning,” which hit over a thousand views on Odyssey’s website. She appreciates the community and skills she’s received from writing for the site.
“I’ve appreciated the support people have given me,” Dulany said. “Whether on Facebook or in person, people have been so encouraging about my writing, which was honestly my biggest fear, and I think with that I’ve also gained a lot of confidence since writing with Odyssey.”
Parkland, Fla., senior Sara Kelliher has been a long-time reader of Odyssey and began writing for the site to become a better writer and find her creative voice.
“I’ve always loved fashion and writing. When I was young I dreamed about writing for a fashion magazine to talk about the latest trends and styles,” Kelliher said. “I decided to join so I could grow in my writing skills and create a platform and portfolio for myself for after college. I love being able to be as creative as I want and write about all things fashion — I can share something I love with the public.”
Kelliher appreciates how the Odyssey allows her to write about a variety of topics that she finds interesting, but a particular article she wrote in February specifically stood out to her.
“I wrote ‘A Letter to Parkland, from a Parkland Girl’ about my thoughts and pain from the Stoneman Douglas shooting,” Kelliher said. “I’m from the town and suffered a loss and wanted to use my platform to share how I felt, and how I believe we can overcome trauma and pain.”
Scott encourages students interested in writing for Baylor’s chapter of Odyssey to contact her at baylorodyssey@gmail.com, or apply online at about.theodysseyonline.com/apply. She said all majors and grade levels are open to apply.
