Introduce yourself!
Hi, I am Douglas Richardson, a senior communication studies major and sociology minor from Chattanooga, Tenn. I am the president of Shades of Gold, the president of Xi Chi Psi, the treasurer of the communications club and the treasurer of Lambda Pi Eta, the communications honors society.
Wow, you are super busy!
Indeed. It is a lot, but it is nice to have a consistent, busy schedule.
And I know you work at Boo Bears…how is that?
So, I work the morning shift at Boo Bears most mornings. I really like the environment and lowkey pace of working there. It is also nice to see everyone, different students and professors, throughout the day. I like that people come to Boo Bears to study, and really enjoy the atmosphere created by our playlists.
What’s your go-to Boo Bears drink?
A peppermint cappuccino.
What is something that you can talk about for thirty minutes straight?
I could go on an extensive rant about why I think that country music is actually good. To preface this rant: I am not talking about the cheesy country music that is about beers and tractors, but instead, I would argue that the folky kind of country music that has similar themes to those of pop music is good.
What are you listening to right now?
Obviously, Taylor Swift’s new album. I also have been listening to a lot of Noah Kahan’s new album, The 1975’s new album and Carly Rae Jepsen. I feel like it’s been hard lately, as a lot of my favorite artists have been recently dropping really good albums. It is great, though, to have so much to listen to.
As a senior, what advice would you give a college first-year?
Get involved in as much stuff as you possibly can. There are so many social groups on this campus, and it is so resourceful and necessary to dip your toes in lots of different things to enhance your college experience. Getting involved allows you to make connections with other people going through college with you, and also with people that can help you achieve your future goals. Also, do not take yourself too seriously. Nobody is overanalyzing you the way that you are overanalyzing yourself.
What do you want to do after graduation?
I am not 100% sure. I am looking into working in substance abuse recovery, so I hope to achieve that in some capacity. That is what my I.S. is on.
Tell me more about your I.S.
I am looking at College of Wooster students whose parents had or are currently experiencing addiction. Specifically, I am using the Communication Resilience Theory to see how these students cope with their experiences of parental substance abuse and/or addiction. Being a child of someone who was addicted to drugs, most literature paints my population in a negative light and I wanted to focus on the positives in these situations and how they overcame them.
That is so interesting! Tell me more about how you balance all of your executive positions in social clubs with work and school.
I don’t, really. All I can do is try my best and make sure I am doing what I need to do while also taking care of myself and the people around me. I try to just have fun with it and it really helps that I truly enjoy everything that I am a part of.
Anything to plug?
Shades of Gold will be performing at an Admissions concert in Scheide this Sunday, Nov. 13 with the Cowbelles and The Dukes. Also, come visit me in Boo Bears!
The Wooster Voice 