Intro to Joel

Hello fellow classmates! My name is Joel Richardson and I was born and raised here in San Diego county. One of my favorite things about living here is the cultural diversity, you can meet people from all around the world here. This will be my last year as an undergrad pursuing a degree in psychology. My goal is to become a sports psychologist and be able to work with athletes, but I'm still open to exploring other fields in my career.

I love playing and watching almost every sport, but my personal favorite is by far soccer. I've been playing it for about 17 years and don't plan on stopping any time soon. There's something about it that takes my mind off of pretty much everything and I just enjoy the moment.

Fitness and strength training at the gym has also become a passion of mine. Some people think working out is very superficial and just focused on looking attractive, but to me it's much more than that. There are many benefits that come with it involving health and you also learn a lot about yourself. I had to learn how to be discipline and goal focused. The best thing is that these two skills can be applied to any aspect in life. You have to put in work physically and mentally to get results.

I like traveling and feel that I'm at a point in my life in which I should be doing it given that I have no major responsibilities such as children or big house payments. I've been to a few countries including Mexico, Spain, and Germany. My favorite trip so far has been to Munich, Germany because it was the first time I travelled completely alone to a place where I didn't know the local language. Needless to say it was an amazing experience. the first couple days were rough but after I felt like I was in sync with the locals.
My family plays a big role in who I am. My parents have taught my sisters and I important life lessons by setting the example. They've taught us the values of hard work and respect, among other things. The unconditional support I receive from all my family is my fuel to do anything in life.

I'm hoping to have a wonderful semester and make the most out of my classes. I look forward to meeting my classmates and making some new friends as well.