The WOZQ radio DJs have an active and inviting arrangement of shows for this semester, and being in person has helped them thrive and be more involved with the community. After speaking with some of the DJs, it is clear how the last year has shifted their understanding and appreciation for music as a source of connection. These shows are an integral part of student engagement as they are based out of the Campus Center when in-person and broadcast live for any student to listen.
Student DJs feel more connected to the Smith community and have a high level of care for the content they produce. Being remote was a new challenge and experience, but it also allowed DJs to fine-tune their social media skills to promote their shows. Platforms such as Instagram were invaluable to the experience of Dj-ing a radio show remotely and made a difference in being able to connect with the community in a new way.
When asked why she wanted to be a WOZQ DJs this semester, S.J. Waring ’24 said, “I wanted to try something new and I love music.”
Waring is new to WOZQ this year, but people who have past experience with the club expressed similar enthusiasm. Jasmine Hanna ’23 mentioned her experience working with the WOZQ board and how it has shaped her experience as a DJ. “The WOZQ board is making a big effort to unite the org a bit more, through playing Smith musicians on air, and inviting Smith musicians to play at WOZQ concerts.”
With regard to being online last year, students expressed difficulties about the process of staying involved and curating playlists precisely.
Hanna said, “We were trained to record everything wanted to say on air as separate podcast episodes on Spotify, publish them and add them to the playlist with our songs, and then send them to our department heads as playlists exactly one or two hours to the minute so they could play our shows end to end for the whole time we were on air.”
She felt that “It was much more difficult to get the timing right, it felt unnatural to record everything we would say as individual podcast episodes, and it really cut down on the individual flair you could put on your show.”
Cait Donahue ’23 chose not to continue their show during the remote term. This year they decided to rejoin WOZQ. On this decision to pause, they said, “I anticipated that I wouldn’t enjoy my show nearly as much. Being in the booth and having that space as a refuge for me and the music I liked was a big part of my relationship with WOZQ, and remains one of the things I love most about the station.”
Being back in person has made an impact on both new and more seasoned WOZQ DJs, as Waring also shared the value of having a space to express herself and connect with her peers. She said, “Knowing that each week I’m going to physically go and sit in the station and play my music makes being in WOZQ a lot more fun—it sort of gets me back into the process of actually doing things again.”
There are many technicalities and skills involved in running a WOZQ show, as Donahue demonstrated during their Halloween show. In addition to playing their chosen music, they have to keep track of logs including new releases to play, PSAs to play, and also create a spreadsheet of the songs they play. It is a very organized process and Donahue described feeling very focused in the booth.
“You have to be alert at all times because there are so many things to be aware of and do during the time you’re in here. You can’t really get sidetracked or do homework, and it’s nice because I have a set amount of things to do during this time and I can just focus and listen to my music,” Donahue said.
Sitting in on the show exhibited the level of care and fun which goes into facilitating a radio show. DJs get to listen to some of their favorite songs and enjoy being present in the moment while also connecting with people in the community.
Regardless of what has occurred in the last year and a half, it is clear that WOZQ DJs have a positive experience being involved in this club, and having a way to express themselves through music has benefited their time at Smith greatly. A large part of the new connections they make have been due to the use of social media, as each of these DJs use Instagram to advertise their showtimes and spread the word about their weekly themes and playlists.
On using social media, Waring said, “I want to feel like I have sort of a listener base and ensure that people actually care (at least a little) about my show. I think a lot of people don’t really know about WOZQ and the shows they have so social media seems like a good way to make them aware.”
Hanna added, “We’re heavily encouraged to promote our radio show and WOZQ events on our social media. Posting on my Instagram grid or story makes the difference between having two listeners or ten, and making promotional material for my show is half the fun.”
In terms of the specific steps she takes, she said, “I make custom covers for my Spotify playlists, posters and take lots of selfies and pictures in the studio to promote. I keep the Mixlr link to stream WOZQ in my Instagram bio so it’s easy for people to listen in, and I text it to my mom and close friends before my show starts.”
Waring said, “I feel a lot more involved in Smith life and like I really belong to something.”
Hanna added, “This is one of a few things that I look forward to the most each week at Smith. I can see my growth throughout the semester so far and as my show gets better I feel like I’m becoming more comfortable here. I’ve been doing this for three years, but this is the first time I’ve felt like being a DJ is part of my identity since 2020.”
You can learn more about WOZQ at their website here and head to their Mixlr to tune in to any of the WOZQ radio shows online. You can also listen to The Sophian NewsHour broadcast live Tuesdays, 10 A.M. to 11 A.M. to catch up on all of the week’s top stories.
