Jen is currently in training to join the university volleyball team when try-outs open back up. Her mother's plan is for Jen to rapidly improve and stand out amidst the others on the team this coming season. She doesn't believe this will be much of a challenge for her. To try and catch the eye of a scout for a bigger, better team such as Stanford or Penn State. Thus Jen doesn't feel overly attached to the city or the school since it's just supposed to be a stepping stone in pursuit of a brighter future. It's ~nothing personal~ though. That's just what her mom's dream calls for! Oh, and sponsorships. Because everyone needs those.
Since her mother supplies her with financial security in excess of what she strictly needs to get by, and she gets rewards every time she does particularly well with her athletic goals, Jen has a bad habit of spending tons of money on material things for herself and others. Her apartment is absolutely littered with early-adopter gadgets, video game consoles, and other stuff she rarely uses or has touched once and then never again. She's absolutely incapable of cooking for herself except the basics, so her fridge and freezer are stuffed with healthy meal kits for all times of the day, fresh fruits, and protein products. She abhors smoking and doesn't drink unless it's a special occasion.
In her free time, Jen engages in anything that can give her a thrill short of drinking or drugs. Climbing, surfing, off-road biking, and racing of all forms. She something of a sore loser, though. The higher the stakes the worse it gets. Jen is also unfairly judgmental toward people who seem to be wasting their life, or just refuse to "get it together". (Yes, she's one of those people who would tell someone who's depressed that they just need to exercise and drink more water! Try to smile more!! But it's just because her actual attempts at supporting and enriching other people's lives often fall flat.) She can play up the sportsmanship angle when it's on the court because she knows the consequences if she's seen behaving badly there, but all in all she dislikes being seen as weak or in a negative light and will try to do anything to blow past any lasting effects. Or play it off as something unimportant.
On the flip-side, Jen craves validation, adoration, and affection from just about everyone she meets, to a near-manic degree. Ever since her teenage years Jen was often praised for how "mature" she seemed, and it went to her head. With her makeup and manner of dress she plays up that perceived advantage. Having her body in such good shape already gives her a leg-up in that department as far as she is concerned. That said, she crushes hard on older women, especially those who are very secure in who they are, what they're doing with their life, are ambitious, and so on. In general she has to keep her sexuality on the down-low because her mom would be furious that she would risk her career over a "fleeting lifestyle choice". (Spoilers: she is very bad at being lowkey anything.)
Other AU Changes -her mother had her name changed to distance herself from her father and his Chinese heritage -the motorcycle accident never happened so Jen is hale and whole -less trauma obviously, and no abandonment issues, but a whole host of other Stuff as seen above -she has no tattoos or piercings, because her mother doesn't want them to ruin promo photos -instead of krav maga, she practices tai-chi and yoga, you know, because her body is a temple and all that? -can't read music at all (plays the harmonica. poorly. it was a gift from her dad from a rest stop during a road trip to Yellowstone.) -a fairly decent good singer, who really enjoys those rare karaoke nights -hasn't performed an honest day's paid work in her entire life -social media usage is entirely on twitter & instagram; food pics and selfies showing off her muscles w/ motivational B.S. thrown in #AbsForDays #GunShow #BodyPositivity
AU ADDENDUM
Jen Bowen - born Jinjing Longwei - grew up in Seattle, WA. Jen had a strong competitive streak and a great talent for sports, playing just about everything her mother could sign her up for since she was very young. In middle school she played soccer in the fall and softball in the spring, and in high school it was volleyball and swimming. After graduation, she went to a local university and joined the volleyball team. She shot up the ranks of the players but couldn't match the statistics of those who had been playing the sport for much longer. To fix this, her mother had her put in an application for a school with a worse overall tournament record and inferior players to beef up her records by comparison. Thus she was accepted to Recollé University last year and moved to the city in the fall just in time for off-season games with local clubs.
Jen is currently in training to join the university volleyball team when try-outs open back up. Her mother's plan is for Jen to rapidly improve and stand out amidst the others on the team this coming season. She doesn't believe this will be much of a challenge for her. To try and catch the eye of a scout for a bigger, better team such as Stanford or Penn State. Thus Jen doesn't feel overly attached to the city or the school since it's just supposed to be a stepping stone in pursuit of a brighter future. It's ~nothing personal~ though. That's just what her mom's dream calls for! Oh, and sponsorships. Because everyone needs those.
Since her mother supplies her with financial security in excess of what she strictly needs to get by, and she gets rewards every time she does particularly well with her athletic goals, Jen has a bad habit of spending tons of money on material things for herself and others. Her apartment is absolutely littered with early-adopter gadgets, video game consoles, and other stuff she rarely uses or has touched once and then never again. She's absolutely incapable of cooking for herself except the basics, so her fridge and freezer are stuffed with healthy meal kits for all times of the day, fresh fruits, and protein products. She abhors smoking and doesn't drink unless it's a special occasion.
In her free time, Jen engages in anything that can give her a thrill short of drinking or drugs. Climbing, surfing, off-road biking, and racing of all forms. She something of a sore loser, though. The higher the stakes the worse it gets. Jen is also unfairly judgmental toward people who seem to be wasting their life, or just refuse to "get it together". (Yes, she's one of those people who would tell someone who's depressed that they just need to exercise and drink more water! Try to smile more!! But it's just because her actual attempts at supporting and enriching other people's lives often fall flat.) She can play up the sportsmanship angle when it's on the court because she knows the consequences if she's seen behaving badly there, but all in all she dislikes being seen as weak or in a negative light and will try to do anything to blow past any lasting effects. Or play it off as something unimportant.
On the flip-side, Jen craves validation, adoration, and affection from just about everyone she meets, to a near-manic degree. Ever since her teenage years Jen was often praised for how "mature" she seemed, and it went to her head. With her makeup and manner of dress she plays up that perceived advantage. Having her body in such good shape already gives her a leg-up in that department as far as she is concerned. That said, she crushes hard on older women, especially those who are very secure in who they are, what they're doing with their life, are ambitious, and so on. In general she has to keep her sexuality on the down-low because her mom would be furious that she would risk her career over a "fleeting lifestyle choice". (Spoilers: she is very bad at being lowkey anything.)
Other AU Changes
-her mother had her name changed to distance herself from her father and his Chinese heritage
-the motorcycle accident never happened so Jen is hale and whole
-less trauma obviously, and no abandonment issues, but a whole host of other Stuff as seen above
-she has no tattoos or piercings, because her mother doesn't want them to ruin promo photos
-instead of krav maga, she practices tai-chi and yoga, you know, because her body is a temple and all that?
-can't read music at all (plays the harmonica. poorly. it was a gift from her dad from a rest stop during a road trip to Yellowstone.)
-a fairly decent good singer, who really enjoys those rare karaoke nights
-hasn't performed an honest day's paid work in her entire life
-social media usage is entirely on twitter & instagram; food pics and selfies showing off her muscles w/ motivational B.S. thrown in #AbsForDays #GunShow #BodyPositivity