Name: Julian Daryl Hartford
Nickname: Jules is acceptable from friends and family. Julie is not acceptable from anyone.
Age: 16
Birthday: December 21st
Sign: Sagittarius
Gemstone: Lapis Lazuli
Blood Type: A+
Fav. Food: Trail mix bars. Actual trail mix gets everywhere and is a pain to eat, but trail mix bars have all of the nutrients and none of the mess. Chewy bars only, please; the crunchy ones fall apart in seconds. Jules is especially fond of ones with dried cranberries and sesame seeds.
Hated Food: Hard-to-eat produce like pomegranates and artichokes. There are plenty of ways to get your daily requirements that don’t require guessing what part of a plant is actually edible.
School: Meadowview High School
Hobbies:
On Top of the World: Nothing quite beats the feeling of being on top. Julian doesn’t just relish this figuratively, with each A+ test score and scholastic accolade, but also literally, as a member- and treasurer- of the Meadowview Climbing Club. Most of the club’s climbs are done on rock walls at a nearby gym, but Julian helps organize trips to nearby climbing routes. Though by no means a professional, Julian’s been practicing for a few years, and often helps newbies learn the ropes at the gym and on simple bouldering climbs.
Those Who Can, Coach: Julian played basketball in middle school, but when it came to the Meadowview tryouts, was relegated to second string. Sitting on the sidelines was totally boring, and wasn’t going to impress anyone on college applications. So instead, Jules volunteers with the Destiny City Kids’ League, serving as an assistant coach for a team in the 9-12 age bracket and helping out with day camps and after-school programs. Not only is it more fun than benchwarming, but volunteering will look great on applications. Better still, it’s really rewarding, and Julian feels a sense of pride and accomplishment every time the team goes out to play.
Grow It, Show It: Some people crochet or knit to relieve stress. Jules does hair. It’s just as relaxing, and the material’s always on hand. From braids and buns to flips and twists, anything goes when it comes to playing around. Most of the time Julian’s hair is pulled back into a neat ponytail, to keep it out of the way, but after a long day, it can usually be found in some strange experimental style. People who time their requests well can get Jules to do their hair for them, just because the work itself is so soothing, and fun to boot. And most of the time, it even comes out looking good! As for the times it doesn’t… well, no one needs to know about the frizz blast incident.
Virtues:
All You Need Is Drive: Simply put, when it comes to what’s important, Julian does not give up. Ever. A rock-solid work ethic combined with an overwhelming fear of losing means taking the initiative, pursuing every opportunity, and being able to go farther than people tend to expect. However, Jules is an honorable competitor, and refuses to stoop to cheating or sabotage in order to succeed. If you have to resort to foul play in order to win, then you’ve already lost the battle. Julian wants to be the best, and has no interest in hollow victories, only solid results.
What’s Done Is Done: Nothing can be gained from dwelling on the past. Both fatal errors and glorious triumphs need to be learned from and then put to rest. To that end, Julian doesn’t waste time and energy moping over defeat or enthused by victory. The former just means you’re likely to make the same mistakes again, and the latter tends to make people overconfident. For Julian, every day is a clean slate, a new chance to do things right, regardless of what happened before. Though repeated failures can make it difficult to keep charging forward, quitters never win, and it takes a lot to make Jules think about giving up for good.
The Quickest Path: Do one thing. Do it well, and do it to completion. Julian doesn’t waste time trying to multitask. After all, studies show that so-called multitaskers get less done than people who focus on what’s in front of them. Jules is excellent on tuning out everything except the task at hand, which tends to help the task at hand finish more quickly than it might otherwise.
Flaws:
Center of the Universe: It’s not that other people aren’t important to Julian. It’s just that looking out for number one takes top priority, and everything and everyone else tends to fall to the wayside. Julian can come off as insensitive when dealing with the concerns of others, but it’s really just a case of being unable to multitask. Which comes off as a flimsy excuse to those who are brushed off as a result of Jules’ laser focus.
Good Isn’t Good Enough: There are no gold stars or A’s for effort in Julian’s book. It’s either win or lose, and silver medals are for losers. Being happy with anything less than a perfect performance is pretty much impossible, so working with Jules can be a nightmare and a half unless you’re guaranteed to win. If not, and it’s an option, surrendering might be the best bet; as far as Julian is concerned, if you can’t be the first or best at something, there’s no point in even trying.
The Game of Life: Everything is a competition- even normal, everyday activities get turned into contests. Who can finish lunch first? Whose test scores are the best? Most of these heated matches take place entirely in Julian’s mind, but this must-win attitude is still quite apparent to any would-be competitors, in the form of misplaced aggression and passive-aggressive behavior, and while this is usually quick to clear up, it's still frustrating to deal with in the moment. Jules is usually a gracious winner, but a terribly sore loser, who has a convenient excuse for any defeat, even the imaginary ones. Minor losses can result in sulking and muttered insults, but getting trounced in a real test of skill will usually make Julian give up entirely, which isn’t particularly helpful to anyone.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Eyes: Some non-clashy shade of purple.
Hair: Alizarin crimson, and quite long. Jules usually wears it in a high ponytail, with thin braids wrapped around the base, but will often play around with more unusual styles.
Face: A small birthmark by one eye, but otherwise nothing remarkable.
Clothes: School uniform, with a few bits of jewelry, but fairly toned down. Ears pierced with simple studs, cord bracelet or anklet, nothing too sparkly or dangly. Wears thick ribbed tights with the uniform in colder months. Professional and practical, with hints of personality, describes Jules' wardrobe both in school and out.
