The Character
Character Name: Juanita Louisa MacNeal
Call her: Nita, Neets
Age: 20 (almost 21)
Birthdate: May 20, 1985
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Occupation: College student
Family: Parents: Carmen Perez & John MacNeal; Younger brother: Sam
Character Appearance (Human):
Very stereotypically Scots-Irish: bright red curly hair, mid-back length, usually put in two braids. Fair skin, freckles on her cheeks and nose that get more pronounced in the sun. Eyes are usually teal, but vary from pale blue to bright green with her mood. (Her mother is a gorgeous Hispanic woman, and her father is a Scots-Irish mix: Nita got the Irish looks and hispanic name; her brother got the dark hair and skin). Slender frame: small breasts, slim hips, only 5ft tall, although she's 20 years old. Bookworm. Usually wearing jeans and a tattered coral-colored hoodie and carrying at least one book. She wouldn't usually be noticed except for the hair.
Character Personality:
Nita is quiet, booksmart, and obsessive-compulsive. She tends to alienate people, although she doesn't know why. Maybe it's the OCD. Nita is highly organized, washes her hands constantly, keeps her personal space neat, and can't let her food touch or be mixed with other foods.
She hates doctors and hospitals, although she has a certain appreciation for the cleanliness. She has the mindset for labwork: finicky and precise.
Nita is also a writer, and tends to get caught up in her own characters and stories. This escapism lets her control her environment, as she cannot really in the "real world."
Nita is also gay, or at least bisexual. She has never had a boyfriend or a girlfriend, but would probably rather find a girl to love. Her generally quiet and reserved nature has kept her from actively seeking romance-- the same reason she doesn't have very many close friends other than those in the books she reads and the stories she writes.
Character Background:
Nita had a perfectly normal childhood, growing up in central Ohio with her parents, Carmen Perez and John MacNeal, and her younger brother Sam. She was always the "good kid:" smart, quiet, getting good grades, and "exceeding expectations." Unlike her brother, she never really "rebelled"-- which may have been a trigger for the OCD/depression.
Although she generally got along with her parents (she was closer to her mother), Nita has always felt slightly resentful that she was held to such high standards while her brother always got away with things. For example, it was expected (assumed, really) that Nita would attend college and probably get at least an M.A., whereas Sam dropped out of high school when he turned 16.
In her senior year of high school, Nita had a bit of a mental break and was hospitalized for several weeks. She had been cutting-- not as an attempted suicide, but to force herself to feel something, and to be able to control what she felt. It was then that she was diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and clinical depression. After she was released from the hospital, she was basically homeschooled for the rest of the year, since she couldn't stand to be around her fellow students.
Even so, she graduated with her class as a valedictorian and was accepted into the Honors program at The Ohio State University. Nita declared herself an English major, although she knew she didn't want to teach. As she began her junior year, she realized she had no idea what she was going to do with the degree she was earning.
How does your Character get to/why was your character chosen for the Island?Upon that epiphany, Nita went to talk to her academic advisor, Karen Marsh. Ms. Marsh suggested that Nita take a break from OSU and participate in a new Study Abroad program. Unlike traditional SA programs, Nita would be free to study on her own, perhaps working on something like a Master's Thesis. She could expect to be away from the university for at least a quarter, reading, studying, researching, and writing, free from most distractions. Upon completion, Nita would recieve suitable credit towards her major and graduation, as well as a truly unique educational experience.
This sort of thing was right up Nita's alley, especially since she had done so well working on her own during her senior year of high school. Although her parents would miss her, they thought this would be an excellent way for their quiet daughter to get out on her own while furthering her education. With remarkably few deliberations, Nita packed up her books and other necessities, kissed her parents (and hugged her brother, much to his disgust) goodbye, and set off-- to the Island of Doctor Moreau.
((BTW, a Study Abroad/Independent Study trip like that would be so cool!))
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