It was a Thursday night my freshman year of college when I came across the wildly witty television show New Girl, just weeks before the pandemic bombarded itself into our lives like an annoying pest we’ve been trying to push away. I first got butterflies from watching the show, discovering something for the first time in my life that could accurately depict my own life in a way that nothing has before. I then found myself thinking about the television show all of the time - when was the next day that I would lock eyes with my laptop again? My roommate caught onto my laughing fits and my smiley mood quite quickly, and came to the same conclusion as I did. All of these symptoms led to one diagnosis: love.

Don’t be fooled though, because it was not just New Girl that I was in love with. I was in love with the quirky actress herself - Zooey Deschanel.

I see every version of myself in Deschanel - the brunette bangs (parted the same way as hers), the big glasses, the unconventionally colorful style, and the goofy boyfriend. I wanted to do her justice, thank her for all of the confidence she has given me, but I had no idea how to. I could only ever revel in her glory, all of her accomplishments in her life from her four Golden Globe nominations to her six studio albums with band member M. Ward and more. I wanted this to accurately reflect her the way she reflects us, and to do this required one thing: an ode to her.

Deschanel produced a perfect performance of the cute and nerdy Jessica Day. Between her big glasses and brunette bangs, her colorful dresses and sweaters, and her taste in goofy boyfriends, Deschanel is a flawless representation of awkward, creative women that roam the 21st century. She does justice for these women on and off the screen, as her instagram is filled with photos of vibrant designer dresses and eccentric arts and crafts. On top of all of this, Deschanel is a member of the band She & Him, where she brings us back to the 50s and 60s with her soft and soothing voice. She is the founder of the entertainment and lifestyle website, HelloGiggles, made specifically to spread “a positive community for women.”

From the lovable Summer in 500 Days of Summer to the offbeat Jovie in Elf and the rebellious Anita in Almost Famous, Deschanel portrays us in a new light. She reminds us through herself who we are meant to be: beautiful and confident.

Before Deschanel, there was, at large, a misrepresentation of nerdy women in media. A good example of this is to look through the lens of New Girl. The amount of times Jessica Day was considered annoying, possessive of too much personality, or just flat out embarrassing by both recurring characters and guest stars on the show reveals the way that the “average” person views a nerdy girl, both on and off the screen. Day’s ability to remain and emphasize her clever personality despite what people in the show think of her is a true testament to her character. Deschanel has a role for every quirky girl. The unapologetically beautiful, undoubtedly talented woman represents a true mirage of an “unconventional” female. She has given us a platform, telling us to embrace ourselves despite the negative stereotypes many people may have thought or do think about us. For that, Deschanel has a shy girl in a big city screaming “thank you!” to her.

So, if you find yourself alone on a Thursday night with nothing to do, open your laptop and fall in love with the compelling episodes of New Girl. Then, maybe, just maybe, you’ll be able to answer your name when they ask, “who’s that girl?”

An Ode to Zooey Deschanel