Josie Geller

Grew Up… as a total geek in the suburbs with her parents and her older brother, Rob, a popular jock at her high school. She only had one friend, and was often the target of the cool kids’ torment. Josie didn’t go to prom after the popular boy who asked her turned out to only have done it as a cruel prank.

Living… as a grown-up version of her awkward, geeky self in Chicago. Not much has changed for Josie since high school, except now she’s struggling to find success in journalism instead of the SATs.

Visiting… South Glen High School, where she is posing as a student for an upcoming exposé for the local newspaper. Josie falls back in with the geek crowd, now known as The Denominators, but unfortunately that isn’t where the juicy stories are. 

Profession… a copy editor at the Chicago Sun-Times who aspires to write articles instead of fixing others’ grammatical errors. She finally gets the chance to prove herself when her boss insists she go undercover as a student. Still, Josie doesn’t think she’s right for the job.

Interests… writing and poetry, especially Shakespeare. Josie believes Shakespeare’s words to be the epitome of romance. She often uses poetry to express her own amorous feelings, though it doesn’t always work out for her.

Relationship Status… in love with her English teacher. Josie is actually around his age, but she can’t tell him that or she’ll ruin her secret identity. Even though neither can act on it, the romantic tension between them is strong.

Challenge… being accepted by the popular crowd. Sure, that’s what Josie wanted all through her first stint in high school, but the stakes now are far greater than social cachet – her career is hanging in the balance. Josie will have to change more than just what she wears and who she hangs out with; she also has to change the way she acts if she wants to worm her way into the ‘In Crowd.’

Personality… smart and sympathetic, but insecure. Josie is a loving person and a loyal friend, but those are characteristics that aren’t necessarily valued in the world of high school cliques. She’s practically the definition of uncool, and while she is sweet and fun to be around, she lacks natural charisma, at least in the traditional sense. On the other hand, her intelligence has been an asset in the “real world” post-high school, and it might well help her figure out her second go-round at South Glen High.