Shoshanna Shapiro

Living… with her best friend Marnie in Manhattan. Marnie moved in with Shoshanna after her falling out with Hannah, and Shoshanna basically had no choice but to let her in. Shoshanna also had a live-in boyfriend for a while, taking in the otherwise homeless Ray. She’s intimidated by Brooklyn and prefers the cleaner, safer borough instead.

Profession… mathematics major at New York University. Her undergraduate status can be alienating for her at times, as her inevitable post-grad existential crisis looms ahead of her. Taking care of her friends is something of a full-time job as well. Recently, she’s put less focus on her studies and more focus on living a full, free life.

Interests... simple pleasures, such as Sex and the City. She tends to put her own personal interests aside in favor of her friends’ newest ventures. She supports Marnie with her singing career, Charlie with his app and Hannah with her writing. But a part of her journey is learning to put herself before others and find the things she’s passionate about.

Relationship Status... single after her first long-term relationship. She dated Hannah’s coffee shop manager, Ray, a 33-year-old with little direction in life. While they both helped the other mature, Shoshanna eventually came to see him as a stifling force and a toxic presence: “I can’t be surrounded by your negativity while I’m trying to grow into a fully formed woman.”

Challenge… growing up into someone she's proud of. Shoshanna is easily flustered in social settings and finds herself in a lot of awkward circumstances. She generally plays it safe and tries to avoid the sticky situations her friends get into, but usually ends up the stickiest. At a giant party in Bushwick, she's the only one to accidentally get high on crack.

Personality… bubbly and innocent. Shoshanna was the last of her friends to lose her virginity, and is the least boy-crazy of the group. Unlike her friends, she isn’t completely self-centered and doesn’t expect her needs to be met immediately. She isn’t afraid to look silly or to fess up to being uncool. Still, she’s responsible, loyal and able to get herself out of negative situations. She knows what works for her and doesn’t settle for less than that.