Joy Chen

by Meagan Faller

Joy Chen is a junior at FVHS and entertainment editor of Baron Banner. She is the youngest child, and describes her upbringing as that of a “traditional Chinese family.” She is svelte and has straight hair, glasses, and a schedule full of AP and honors classes.  And all of this makes Joy sound like a typical over-achieving, university-bound Asian.

Joy is anything but typical.

Ideally, Joy would like to be a fashion stylist “like Rachel Zoe.” Her taste in clothes reflects her varying moods and her style is constantly changing. Not only is Joy a young trendsetter,  she\’s also a TV junkie, and avidly watches 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, Friends, Modern Family, How I Met Your Mother, and Scrubs. She uses television as an escape from reality, noting that “life is complicated. TV isn’t.”

Joy dedicates a lot of her time to volunteer work. She loves volunteering because she loves to help the community. Putting aside her needs to make a difference in someone\’s life gives Joy a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. Even though Joy juggles a lot between clubs, activities and challenging classes, she faces it all with a sunny disposition that fits her name.

Joy is inspired by her father who, between chauffeuring her to all of her events and working all day long, has a lot on his plate. But he always comes home “with a smile on his face, even if he had a bad day.”

It\’s clear that Joy is a caring and understanding person. But after a while, it is also apparent that her sweet personality is gilded with determination, patience and perseverance. Kindness alone is a disability; kindness combined with the will to act makes Joy a commanding and charismatic person: a natural leader. And this perhaps more than her dreams, past times, or silly quirks distinguishes her from the rest.