Giana "Gigi" Pinotti- Italian-American (father); Irish-American (mother); Gigi is a bubbly and extroverted student who attends Syracuse University along with Hannah Quigley and Mia Vasquez-Rivera while majoring in theatre. She is distinguished by her corpulent appearance, being larger-framed than the average female on campus at a weight of 260 lbs and a height of 5 ft 4. Regardless, she is often surrounded by a large circle of friends and beloved for her good-humored, sympathetic nature, as well as her confidence and perpetual optimism. She is most often seen in the company of Stacey Wagner, a redhead who quickly becomes her best friend, and other fellow students who are members of the university's camera club with her. Gigi was born and raised in Bulverde, Texas, a small town just a few miles north of San Antonio in the Hill Country, and attended high school at Smithson Valley High School. She later moved in with her father in New Braunfels after her parents divorced and excelled academically due to being enrolled in honors courses her teachers felt would challenge her. She was well-liked by many of her peers and took an interest in acting from a young age, becoming involved in her school's drama department and performing in several community plays. She had a talkative demeanor and was known as the kind of person who enjoyed listening to those she cared about and frequently made the people around her feel loved and important. Gigi struggled with some insecurities regarding her weight growing up, with some of her male peers making crude comments about her being "fat" and shaming her for her looks. She once attempted to go to a school dance with a popular boy named Justin who admitted he had asked her out on a bet, but later regretted his actions upon realizing her disappointment.
Even so, she was intelligent and known for she sharp-wit, quickly silencing her critics in an audacious way and choosing to be unapologetically herself. Her easygoing temperament also showed during her interactions with others, as she housed an open mind and was reluctant to judge or discriminate others for their differences. Gigi is also known for her energetic nature and often described as a doer who is almost always on the go, making her have a relatively short attention span. She is a fan of the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling and often recites popular lines from the series for fun, while also expressing an adamant dislike for Ed Sheeran. She is a feminist and LGBTQ Ally who openly supports the group on campus, coming to terms with her childhood best friend Amber's bisexuality. Her favorite television show is The Nanny, and according to many of her family members, she was born under a "special star" and always enjoyed being under the spotlight. Gigi initially had a difficult time adjusting to life in New York, joking that Syracuse was much too cold for her and that she missed the HEB grocery store from her home state. She felt lonely for some time and spent most of her days eating lunch at the dining hall alone, although she ultimately meets Stacey at the gym and perceives her as standoffish at first. Upon bonding together for a class project, the two find that they have common ground and admit that they instantly clicked, forming an unlikely friendship when discussing their mutual love of Nutella. They soon became attached at the hip and attended a number of parties and social gatherings together on campus, discussing their tastes on a variety of topics, including music and men.
Gigi also forms a couple of different connections, ranging from her friendships with Hannah Quigley and Mia Vasquez-Rivera by association with Stacey and a male African American student named Orlando. She also enters a turbulent on-an-off relationship with an English major named Ansel, whom she dismisses as being "married to his poetry". She and Orlando gradually become close friends, and it becomes evident that he feels an attraction for Gigi despite his relationship with another woman at the time. She recalls her most embarrassing moment to be walking in on Orlando and his girlfriend in the middle of a sexual encounter in his dorm room, although the two later discuss what happened and brush it off. Gigi also enjoys swimming in her spare time and admits she has tried to incorporate more exercise into her routine due to her primary care physician's concern about her struggles with high blood pressure. She has grown quite comfortable with her appearance however and at one point gets a tongue piercing in her early college years as an act of rebellion. She has also taken up singing and signed up for vocal lessons with a professional, being known for lip-synching to songs by Fall Out Boy and OneRepublic with her friends in her car. She claims to be a fan of the broadway musical Hamilton and has made it a goal to produce a feature-length play that will touch the lives of others. Gigi shamefully regrets attempting to get her ex-boyfriend Ansel to open up with his emotions, stating that their romance was a rollercoaster and too much for her to handle. She nevertheless feels safe during her interactions with Orlando and deepens their bond through a series of heart-to-heart conversations, realizing her attraction to him is mutual.
She and Orlando eventually go on an ice cream date during which he confesses that he has fallen in love with her, which takes her aback and causes her some discomfort. Despite their interest in one another, it appears that many obstacles stand in their way and keep them from pursuing a romance, although they share a kiss during a football game at their college. Gigi and Stacey declare that they have affectionate nicknames for each other, with Gigi's being "sugar" and Stacey's being "spice". She shows a playful side to herself as she teases her friends and demonstrates herself to have an enthusiasm and zest for life. She is also very kind and compassionate, showing concern for the well-being of others and easily putting herself in other people's shoes. Her friends refer to her as a "life saver" due to her desire to help those around her and keen ability to give good advice and always know the right thing to say to encourage others. Gigi is also known for her great love of food and insatiable appetite, claiming that she is open to trying anything once and that she rarely finds any food she eats unenjoyable. She has a love for Tex-Mex cuisine and is a frequent consumer at Chipotle, in addition to being unable to resist her mother's homemade spaghetti and chicken Parmesan. She likes to eat spicy food and has previously tried Indian dishes, most notably the chicken curry that her high school friend Sitansh once brought for her classmates to enjoy at lunch. She does not like alcohol however and mentions that she is unable to fully hold down her liquor, although she is not averse to purchasing a virgin Margarita for herself every now and then. Gigi tends to go on social media on occasion and has made a habit of collecting memorable quotes her friends have shared with her, in addition to preserving the things they have said.
She sometimes plays video games at home with her brother during visits, although she would rather spend her time exploring possibilities in the current moment. She and Stacey maintain an enduring friendship and continue to contact each other for get togethers despite their busy schedules keeping them apart. She refers to herself as a "social homebody", realizing that despite her outgoing nature, she would rather stay close to home and be surrounded by sights that feel familiar to her. Gigi is an overweight woman who stands at average height and has waist-length medium brown hair that she usually keeps in a ponytail. She has large blue eyes, full lips, a rounded face, and a light complexion, with a pear-shaped build and penchant for wearing graphic t-shirts that contain witty sayings on them. She takes after her father in terms of looks and has a fairly close relationship with him, although her loved ones claim her mannerisms come from her mother. She takes a trip to London during her early 20s and takes in the new culture, deciding she would like to travel to Europe again one day to see as much of the continent as she could. Gigi ultimately falls in love with and marries a fellow teacher she meets at a middle school while working as a drama instructor named Donald, who she comes to refer to as her best friend. While he is not much of a looker in terms of appearance, he wins her over with his inner beauty, and the two get married in their mid-20s. She finds her calling in teaching and feels fulfilled when she manages to help her 8th grade students reach their goals and make it far in UIL OAP. She travels to her first International Thespian festival and is respected by much of the faculty, advancing quickly in her career and inspiring those around her. ENFP 7w6
YOU ARE READING
What's in a Name?
AcakThese are the lives and stories of a series of young people and their experiences as they mature and evolve in the outskirts of Valley Stream, Long Island. Although each comes from a distinctive background and place in life, they learn about the fab...
