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✿ MEREDITH DYER
— Basic Information
Full Name: Meredith Charlotte Marieme Dyer
Nickname(s): Mer, although this nickname is reserved for close friends; Dyer, generally by her colleagues
Birthdate: September 17
Age: Depends on the RP (generally mid- to late 20s, possibly very early 30s)
— Relationships
Father: Dr. Clifford Dyer, professor of anthropology at Oxford (deceased)
Mother: Dr. Helen Dyer, professor and Head of Anthropology at Cambridge
Sibling(s): N/A
Other: Dr. Christopher Wembley, professor and Head of the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography at Oxford (family friend and doctoral advisor - has become like a father figure to her in recent years); Dr. Marieme Ndiaye, retired professor (godmother - now lives in Paris, France)
Significant Other(s): N/A
Past Relationship(s): TBD
— History
- Meredith was born in Dakar, Senegal. Her parents had moved from London to Senegal just over a year prior for work, with her father commencing some field work and her mother teaching and completing her own research project at the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar. She has two middle names: Charlotte, to commemorate her paternal grandmother, and Marieme, after her mother’s close friend and colleague at the University of Dakar. Marieme is also her godmother.
- Both her mother and her father are renowned in the field of anthropology, even to this day. Her father specialized in cultural anthropology, whereas her mother specializes in biological anthropology. The pair had met at university, and had been together ever since. As such, Meredith grew up surrounded by scientific literature and brilliant thinkers. Her early childhood also included a lot of travelling and adventuring, as her parents would bring her along during their field work when they could. Naturally, she developed a passion for science and the outdoors. She was known as a precocious child, always asking questions.
- The family moved back to London when Meredith was just about 7 years old, as her mother wanted her to grow up in England, instead of spending the rest of her life bouncing around from country to country and place to place. She had attended school in Dakar, and her studies had been completely in French; she had also gone through periods of homeschooling, as it was easier than enrolling in a new school for only a few months until her parents had to move again. However, she fit right in. She had always been a clever student, and showed clear talent in every subject even at a young age.
- When Meredith was 13, her father died in a small plane crash while travelling. It was a freak accident due to an unpredictable engine malfunction, and so Clifford’s death came as a shock to Meredith and her mother, the latter of whom was absolutely devastated. Meredith had always been closer to her father, who was more relaxed and open; her mother, although well-meaning, wanted only the best for her daughter (and wanted her to be the best), and her criticisms wore heavy on her already high-achieving and determined daughter. As such, tensions could often grow high between the pair, but Meredith father always knew how to diffuse the situation. He brought levity and fun to family dynamic, considering Meredith and Helen were far more on the serious side, often losing sight what was “truly important,” as he would say.
- Unable to be surrounded by her husband’s things and desperate for a fresh start, Helen moved to Massachusetts with Meredith. She taught at Harvard while Meredith went to a private school. Over the years, the pair grew farther and farther apart, settling into a cordial but cold and tense mother-daughter relationship. Neither knew how to bridge the gap that seemed to loom between them following Clifford’s death. Helen tried her best to raise Meredith on her own, but without her warm, sociable husband to temper her direct, critical nature, she just drove her daughter further and further away, and she ultimately gave up. Meanwhile, Meredith grieved her father, and buried herself (much like her mother) in her schoolwork and her extracurriculars. However, no matter what she did, or what she achieved, she could never seem to capture her mother’s full attention or gain her approval. Her adolescence was not characterized by nightly family dinners, warm holiday celebrations, or her mother cheering her on at her track and field meets; she remembers it as a lonely period (although she would never admit now that it bothered her). This experience has caused her to deeply value her independence.
- Meredith graduated high school when she was 17. She decided to attend Oxford, as not only did she want to return to England, but it was her dream university - it was where her parents had attended university, it was where m her father had taught, and it (most importantly) offered the best program of study in the world. It seemed to her as though it was the best and most logical place for her to go. Around the same time, Helen received an offer of employment from the university of Cambridge, which she ended up accepting, and the pair moved back to England.
- Meredith completed her honours bachelor’s degree in anthropology, and a master’s degree as well, completing both degrees by the time she was 22. She quickly became a rising star at Oxford, not only because of her parents’ respective legacies, but because of her diligence, hard work, passion, and research. She took a year off to travel on her own before returning to Oxford to pursue her PhD.
- Currently, Meredith lives in Oxford, where she is completing her PhD under the guidance of Dr. Christopher Wembley. Her and her mother run in similar circles, but rarely speak unless necessary. Over the years, they have become incredibly similar, but their shared traits are what drive them apart, as they simply cannot connect.
- Her speciality can change depending on the RP.
— Personality
Meredith is intelligent, practical, confident, and ambitious. She is not known to be particularly gentle or soft. She possesses a very elegant wit, and is not afraid to use it. She has a very dry sense of humour. She pours her entire heart and soul into her projects, and her work is always meticulously completed with an incredible attention to detail. Her mind is always active and often works faster than other people can comprehend. She is not one to slow down her thoughts, or render herself less clever, for the sake of others. She has lofty ambitions and is incredibly competitive, and it would not be wrong to characterize her as arrogant - of course, while she has the skills to back up her pride, it does not make it any more tolerable for those who fall victim to her critical eye and her sharp tongue. She is incredibly independent and generally prefers to work alone, as she is set in her ways and very stubborn, which does not make for easy collaboration.
While she has a very small group of friends and colleagues with whom she is very close, she is incredibly selective when it comes to who she lets in to her life. She is very closed-off and does not care to know about her colleague's personal lives (or to share details her own personal life). Much of her tough, guarded persona comes from a place of self-preservation - she saves her sentimentality and her emotions for those she cares about, and does not want to share this very private piece of herself with those who will only leave her in the end, or who will not meet her high (sometimes impossible) expectations. Her arrogance also stems from her fear of failure. If anything, she finds it easier to connect with the bones and the cultural objects that she studies, as well as their owners. She has a deep attachment to whatever/whoever she researches.
When she does choose to let someone in, she is incredibly devoted to them. Her guard does come down, and she becomes warmer, more relaxed, and more receptive to new perspectives and experiences. An analytical thinker, she perceives every situation as a puzzle, and people are no different. She will attempt to understand those she loves completely, and is very attentive to their needs. Her thinking skills make her a good listener, and she offers meaningful advice to those she cares about. That said, she does have a habit of prioritizing her work over others, which is something those who love her must understand about her. She can become obsessive over her work, often forgetting to eat or sleep when she is particularly engrossed in her research. She is a rule-follower, but only when she agrees with the rule in question; she will not hesitate to break protocol when she doesn't agree with it. She abides by the philosophy that it is easier to ask for forgiveness (or as she sees it, prove that a given rule is idiotic or ridiculous) than to ask for permission. When she's faced with a potentially difficult or stressful situation, her analytical nature comes in handy, as she's able to remain calm and focused under pressure.
- Strengths: Intelligent, capable of solving problems, independent
- Flaws: Reserved, critical, arrogant
- Likes: Hot tea, sugary treats (although she is generally a very health-oriented person, she does have a sweet tooth), early morning runs, praise
- Dislikes: Flying (although she rarely lets it show, flying does still cause her some stress - when boarding a plane, she is very tense, quiet, and easily provoked; she prefers to simply take a sleeping pill), people who she perceives as being needy or incapable, being one-upped
- Speech: Meredith speaks with an RP accent. Her accent did fade slightly after a few years in America, but it quickly came back when she moved back to England. Her tone is very direct and analytical, which can lead her to being interpreted as cold. She speaks multiple languages to varying degrees, and is fluent in English, French, Spanish, and Italian.
- Religion: Atheist, but she does not have a negative view of religion persay - she views it as a social support and unification system at its core.
— Physical Description
- On the taller side of average (about 5’6-5’7) and slender and toned, albeit somewhat willowy. However, she is stronger than she looks. Physical fitness is important to her, and she goes for a run almost every morning. She ran track in high school (distance). She also swims and rock climbs. She finds that physical activity clears her head. Her father also made sure that she learned how to defend herself physically, a practice that she continued after his death, as she considers it an important skill for a person travelling alone to know.
- FC: Marine Vacth
Full Name: Meredith Charlotte Marieme Dyer
Nickname(s): Mer, although this nickname is reserved for close friends; Dyer, generally by her colleagues
Birthdate: September 17
Age: Depends on the RP (generally mid- to late 20s, possibly very early 30s)
— Relationships
Father: Dr. Clifford Dyer, professor of anthropology at Oxford (deceased)
Mother: Dr. Helen Dyer, professor and Head of Anthropology at Cambridge
Sibling(s): N/A
Other: Dr. Christopher Wembley, professor and Head of the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography at Oxford (family friend and doctoral advisor - has become like a father figure to her in recent years); Dr. Marieme Ndiaye, retired professor (godmother - now lives in Paris, France)
Significant Other(s): N/A
Past Relationship(s): TBD
— History
- Meredith was born in Dakar, Senegal. Her parents had moved from London to Senegal just over a year prior for work, with her father commencing some field work and her mother teaching and completing her own research project at the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar. She has two middle names: Charlotte, to commemorate her paternal grandmother, and Marieme, after her mother’s close friend and colleague at the University of Dakar. Marieme is also her godmother.
- Both her mother and her father are renowned in the field of anthropology, even to this day. Her father specialized in cultural anthropology, whereas her mother specializes in biological anthropology. The pair had met at university, and had been together ever since. As such, Meredith grew up surrounded by scientific literature and brilliant thinkers. Her early childhood also included a lot of travelling and adventuring, as her parents would bring her along during their field work when they could. Naturally, she developed a passion for science and the outdoors. She was known as a precocious child, always asking questions.
- The family moved back to London when Meredith was just about 7 years old, as her mother wanted her to grow up in England, instead of spending the rest of her life bouncing around from country to country and place to place. She had attended school in Dakar, and her studies had been completely in French; she had also gone through periods of homeschooling, as it was easier than enrolling in a new school for only a few months until her parents had to move again. However, she fit right in. She had always been a clever student, and showed clear talent in every subject even at a young age.
- When Meredith was 13, her father died in a small plane crash while travelling. It was a freak accident due to an unpredictable engine malfunction, and so Clifford’s death came as a shock to Meredith and her mother, the latter of whom was absolutely devastated. Meredith had always been closer to her father, who was more relaxed and open; her mother, although well-meaning, wanted only the best for her daughter (and wanted her to be the best), and her criticisms wore heavy on her already high-achieving and determined daughter. As such, tensions could often grow high between the pair, but Meredith father always knew how to diffuse the situation. He brought levity and fun to family dynamic, considering Meredith and Helen were far more on the serious side, often losing sight what was “truly important,” as he would say.
- Unable to be surrounded by her husband’s things and desperate for a fresh start, Helen moved to Massachusetts with Meredith. She taught at Harvard while Meredith went to a private school. Over the years, the pair grew farther and farther apart, settling into a cordial but cold and tense mother-daughter relationship. Neither knew how to bridge the gap that seemed to loom between them following Clifford’s death. Helen tried her best to raise Meredith on her own, but without her warm, sociable husband to temper her direct, critical nature, she just drove her daughter further and further away, and she ultimately gave up. Meanwhile, Meredith grieved her father, and buried herself (much like her mother) in her schoolwork and her extracurriculars. However, no matter what she did, or what she achieved, she could never seem to capture her mother’s full attention or gain her approval. Her adolescence was not characterized by nightly family dinners, warm holiday celebrations, or her mother cheering her on at her track and field meets; she remembers it as a lonely period (although she would never admit now that it bothered her). This experience has caused her to deeply value her independence.
- Meredith graduated high school when she was 17. She decided to attend Oxford, as not only did she want to return to England, but it was her dream university - it was where her parents had attended university, it was where m her father had taught, and it (most importantly) offered the best program of study in the world. It seemed to her as though it was the best and most logical place for her to go. Around the same time, Helen received an offer of employment from the university of Cambridge, which she ended up accepting, and the pair moved back to England.
- Meredith completed her honours bachelor’s degree in anthropology, and a master’s degree as well, completing both degrees by the time she was 22. She quickly became a rising star at Oxford, not only because of her parents’ respective legacies, but because of her diligence, hard work, passion, and research. She took a year off to travel on her own before returning to Oxford to pursue her PhD.
- Currently, Meredith lives in Oxford, where she is completing her PhD under the guidance of Dr. Christopher Wembley. Her and her mother run in similar circles, but rarely speak unless necessary. Over the years, they have become incredibly similar, but their shared traits are what drive them apart, as they simply cannot connect.
- Her speciality can change depending on the RP.
— Personality
Meredith is intelligent, practical, confident, and ambitious. She is not known to be particularly gentle or soft. She possesses a very elegant wit, and is not afraid to use it. She has a very dry sense of humour. She pours her entire heart and soul into her projects, and her work is always meticulously completed with an incredible attention to detail. Her mind is always active and often works faster than other people can comprehend. She is not one to slow down her thoughts, or render herself less clever, for the sake of others. She has lofty ambitions and is incredibly competitive, and it would not be wrong to characterize her as arrogant - of course, while she has the skills to back up her pride, it does not make it any more tolerable for those who fall victim to her critical eye and her sharp tongue. She is incredibly independent and generally prefers to work alone, as she is set in her ways and very stubborn, which does not make for easy collaboration.
While she has a very small group of friends and colleagues with whom she is very close, she is incredibly selective when it comes to who she lets in to her life. She is very closed-off and does not care to know about her colleague's personal lives (or to share details her own personal life). Much of her tough, guarded persona comes from a place of self-preservation - she saves her sentimentality and her emotions for those she cares about, and does not want to share this very private piece of herself with those who will only leave her in the end, or who will not meet her high (sometimes impossible) expectations. Her arrogance also stems from her fear of failure. If anything, she finds it easier to connect with the bones and the cultural objects that she studies, as well as their owners. She has a deep attachment to whatever/whoever she researches.
When she does choose to let someone in, she is incredibly devoted to them. Her guard does come down, and she becomes warmer, more relaxed, and more receptive to new perspectives and experiences. An analytical thinker, she perceives every situation as a puzzle, and people are no different. She will attempt to understand those she loves completely, and is very attentive to their needs. Her thinking skills make her a good listener, and she offers meaningful advice to those she cares about. That said, she does have a habit of prioritizing her work over others, which is something those who love her must understand about her. She can become obsessive over her work, often forgetting to eat or sleep when she is particularly engrossed in her research. She is a rule-follower, but only when she agrees with the rule in question; she will not hesitate to break protocol when she doesn't agree with it. She abides by the philosophy that it is easier to ask for forgiveness (or as she sees it, prove that a given rule is idiotic or ridiculous) than to ask for permission. When she's faced with a potentially difficult or stressful situation, her analytical nature comes in handy, as she's able to remain calm and focused under pressure.
- Strengths: Intelligent, capable of solving problems, independent
- Flaws: Reserved, critical, arrogant
- Likes: Hot tea, sugary treats (although she is generally a very health-oriented person, she does have a sweet tooth), early morning runs, praise
- Dislikes: Flying (although she rarely lets it show, flying does still cause her some stress - when boarding a plane, she is very tense, quiet, and easily provoked; she prefers to simply take a sleeping pill), people who she perceives as being needy or incapable, being one-upped
- Speech: Meredith speaks with an RP accent. Her accent did fade slightly after a few years in America, but it quickly came back when she moved back to England. Her tone is very direct and analytical, which can lead her to being interpreted as cold. She speaks multiple languages to varying degrees, and is fluent in English, French, Spanish, and Italian.
- Religion: Atheist, but she does not have a negative view of religion persay - she views it as a social support and unification system at its core.
— Physical Description
- On the taller side of average (about 5’6-5’7) and slender and toned, albeit somewhat willowy. However, she is stronger than she looks. Physical fitness is important to her, and she goes for a run almost every morning. She ran track in high school (distance). She also swims and rock climbs. She finds that physical activity clears her head. Her father also made sure that she learned how to defend herself physically, a practice that she continued after his death, as she considers it an important skill for a person travelling alone to know.
- FC: Marine Vacth
3 | Apr 18th 2024 01:10