Jennifer Marsh, who works an administrative job at a law firm, is frequently labeled “fiercely independent” by those who know her. Marsh has heard the label from friends, family, acquaintances, and even coworkers, all inspired by her unquenchable drive to maintain basic employment.
“I never knew so little effort could garner this much attention,” reveals Marsh, who works as a file clerk. “I’m just doing what every other person in society is expected to do.”
“That’s so like her,” says her mother, Louise Marsh. “Always off doing things. Never wanting to take credit for her incredible spirit. You know she has her own desk?”
The 28-year-old has gone from relying completely on her parents to just barely scraping by on her own in the five years since graduating college. She explains further: “I’m actually fairly codependent. I still let my mom cook for me at least once a week and I’m not one of those people who could like, go to a movie alone—even at work I need help with the copier.”
Being labeled autonomous isn’t always an advantage for Marsh. While at first she enjoyed the unwarranted attention, her oft-remarked-upon self-sufficiency has become a source of tension in some of her relationships. Ex-boyfriend Ben confirms, “During college we could hang whenever we wanted. Once she got her job, she had slightly less time to hang.”
By contrast, her family only sees the upside when it comes to her brazen go-getting, “She did it. There’s no stopping this kid,” Her father Larry tells us, beaming, “Next thing you know she’ll be office manager and we’ll all be waving at her in the rear-view mirror.”
In quiet moments, Marsh tries to appreciate the simple pleasures that come with being a self-possessed woman of means. “I do find myself relating more to R&B songs about independent women, so I guess that’s pretty cool.”
