Her wave of popularity is set to crest this spring with photo spreads
in the March Maxim and the May Playboy, not to mention her own Web sites,
JennSterger.com and CowgirlNation.com , which she hopes to launch by next
month. The commotion is a bit shocking to the Lutz native, a self-described
" band dork" from Gaither High who attended the University of
South Florida for two years... "Bottom line, this has happened to
me because I was at the right place at the right time, and I love sports,"
says Sterger, who transferred to Florida State in 2004. "I was just
dressing cute at a football game."
Jenn Sterger is Czech and Yugoslavian and basically a mix of Eastern
Euorpean (obviously a nice combo). Growing up she aspired to be an orthodontist
because she wanted to make people smile (she’s become very good
at this now in her older age). She’s pretty much a normal gal, loves
buffalo wings, is a senior at FSU, majoring in Criminology and Psychology,
studying to become a lawyer and oh yeah she’s doing a photo-shoot
for Maxim. She is just your average run-of-the-mill college gal.
Jenn is a fellow Facebook addict. She spends a lot of her time searching
and browsing profiles, as do millions of other students. However, Jenn
has also gained profound popularity through this online college networking
site. It’s simple.
She loves football, quoting movies and hanging out with friends. She
and others take pictures. She and others put them up on Facebook and have
a tagging party. People search through Facebook and find Jenn’s
pictures and BAM! she’s a sensation. Jenn’s pictures have
been shared and sent through millions of computer screens around. Facebook
shared Jenn’s photos around the world.
“I never in a thousand years would have imagined that my pictures
would have gone as far as they have. It’s funny how things turn
out. I mean, there are plenty of girls with pics in their photo albums
on there [facebook]…why mine have caused such a buzz is beyond
me…but I am so thankful they have.”
So
then one fine day, or should I say, “Once upon a time…”
(going back to the title), an intern for Maxim, who is also an avid facebook-er,
found Jenn’s profile and hence, her pictures. He took an interest
and started referring Jenn to the higher echelon’s of Maxim and
so one thing led to another and before she knew it, Jenn received a called
from the editor himself.
And of course Jenn decided to say yes to what many people would love
to do: a photo-shoot with Maxim. She’s doing this for a few staple
reasons. Jenn wants to show the world that girls can be sports freaks,
drink beer, be true football fans and not be total unattractive tomboys.
She also finds it liberating to be in Maxim. Some of the most beautiful
girls can be found in this magazine and she’s not going to lie,
it is an ego booster. Nothing’s wrong with that.
“For all the guys that have hurt me…lied to me…cheated
on me…its the sweetest revenge possible without stooping to their
level. A small personal victory for me.”
Jenn attributes a lot of her success to Facebook and the
internet in general. She gives half of the credit to Facebook. Facebook
reaches multitudes of people who are in the demographic that Jenn needs.
“I was home for break…and college students
who were visiting Tampa were coming up to me at my job…trying
to figure out if it was me or not. It’s amazing the number of
people that are facebook addicts like myself.”
The internet is responsible for Jenn
Sterger’s national exposure. And yet one could look at this
all as a blessing or a curse.
Though she’s met many new and interesting people, she has also gone
through a lot of unnecessary things. People have stolen her identity numerous
times and more of the things she goes through because of her ever growing
popularity can be seen as more tedious than tantalizing. She receives
about 40-50 pokes and receives about 50-75 messages a day on facebook.
“People forget I am just like any other college student. I go
to class…I study…I watch football…work out…and
have two jobs. So I might not always respond…but I read every
single one of them. As for the hate mail, I don’t respond to it.
I just block the person. Life is to short to deal with haters, why spend
your time dwelling on the people that don’t like you. Spend it
with the people you love and love you.”
Jenn attributes most of her strength and success to her parents. They
are her role models. They have been stalwarts in her life, always telling
her to be honest, strong and persistent; always believing in her and expecting
nothing than her best in everything she ventures in.
“A lot of boards have posted my
pics, but none have taken the time to get to actually know me like
these guys have. I have met some amazing men and women on these boards,
some of which I am close friends with now.”
With all the offers that Jenn is now undoubtedly receiving, she is still
planning on continuing her education and going forth in her goal of going
to Law School. As for everything else, things are still up in the air.
She doesn’t want to be known as “that internet girl”
her entire life. She’s hoping for bigger and better things to come
out of it all. No one knows what the future holds, but as for right now,
Jenn is happy with what she is being handed.