Dawson’s Creek: Andie’s 5 Best (& 5 Worst) Traits

If it takes viewers a while to really understand Meredith Monroe’s Dawson’s Creek character Andie McPhee, her brother Jack fits in right away. Not only does he become popular, but Jack and Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams) become fast friends and she welcomes him into her small family with her grandmother.

Andie isn’t even in the pilot but many of her storylines are some of the most memorable on the teen drama. The series didn’t shy away from discussing her mental health and that was a big deal for the time. Like the teenagers who she hangs out with, Andie has a lot going for her, along with some tricky parts of her personality.

10 Best: Academic

Before Andie moves to Capeside, it would be fair to say that Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) is the only academically-minded kid in town, but that changes when Andie shows up.

She simply adores school and would do anything to get better grades. She wants to get into an Ivy League and takes her high school days extremely seriously. While this can cause her to suffer more than she should and make some bad decisions, it’s ultimately a positive trait, as she wants to do well.

9 Worst: Easily Influenced

Andie isn’t exactly the partying type, but that changes when she wants to experience fun and normalcy like everyone else. In the fourth season episode “Great Xpectations,” she even takes ecstasy, as she can’t believe that she isn’t more excited about getting into Harvard.

Andie takes the drugs as a result of another classmate, Drue Valentine (Mark Matkevich), having them. Andie is a gullible person who is easily influenced by others, and it’s not a great trait for her.

8 Best: Friendly

Dawson’s Creek wouldn’t be the great show it is without all of its characters and that definitely includes Andie. She’s always a friendly face in Capeside, even when she’s going through some hard things, and her ability to socialize with almost anyone is one of the best things about her.

Andie is one of those perky, happy people who hide a lot of secret pain. But most people would have no idea that she was struggling so much.

7 Worst: Private

Andie is such a private person that she even hesitates to support Jack when he comes out. She’s used to hiding so many facts about her family, as they’re anything but perfect, and it’s hard for her to let other people in.

Andie’s desire to keep secrets and shy away from people who love her is one of her worst personality traits. She thankfully allows Pacey to learn more about her true self and he’s a huge source of support and love for her while they’re a couple.

6 Best: Persistent

It’s always admirable when a teenage character doesn’t back down and that’s one good way to describe Andie. She’s persistent about everything and anyone that matters to her.

Andie is like a dog with a bone when she gets an idea in her head, and it’s always entertaining to watch her when she’s like that.

5 Worst: Perfectionist

If anyone on Dawson’s Creek is a perfectionist, it would be Andie, who does some dishonest things in the name of getting better grades. This isn’t a positive trait as she suffers a lot as a result of her need and desire for her life to be totally flawless.

Until Andie lets go of the need to present a perfect front to the outside world, she’s never going to be able to relax, have fun, and take care of herself.

4 Best: Innocent

There’s definitely an innocent quality about Andie, and it’s a good thing.

While this might be a negative trait for someone else to have, as innocence tends to mean that someone is naive and can’t handle the real world, Andie has spent most of her life taking care of her family and not thinking about herself. She still has that childlike innocence about her, and it would be great if she never let it go, as she needs to believe in some everyday magic.

3 Worst: Nervous

Some people are totally calm all the time and others are often a ball of nerves. Andie tends to act like she has butterflies in her stomach at all times and she’s a nervous person, that’s for sure.

Because of her shaky family life and her mental health, it makes sense that Andie wouldn’t be able to stay calm and chill on a regular basis.

2 Best: Responsible

Sure, Andie has her moments of making poor choices, but then again, she’s only in high school. She’s ultimately a super responsible person.

Whether looking after her brother Jack’s well-being, making sure her mother is okay or going to therapy and taking control of her mental health, Andie faces problems and knows that she’s going to be okay.

1 Worst: Stubborn

Andie has the bad trait of being stubborn. She acts this way about good things (like going to Italy after graduation, which is a big perk for her) and more serious situations (like when she’s unsure about taking her medication).

When someone has the tendency to be stubborn, it’s tough for them to change, but Andie does become a bit more happy-go-lucky by the time she leaves the series.

About The Author

Aya Tsintziras
(1736 Articles Published)

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Aya Tsintziras is a freelance writer who writes about pop culture and TV. She has a Political Science degree from the University of Toronto and a Masters of Journalism from Ryerson University. She loves coffee, reading, working out, and watching TV. She lives in Toronto with her husband.

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