Whenever I'm feeling blue, there's nothing like binge-watching an upbeat TV show to lift my spirits. Currently I'm working my way through the fourth season of "New Girl," with this being my third time watching the series. This spunky show follows Jessica Day, a teacher who moves into a loft with three guys after a bad breakup. I love watching the merry misadventures of the tenants of Loft 4D, and my favorite character is none other than the adorably quirky protagonist played by Zooey Deschanel.

Here's a list of reasons why Jessica Day is my hero.

1. She's a good friend.

One of my favorite aspects of "New Girl" is the friendship between Jessica Day and Cece Parekh. These two childhood friends complement each other perfectly, even though they have vastly different lifestyles and personalities (Jess is a spunky middle school vice principal, and Cece is a model with a sense of humor dryer than a dirty martini). Cece encourages Jess to be confident in every aspect of her life, and Jess reciprocates with unending support and kindness. Cece and Jess may seem totally different, but they balance each other perfectly. It's a classic case of opposites attract, and in the case of "New Girl," it's an excellent pairing.

2. She's resourceful.

There's an episode in the second season where Nick's dad passes away, and the whole gang travels to Chicago to support him. Nick struggles writing the eulogy and has a meltdown, and in line with his father's wish to have a funeral "just like Elvis'," hires a drunk as an Elvis impersonator. When the drunk passes out in the church bathroom, Jess puts on a full Elvis costume and wig and leads all the attendees at the funeral in a few Elvis songs (another example of Jess being a good friend!)

Any situation that gets thrown her way, whether it's getting out of a bad date, figuring out how to convince the guys to get a bathtub for the loft, or making an attempt at a friendship with the cranky landlord, Jessica Day always has a bright idea to solve the problem.

3. She's passionate about her job.

I wish I would have had Jess as a teacher when I was in middle school! She genuinely cares about each and every one of her students and loves to watch them succeed. She puts 150 percent into planning fun activities for her students. Jess is always ready to fight for what she believes in—she won't let any student or fellow teacher push her around or make her change the way she is.

Whether it's dressing up as Galileo for outer space day, having kids take handbell lessons as an alternative to detention, or fighting budget cuts to take kids on a field trip to the ocean, Ms. Day goes above and beyond for her job because of her genuine passion for teaching.

4. She has a feminine sense of style and isn't afraid to flaunt it.

There are multiple Tumblr blogs and websites dedicated to tracking down the pieces of Jessica Day's wardrobe, and there's a reason for it. Her preppy, classy, and brightly colored wardrobe is one of the best looks of any TV character. Jess always has perfect coordination when it comes to dressing herself, and each piece complements the others. And it doesn't stop at work clothes—even when hanging out at home, Jess wears matching pajama sets and classy lounge wear. She loves a feminine, sweet, personalized look and is proud to show off her style.

Nowhere else on TV do I see a character so perfectly reflected through her clothing. The costume designer for this show should get an award (or release a clothing line!) for capturing the spirit of Jessica Day through cardigans and dresses.

5. She's a proud feminist.

Throughout the show, Jess is quick to fight against any injustice and prejudice directed towards her or other women. Being the only woman in the loft, as well as being girly and hopelessly romantic in nature, she struggles initially to be seen as a multidimensional human being instead of a sex object. Jess isn't an idea of a person and refuses to be seen as one.

As the series goes on, Jess grows into a well-rounded, mature, feminist. Although she may appear to be a prude, Jess proves the stereotype wrong and learns how to understand and enjoy her sexuality. She supports other women in the show, even apologizing after calling the woman her ex cheats with a "ho" (her exact words are, "She might be a really nice ho."). She learns from her roommate, Coach, about how to ask for a promotion to vice principal instead of silently hoping all of her hard work will get her noticed. Jess refuses to be a "manic pixie dream girl" archetype in a world that would eagerly categorize her as silly or childish.

6. She is unafraid to be herself.

One of my favorite episodes is in the first season of the show. Jess enlists the help of Julia, Nick's girlfriend who is a smart, sarcastic lawyer, to get her out of paying an $800 traffic violation (she braked to avoid hitting a bird). Julia believes Jess' perky personality is fake and immature and doesn't believe Jess' story about the bird. The two of them continue to bicker throughout the episode until Jess finally snaps back that just because she is traditionally feminine and has quirky habits, doesn't mean that she isn't an intelligent, hardworking individual.

Jess is a refreshing character to see on TV. Too many times female characters who are quirky or hopelessly romantic are only one-dimensional and have poor story arcs, but not so with Jessica Day. The writers of this show send her on a hilarious journey of self-growth through the series. Throughout it all, Jess is proud of who is she is and what she does, and that's why she is one of my favorite TV characters.