I think Penny appearing everywhere and trying to do everything is also part of the dialogues she had of "Do you ever feel like everyone has high expectations for you all the time?" and her trying to just be liked by everyone and helping everyone because she can't say no. I think she feels that if she doesn't do that people won't like her anymore.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you’re not wrong !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
obviously (for example) the quidditch sidequest would have been more interesting if mc had the option to choose “Do you know anything about Quidditch? Y/N” the sidequest would focus on mc + ben experiencing quidditch where if you say yes you help teach ben but if you say no you and ben learn about it together and (again obviously) rowan would have done her #research she probably knows everything about quidditch and if the sidequest was in year one when rowan was always by mc’s side?????? (i have more thoughts on this but i digress lol)
so why did penny ever even need to be there? why is penny always specifically shown to be good at potions and charms work (and apparently nothing else lol)?? why was penny constantly present to help mc for the chiara/werewolf sidequest (i mean kind of begrudgingly i guess...) even tho she was terrified of werewolves???
penny is shown to have been basically the only friend to both liz and talbott for absolutely no explained reason. two characters who are specifically illustrated to be outcasts and loners for one reason or another. penny cannot and will not leave anyone alone.
penny is constantly performing like she has to live up to everyone’s expectations not realizing they are entirely expectations that she set for herself
tldr; penny haywood has to be everywhere and do everything all the time because if she fails now it’s like failing scarlett all over again