Though she claims she wasn't part of "cool kids" table during high school, it's kind of impossible to imagine not wanting to be BFFs with Mindy Kaling. Like most teens, the hilarious star of "The Mindy Project" was no stranger to those awkward teen years -- and she doesn't hold back when it comes to sharing those experiences.
Today, the actress-comedian-author is kicking ass and taking names, starring in her own show and just being awesome/hilarious in general. And even though she didn't nab that Emmy nomination, we still think she's the bomb dot com.
From dating woes to figuring out who you are, see below for the best Mindy Kaling nuggets of wisdom on getting through high school.
1. “I just want ambitious teenagers to know it is totally fine to be quiet, observant kids. Besides being a delight to your parents, you will find you have plenty of time later to catch up.” ["Why Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)"]
2. “Teenage girls, please don’t worry about being super popular in high school, or being the best actress in high school, or the best athlete. Not only do people not care about any of that the second you graduate, but when you get older, if you reference your successes in high school too much, it actually makes you look kind of pitiful, like some babbling old Tennessee Williams character with nothing else going on in her current life. What I’ve noticed is that almost no one who was a big star in high school is also a big star later in life. For us overlooked kids, it’s so wonderfully fair.” ["Why Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)"]
3. “Later, when you're grown up, you realize you never really get to hang out with your family. You pretty much have only eighteen years to spend with them full time, and that's it.” ["Why Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)"]
4. “The chorus of 'Jack and Diane' is: 'Oh yeah, life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone.' Are you kidding me? The thrill of living was high school? Come on, Mr. Cougar Mellencamp. Get a life.” ["Why Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)"]
5. “...write your own part. It is the only way I've gotten anywhere. It is much harder work, but sometimes you have to take destiny into your own hands. It forces you to think about what your strengths really are, and once you find them, you can showcase them, and no one can stop you.” ["Why Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)"]
6. “If you’re a kid who was not especially a star in your high school, I recommend going to a college in the middle of nowhere. I got all the attention I could ever have wanted.” ["Why Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)"]
7. “Bribes and boy bands. That’s all you need to be a babysitter.” ["Why Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)"]
8. "I used to feel really bad that I didn't have a boyfriend in high school and I used to spend a lot of time thinking about that --and thinking, 'What was wrong with me?' and that was a huge waste of time." [Daily Candy]
9. "I mean, I was obsessed with being popular in high school and never achieved it. There's photos from our high school musicals, and I'm comically in the deep background, wearing a beggar's costume." [NPR]
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