Watch: Mindy Kaling’s commencement speech at Dartmouth was equal doses funny and inspirational
From practical advice on dealing with the real world to dating tips for men, the commencement address had it all.
As a female minority show creator, actor and comedian in the United States, Mindy Kaling – who is of Indian origin – is something of a role model for millions of people, especially women and minorities. And her 17-minute-long commencement address (video above) to graduates at Dartmouth College, USA, which is also her alma mater, was a witty yet inspirational lesson on how to go about life.
Kaling abstained from giving out templated tips because, as she put it, “If all it took to make your life great was hearing amazing advice, then everyone who watched TED Talks would be a millionaire.”
Instead, she ripped off the band-aid for the new graduates by offering a humorous glimpse at the real world and divulged some practical moves – such as removing “proficient at Word” from your CV, not bingeing on pancakes, and buying a toilet plunger. She also had some crucial dating suggestions for men: “Act as if every woman you’re talking to is a reporter for an online publication that you are scared of...One shouldn’t need the threat of public exposure and scorn to treat women well; but if that’s what it’s gonna take, fine.”
She also had a word of wisdom for women and encouraged them to support each other and work together to dismantle a system designed to divide and suppress women.
