Oh, Mindy Kaling. The woman, the myth, the legend. When it comes to a being multi-talented writer, actor, and fashion icon, Mindy definitely doesn’t disappoint. Some may know her as one of the stars and writers for The Office, or others may recognize her as Dr. Mindy Lahiri on The Mindy Project (season 4 just started!). She wears her heart on her sleeve and speaks her mind – a definite role model for girls of all ages, making her more and more relatable with each passing tweet.
In honor of her newly released sophomore memoir, Why Not Me? , which was released on September 15th, it only seemed suiting to really draw attention to a few of Mindy’s greatest lines and attributes, though there are so, so many. She’s the voice of reason and the voice of all things ridiculous, which is sometimes exactly what we need.
1. She totally understands the lengths we have to go to
That time you duct taped a water bottle to your thigh? When you brought a sunscreen flask to the beach? Mindy is way ahead of you, I mean look at her, she’s literally putting wine into a bra. Nothing more hardcore than that.
2. She provides solace and comfort, in the most relatable of ways
While we are in no means comparable to Kim K and Ray J, we definitely all remember that time you penguin-slid out of the frat party last winter. There was blood, sweat, and Smirnoff involved. You eventually recovered, but Mindy is here to tell you that your Kanye is coming! And that one little embarrassing slip up does not define who you are.
3. She understands what it’s like to maybe feel a little stuck
Hint: None of us really know what we’re doing. We go to class, we eat the cookie, we kiss the boy, and are always wondering if it’s really the right thing to do, if it’s worth our time. There’s a point to it all, I promise you – things may feel a little dull, or like you’re waiting for something to finally happen, but they will! Just like a high-quality YouTube video, you just have to wait it out, and give it a chance.
4. She knows what it’s like when your brain and your eyes just don’t agree
We all know the boy. Perfectly coiffed hair, always wearing those quarter sleeves that show off the forearms, butt like a Calvin Klein model. But in reality, just doesn’t know his a** from his elbows. And so, ladies, sometimes you just gotta tell it how it is. You have to give yourself enough credit and know that you deserve the brains and the bod. And if it isn’t working, you just have to speak up.
5. When you’re down to order wings, but no one else is
See, Mindy understands us! It’s 1 AM on a Friday night and you’re thinking you need to get your hands on some boneless honey barbeque, or you just might die. You keep dropping hints to your friends, but no one seems to be budging. You feel a little sad ordering all by yourself, but, hey, you heard the woman, it’s simply your basic right as a human being.
6. That time your friends dragged you to the Bodywise kickboxing class
Oh, it was terrible. Rest in Peace to your dignity, to your calves, to that new sports bra drenched in sweat. It may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but maybe we should just stick with Mindy and the chicken wings.
7. She knows what it’s like to be in true shambles
Try as you might, you just can’t seem to forget all the stupid things you did this past weekend. All you can really do is lay in your bed, letting the moments replay over and over again. And just when you think things can’t get worse, the universe proves you wrong. Welcome to the Rock Bottom of Rock Bottom – population: you.
8. She understands what it’s like when your brain is your own worst enemy
Whether it’s stress, next week’s exam, or the boy down the hall, your mind just won’t stop running. Sometimes all we need to do is be with a friend, even if it means lying on the floor of their dorm and taking Buzzfeed quizzes and eating Insomnia Cookies.
9. For those times that everyone is hanging out without you
I didn’t want to go anyway, you think as you scroll through your Instagram feed, this party doesn’t even look fun. You try and try to convince yourself that you and your Netflix are better off alone. Not that you would want to go to said “stupid” party, but an invitation would have been nice.
10. She knows that self love = happiness
Most importantly, she understands the importance of loving yourself and being your own role model. Sometimes putting yourself first is the best thing you can do. Sure, it’s nice to look up to other people, but let’s face it, the most important person in your life, should be you.