1.
Teachers would always butcher your name on the first day of school.
2.
And they would pull you aside and ask if English was your second language.
3.
People were always pointing to random meat in the cafeteria and asking if you could eat it.
4.
Your classmates always asked you to speak Indian for them.
6.
And because it made them such an expert on South Asia, they'd express grave condolences over your wretched, tumultuous upbringing.
7.
In World History, the teacher would ask you to tell the class about your home country.
8.
You got asked if your dad was a doctor at least once a day.
9.
Or if you were related to the one other South Asian they knew in your town.
10.
Every school dance, there was always that one person asking you to teach them some hip Bollywood moves.
11.
Your peers loved to rave about this awesome drink at Starbucks called "chai tea latte."
12.
There was always that one person in class who wanted to know why you "smelled like curry."
13.
And then they'd invite themselves over to your house to eat your food because they wanted to try the "authentic stuff."
14.
When you'd miss school to visit family overseas, suddenly you had a million best friends who wanted you to bring you back cool crap for them.
15.
They'd ask why you don't look like that Bollywood actress they saw in that movie one time.
16.
Your classmates always assumed you were into the one other South Asian in school.
17.
They would also ask you weird questions about your family, like if your parents got engaged when they were two.
18.
Your classmates would always ask if you could bring them to a South Asian wedding.
19.
And then the girls would ask if they could wear your saris because they just look so beautiful and EXOTIC.
20.
WHEN THE WORD EXOTIC WAS USED TO REMOTELY DESCRIBE ANYTHING RELATED TO YOU.
21.
People loved to tell you about the life-changing spiritual awakening they experienced during their vacations and missions trips in India.
22.
When questions were posed in math and science classes, everyone turned to you as if you could magically summon the answers.
23.
And when you fell short, everyone accused you of not really being South Asian.
24.
When you didn't feel like hanging out with people on the weekends, peers asked if your parents were forcing you to stay in and study.
25.
And though being the only desi in school sometimes sucked, everything's chill now because you're part of one of the dopest groups on the planet.
