ASSIGNMENTS:
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Veena Rao
New York, New York USA
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REPORTS:
PREVIOUS NEXT
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Advice to Veena at 14:
1) Don't get into fights with your mom. She may not be the perfect mother but you aren't perfect either. She loves you, works hard and tries her best. You should realize this and respect her more.
2) Talk and listen to Lavanya more about things that are upsetting her and going wrong in her life. You have the potential to be a stronger person and a better friend.
3) Take that photography class. You'll fall in love with it and never look at the world the same way.
Advice to Veena at 16:
1) You feel lonely and sometimes it bothers you that you don't have a group of friends. Know most people your age are still figuring out who they are and probably feel just as awkward as you do. Don't be afraid of getting to know people. Look at people in the eye and don't avoid saying hi to classmates in the hallway. You'll regret that you closed yourself off because of your fear of what other people might think.
2) Be proactive and ask your parents what is going on in their lives. They have done an excellent job of safeguarding your childhood from all the stresses of adult life but you aren't a kid anymore and you need to show you care.
3) You can't really articulate it right now but you feel trapped by school, your parents, and generally the world around you. Know that your life won't always be bound up in an institution and you will be free in many ways when you leave high school. Don't stress about the little things; it's really not that big of a deal.
Advice to Veena at 18:
1) Don't pretend that you're a scotch drinker just because your uncle let you sample some from his collection in the summer. You will regret this after having two double shots and throwing up in the darkroom the next day.
2) Don't go out with guys for the "experience." Specifically that weird guy you met at a party in Park Slope you are not attracted to and find boring. Don't sort of go out with him for 3 months. I know you really love being in art school and opening yourself up to new intellectual and emotional experiences, but trust your basic instincts. Some things, like personal relationships, are not part of your artistic exploration.
3) Take that moment in the summer when you cried because family you barely ever see were all in one room and learn to not be surprised by your emotion in the future. You are always ready to believe the sincerity of emotion in art but never the sincerity of your own feelings.
Advice to Veena at 22:
1) Don't let uncertainty about the future make you unhappy. You will find a job and figure out how to pursue what you love. Living in the real world won't be that bad. You'll realize that you learned a lot in the past four years but that you were also in an extremely insular, esoteric environment. Being an adult has its advantages but you are right to miss this period in your life.
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