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How cool would it be to have Amy Poehler give you some words of wisdom before you head off into the real world? Well, the students of Harvard University's Class of 2011 got to find out, as the Parks and Recreation actress was the guest speaker at Harvard's Class Day ceremonies on May 25.
"I tried to write today's speech the way I wrote everything in college: I stayed up all night, typing on a Canon word processor while listening to Sir Mix-A-Lot," she quipped, after taking the podium.
Filled with touching and humorous anecdotes from her own life, the SNL alumna offered a slew of tips to the graduates as they set out to take on the world.
"Take your risks now," Poehler advised. "As you grow older, you become more fearful and less flexible. And I mean that literally. I hurt my knee on the treadmill this week and it wasn't even on."
"Even though, as a class, you are smart, you are still allowed to say, 'I don't know,'" she told the crowd. "Just because you are in high demand, you are still allowed to say, "Let me get back to you." This will come in handy when your parents ask when you plan to move out of their basement and you answer, 'I don't know. Let me get back to you.'"
She even tried to help out the mothers and fathers of the graduates, by suggesting the students give those that raised them a break once in a while.
"Would it kill you to be nicer to your parents?" she asked. "They have sacrificed so much for you and all they want is for you to smile and take a picture with your weird cousins. Do that for them. And with less eye-rolling, please."
Watch Amy's full speech here:
