ne
Celebrity
Always a success in English and
social studies, Kerman was drawn to all
things creative, in and out of the classroom. At Smith College, she majored
in theatre while pursuing a passion for
adventure during her free time. Remembering her four years of collegiate study,
Kerman tells the students that making
mistakes is unavoidable.
"You are going to gain so much knowledge during your time here and hopefully
Doppelganger Drama: Piper Kerman (left) and
actress Taylor Schilling (right) together tell the story
titled Orange Is the New Black.
acquire some wisdom," she predicts.
"You are also going to make mistakes—
probably lots and lots of them. That's
usually how wisdom is acquired. I am
here to tell you that mistakes are OK. You
[don't] learn and mature emotionally
without making a lot of them. As long as
you strive to take positive risks [versus
the kind I took] and always take responsibility for your mistakes, you will be OK.
"As a young woman in my 20s, I
thought my actions were pretty insignificant," Kerman continues. "You
will live with the choices you make,
the fruits of your labor, and the conse-
quences of your actions. Your choices
make a big impact on other people—
your parents, your friends, [all kinds
of people]. You are in the right place to
meet the right people to help you find
your way in the world."
Looking for a life of adventure, her
personal path included some initial diversions. Upon graduating, she fell for an
enigmatic older woman who was involved
with an international drug cartel. It was
that mystery and intrigue that hooked the
20-something-year-old Kerman. In her
book, she describes her younger self as "a
well-educated young lady from Boston
122 nshoremag.com January/February 2014
KJ JanFeb14 Piper.indd 122
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