Award-winning actress Sandra Oh is now an honorary Doctor, for real reals!
Emulating her iconic Gray’s Anatomy character, Dr. Christina Yang, Oh gave a groovy commencement speech to the graduates of Dartmouth College, telling the Class of 2025 to “dance it out” when the world gets hard, but most especially, when it’s good.
Earlier this week, the actress walked up the stage to deliver a commencement speech after receiving an honorary doctorate degree. She said it was Shonda Rhimes, one of the College’s alumni and her former boss, who asked her to give a speech.
Although she fears being roasted on the internet, the actress realized that all she needed was honesty.
“I realized that underneath this Discomfort I was feeling—the fear, the comparison, the self-judgment—was really a call—to come and share myself with you, despite these doubts,” Oh said.
“So, if there’s anything I can offer to you today, from my own life, it’s this. Nothing has taught me more than being with discomfort,” she added, describing discomfort as a learning opportunity.
She encouraged students to face and trust their discomfort, because it might be telling them something they have yet to know. To get a clearer picture, Oh said she played Dr. Christina Yang on Grey’s Anatomy for 10 seasons.
Although the opportunity brought her financial stability, fame, and privilege, it was also one of the most challenging decades of her life.
“I learned profound lessons during this time, because so much of it was so uncomfortable,” she said.
Oh was in her early 30s when she played the iconic doctor in the show. At the time, the actress had an idea of who she was and what the work entailed. She demanded a lot from herself and the writers. However, she had no idea what was to come, especially when she chose to fight for what she believed was right.
Every discomfort is an opportunity for people to go forward, because “things will happen that are completely out of your control.”
“The show must go on. Life is simply not going to stop for you,” Oh explained.
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The more she wanted her external circumstances to change, the worse she felt.
“Whatever the reason, one way to start building some muscle around this discomfort is to actually be in it by choice. Tiny, bite-sized moments where you can practice being with it safely,” Oh said.
More than anything, Oh said that dancing it out helps a lot, even if it's just for 15 seconds.
“When the world gets hard—or when it’s good—especially when it’s good— like today. By yourself, with people you love or strangers—take the time to—dance it out,” the actress stated.
Apart from the iconic Grey’s Anatomy character, Oh is also known for her roles in Killing Eve, The Princess Diaries, Turning Red, and, more recently, the Quiz Lady.
