Chances are you aren't Indian. However it is likely that you have met an Indian before, specifically one that smells like curry when they walk by. Or maybe one of your Indian childhood friends was never allowed to hang out because she was forced to study for the SAT, and it's quite possible that her parents convinced her at the age of five that she had to be a doctor when she grew up. But before you judge, please understand that we Indians all have our reasons for this. Many people don't realize how different the lifestyle of an Indian-American actually is. From the foot apparel worn around the house to the career paths you were destined to follow, here are five tell-tale signs that you grew up in an Indian household.

1. You always went to school smelling like curry.

You know how everyone has a very distinct smell? Perhaps you just hosted a party, and someone left behind their sweater. With one sniff you can instantly determine the missing article's owner. This task becomes especially easier if the cardigan smells like Indian food because then without even second guessing yourself, you know that it is your dear friend Anjali's sweater. Like many Indians, Anjali always smells like curry. Everyone knows Anjali smells like curry, except Anjali. Poor thing.

However it's not really Anjali's fault that she is this way. All of us are bound to smell like Indian food. Think about it. Our moms cook food at least twice a day, and the aroma travels from the kitchen, to the living room, to the family room, to the dining room, to your bedroom and even your bathroom! On its journey, the spices cling onto anything and everything including the furniture, your clothing and worst of all, your skin. So it becomes difficult to remove this musk by the time you meet up with people. Fortunately for me, I have a friend who always informs me when I happen to be reeking of my mom's homemade rotli and shak (typical Indian food). Sometimes with one cherry blossom scented loofah and some Bath & Body Works perfume I can diminish the stench from my skin, but others like Anjali are not so fortunate. Anjali could try scrubbing away the last of her skin cells in baths of tomato juice but still not exterminate her spicy Indian aroma. Maybe she's born with it. Maybe it's mama's masala chai.

2. Your Saturday mornings consisted of noise produced by your mom's pressure cooker.

Waking up on the weekend is meant to be a peaceful experience. Ideally you would wake up to the sound of birds chirping and a ray of sunshine gleaming through your sheer bedroom curtains. However because you are Indian, you are awoken by the sweet melody of your mom's pressure cooker going off every three minutes. On top of this ruckus, your parents decide to blast prayers from the living room in hopes of luring you out of your cozy bed. Between all of this and the scent of food slowly making its way to your room, you know your best bet is to get up. But even in the safe haven of your bathroom it becomes hard to differentiate the vibrations of your electronic toothbrush and those of the vacuum that your dad is running at eight in the morning. Will you ever get some peace and quiet? Probably not.

3. You weren't allowed to date until you got married.

This one might be a bit of an exaggeration, but for many it's reality. My parents met and got married in the same month; on the other hand, this generation of Indians operates differently. We have more freedom with whom we want to be with. Although, it is important to keep in mind that we are only allowed to even consider dating someone when we reach college. Being in high school, my parents have drilled the short saying "Studies first" into my brain. They have constantly reminded me that boys should never cross my mind more often than my studies. And going on a date with a boy?! Well, that is out of the question! This spring I got asked to prom (by someone who is strictly a friend), and my parents took it rather well. Besides the 23 messages and four voice mails my mom left me during after-prom which was held in a co-ed cabin in the middle of the woods. Not to mention the numerous questions my mom had for me about the dance itself, the amount of people intoxicated during the event and the types of dancing I participated in. I guess I failed to mention to her that I got yelled at within the first 10 minutes of prom for "not staying vertical", but that is a story for another day.

4. You prepared for the SAT years before you took it.

It is no secret that Indian parents yearn for their children to obtain that near-perfect score on the SAT. For one thing, they receive bragging rights over the parents whose kids received a lower score (Anjali). Scholarship money is also a big plus since most of us are destined to pursue a medical career. The major downside is that the SAT takes over your life. You wake up in the morning and stuff your face in the book and lose yourself in one of the practice tests. You are granted one break for lunch and then back to the books it is. Oh, what's that? You want to see a movie with your friends? TOO BAD. The SAT is coming up in exactly eight months and nine hours, does that mean nothing to you? You have accepted that you will have absolutely no social life until this test is completed. And when it does come around, you are sweating. You watch the clock, pacing yourself. This exam is a marathon, and you have been training your whole life for this moment. Your pencils, calculator and test book are all arranged in a way that optimizes your time by using the least possible hand strokes. You have mastered your way around this test. Do the ones you know first, go back later for the rest. Don't know the answer? Guess choice "C". For the reading portion you know to make a passage map just in case your memory is slacking. This exam could make or break you. Literally, your mom might break one of your bones if you don't get a good score.

5. You were taught to refuse gifts and money.

It's your birthday, Diwali or some kind of special occasion where either a family friend or relative is practically required to provide you with some sort of gift. Any Indian, young or old, can relate to the incredibly awkward situation that arises when an auntie (auntie is an umbrella term for any one of your mom's friends or sisters) hands you an envelope. With one quick glance, you already know what's inside. Cold. Hard. Cash. And because you're Indian and don't receive weekly allowances like your friends, these types of occurrences are one of your few moments of opportunities for receiving some quick moolah. On the inside, you light up and begin dreaming up plans involving what you're going to buy with the dough, but on the outside you have to shake your head and kindly refuse the money. This is the auntie's cue to insist that you take the envelope and when you reluctantly turn down the money yet again, the auntie puts the money in your shirt pocket ending the conversation. Although there is a forced look of defeat on your face, everyone has an unspoken understanding that you are actually quite joyful. This whole interaction is a reoccurring process that has been going on for generations. The kid always ends up with the money in the final stage of the exchange so you think we would've learned to just accept the gift when it is first presented to us, but I suppose courtesy comes before conserving time. It's just one of those Indian quirks that no one will quite understand.

There you have it. By now you've gained some insight into one of your Indian friend's life and why they can never hang out or why they've never had a partner all throughout high school. Indian-Americans definitely grow up differently compared to our American companions, now you know. So before you decide to "spill the chai tea" on an Indian, munch on a samosa and utilize this article to build some understanding of their lifestyle. Put yourself in their shoes -- er well, their feet, since Indians don't wear shoes around the house, and remember not to judge an Indian by their quirks. Namaste.