India loves index cards; throughout the story, they become integral to her personality, symbolizing her desire for order and control in her life. Though dreamy and aspirational, India approaches life meticulously, using her index cards to complete high school and meditate on her goal of getting into acting school. She and Robbie gamify the index cards when deciding what to do about the pregnancy, trying to read them like tarot cards. The index cards symbolize a way for India to manage and make sense of the chaos of a life that hasn't gone the way she planned, becoming a tool for her to exert some control over the uncertain aspects of her life.

However, when she realizes that index cards can’t fix all her problems, the index cards also symbolize India’s limitations: When her lack of vocal talent ends her musical dreams, she realizes “[she] could index-card her way out of the hardest tests, the longest essays, the most boring exercises. But there was nothing she could do about high school’s biggest nightmare: the musical” (19). As an aspiring actor, India continues to use her index cards for research, line memorization, and organization, reflecting her determination to master her craft.