10 Ways To Be A WASP | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

10 Ways To Be A WASP

Step by step instructions to make you a fabulous stereotypical privileged white kid

16309
10 Ways To Be A WASP
Google

(n): White Anglo-Saxon Protestant; your average upper-middle-class white female/male in the United States.

Growing up in the first world, it’s easy to lose track of the privilege I have been born into. Often, I struggle to imagine how anything could be worse than receiving the wrong Starbucks order or a B on my most recent exam. As I have grown up, however, I have been exposed to individuals who have not experienced the same lifestyle I grew up with. Although I try my best to continue to surround myself with my fellow WASPs, I occasionally find myself in the presence of someone outside of my socioeconomic race category; even worse, once I met a Catholic!

So, instead of solving this problem by changing the way I think or, God-forbid, exposing myself to variety in life, I developed the following list to help non-WASPs meet me where I’m at. Hopefully, this will create a WASPier world and maybe -- just maybe -- create a better world. (If you already consider yourself a WASP, skip to #10.)

1. Maintain an ongoing list of your “first world problems.”

Spilled wine on that new half-zip; forgot to pack Greek yogurt for work today; lost the back to your favorite earring; bought salmon drapes when your color-scape was coral--all of these are acceptable problems to successfully distract you from the real world.

2. Try to find a way to feel marginalized.

Racism is real and as a privileged white American, you have experienced it. Where is the “White Lives Matter” march? Why don’t white Americans get a history month? People like Kim Davis deserve just as much protest as Tamir Rice (even if her actions were illegal and Rice was just playing in the park).

3. And complain about those whiney “real” minorities.

Like, okay, we get that you don’t have the same rights as the rest of us and are still discriminated against in the 21st century, but the endless marches and movements and appeals to supreme courts are getting old. Most minorities already get a whole month and a museum exhibit or something -- do we really have to change an entire system just because it’s biased against you?

4. Assume that most people are just like you.

The easiest way to remain WASP-y is to surround yourself with lots of other WASPs. Then, not only do you never have to leave you plush comfort zone, but you can also assume that, given your surroundings, most people are just like you! (Just don’t think too hard about who the guy is that mows your lawn).

5. Never forget your heritage.

True, your ancestors could very well have participated in slavery and if they came on the Mayflower, they destroyed an entire nation of Native Americans -- but, they worked hard and now you get to be a happy, carefree WASP. Plus, you go to the casino sometimes, so you give back!

6. Ignore your privilege.

Find people who have more money than you and spend time with them. You may live in the 1%, but you are definitely not in the 1% of that group. As long as someone else has more than you, you can’t really be privileged.

7. Dress for success.

Think JCrew, Brooks Brothers, Vinyard Vines, and Ralph Lauren. In order to be a WASP, you have to look the part. The purpose of clothing is not to clothe yourself or even follow fashion trends- it is to convince others that your clothing budget could pay their college tuition.

8. See the world, or at least visit Chinatown once.

You can still be super cultured from your home in Connecticut. You have been to several non-American restaurants and you downloaded Duolingo on your phone last week! Why would you need to expose yourself to other cultures, especially when some countries don’t have free wi-fi?

9. Never let the government take your rights.

If there’s one thing WASPs hate, it’s the idea that the government may infringe on their rights. Since there’s no way to buy the government (oh -- wait), make sure that everyone around you knows that you will never ever give up your gun rights. Not because you actually own a gun or because you would actually lose your right to bear arms, but still, you have a right that another WASP gave you hundreds of years ago!

10. Take offense at everything -- including this article.

If you have made it to this point and you feel incredibly offended by what you have read, congratulations! You are now a WASP. Remember that you are now part of a special community dedicated to the betterment of each other. If you should ever find yourself considering a tour with Doctors Without Borders or entering an art gallery that is not Monet, please refer back to this article for a refresher course.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

28 Daily Thoughts of College Students

"I want to thank Google, Wikipedia, and whoever else invented copy and paste. Thank you."

606
group of people sitting on bench near trees duting daytime

I know every college student has daily thoughts throughout their day. Whether you're walking on campus or attending class, we always have thoughts running a mile a minute through our heads. We may be wondering why we even showed up to class because we'd rather be sleeping, or when the professor announces that we have a test and you have an immediate panic attack.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

The Great Christmas Movie Debate

"A Christmas Story" is the star on top of the tree.

1962
The Great Christmas Movie Debate
Mental Floss

One staple of the Christmas season is sitting around the television watching a Christmas movie with family and friends. But of the seemingly hundreds of movies, which one is the star on the tree? Some share stories of Santa to children ("Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"), others want to spread the Christmas joy to adults ("It's a Wonderful Life"), and a select few are made to get laughs ("Elf"). All good movies, but merely ornaments on the Christmas tree of the best movies. What tops the tree is a movie that bridges the gap between these three movies, and makes it a great watch for anyone who chooses to watch it. Enter the timeless Christmas classic, "A Christmas Story." Created in 1983, this movie holds the tradition of capturing both young and old eyes for 24 straight hours on its Christmas Day marathon. It gets the most coverage out of all holiday movies, but the sheer amount of times it's on television does not make it the greatest. Why is it,
then? A Christmas Story does not try to tell the tale of a Christmas miracle or use Christmas magic to move the story. What it does do though is tell the real story of Christmas. It is relatable and brings out the unmatched excitement of children on Christmas in everyone who watches. Every one becomes a child again when they watch "A Christmas Story."

Keep Reading...Show less
student thinking about finals in library
StableDiffusion

As this semester wraps up, students can’t help but be stressed about finals. After all, our GPAs depends on these grades! What student isn’t worrying about their finals right now? It’s “goodbye social life, hello library” time from now until the end of finals week.

1. Finals are weeks away, I’m sure I’ll be ready for them when they come.

Keep Reading...Show less
Christmas tree
Librarian Lavender

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is one of my personal favorite holidays because of the Christmas traditions my family upholds generation after generation. After talking to a few of my friends at college, I realized that a lot of them don't really have "Christmas traditions" in their family, and I want to help change that. Here's a list of Christmas traditions that my family does, and anyone can incorporate into their family as well!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Phases Of Finals

May the odds be ever in your favor.

2567
Does anybody know how to study
Gurl.com

It’s here; that time of year when college students turn into preschoolers again. We cry for our mothers, eat everything in sight, and whine when we don’t get our way. It’s finals, the dreaded time of the semester when we all realize we should have been paying attention in class instead of literally doing anything else but that. Everyone has to take them, and yes, unfortunately, they are inevitable. But just because they are here and inevitable does not mean they’re peaches and cream and full of rainbows. Surviving them is a must, and the following five phases are a reality for all majors from business to art, nursing to history.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments