During finals, someone asked me how I got such a good grade on my organic chemistry final and I just said "I studied" and he proceeded to tell me it was because I am privileged.
When I argued with this Hispanic man (I need to mention his ethnicity because he used mine as an argument) he said "You're American, white, college educated, and have married parents." (All the things he listed were also true for him - he was born in the United States, his parents were married and legal immigrants, he was also college educated.)
The only thing he lacked was my skin color, so I assume he was trying to point out my white privilege, which I know 100% exists, but was not the reason why I got a good grade on my final.
It really made me think. I came up with a million arguments as to why I wasn't privileged. I'm not American, I'm actually a Brasilian DACA student who's DACA expires right before graduating college meaning that, yes, I am college educated, but may not be a college graduate. Yes, I do have white skin and my parents are happily married, even though it wasn't always that way.
So, maybe not all of the arguments he used we exactly my privilege points. But I did realize, after thinking long and hard, that I am very privileged. I have a car, a cell phone, a warm place to live, plenty of food to eat (probably too much if you ask my mom), friends and family who love me unconditionally. I have a job that pays for what it needs to. I am very privileged.
Privilege is having access to the internet and a computer. Privilege is waking up in the morning in your own bed with blankets. Privilege is picking up your phone to tweet or write an article every time Donald Trump does something that you don't agree with. Privilege is being able to hug you mom every day and complain about all the stupid their parents ask you to do. Privilege is the smell of coffee in the morning. Privilege is being upset when things don't go your way. EVERYONE has some sort of privilege that the next person does not.
It may not be apparent, but everyone is privileged. Even the snot-bag that pointed out my privilege because I passed my exam. Maybe he doesn't have the privilege of being responsible enough to stay up and study the night before he has an exam, but he does have the privilege of going out the night before his exam. And that makes him privileged all the same as me.
