Growing up my family could not afford much, as a result we were forced to move around quite frequently. With moving came starting new schools and having to make new friends.
During the 7th grade, the middle of my junior high career I started a brand new school. There I met some new friends, but most were not so nice. One minute they would act as if they were my friend, the next they would not; especially as soon as they would get around their own clique of friends. When all of these girls got together they would taunt, tease me and call me names. Anything they could think of to make my days at school worse, they would do it.
One day, I was walking to my fourth period class on the second floor when one of the girls pushed me down a flight of stairs. I had to get checked out by the nurse after it happened, but I would not say how I obtained my injuries. I just told the nurse I slipped and fell. After I got the clear that I was going to be fine I left the nurses’ station and one of my favorite teachers was standing next to the door. She confronted me and asked why I did not tell the truth to the nurse. I started to cry hysterically. I was too afraid to tell, so I got escorted to the front office to let the principal know what had happened.
The principal told me he had actually witnessed the whole event happen right before his eyes and was tired of seeing those girls bully me every day. All the principal was able to do was suspend the girls for two weeks.
The situation just got worse. I was getting to the point where some days I did not even want to come to school or even get out of bed because of the fear of being bullied. The bullying triggered some form of depression within me.
The more I got bullied the worse the depression got. However, with the support of my family and therapy sessions, I gradually started to get over this depression. Although, still today the hurt is still there.
What bullies do not know is that words do hurt. Every day people are dying because of being harassed and bullied by others.
All of this just has to stop. This is why I am writing you this piece; to let you know to if you see something, please say something. Don’t be a bystander. Bullying comes in many forms, not just verbal but emotional and physical as well.
You never know whose life you can save or change for the better, just like how my family and that teacher did for me.
If it was not for them I would probably not be here as of today. I would be a part of the tragic two out of nine people who commit suicide every day because of bullying.
To all of those out there who are suffering or are still suffering from bullying, I want you to remember that life will get better and that you are not alone, I promise. It may not seem like it now, but I guarantee it will. Just take me for example.