Bullying is still very common amongst young people today which is a very big problem. I personally have been picked on continuously since I started primary school for the colour of my hair and sometimes even my weight. I haven’t really talked openly about it before but maybe it’s about time. To begin with, I just kept it to myself and allowed it to eat away at me rather than doing anything about it. If I could go back and change anything, it would be that I talked to someone earlier. The older I got, the more it affected me especially as I started secondary school. My self-esteem was basically non-existent because all I could think about was what these bullies were saying to me, I began to worry that this is what my friends also thought of me. I understand it is daunting to tell a parent or guardian about you being bullied; I felt embarrassed and scared about how they would feel knowing what bullies were saying to me. My mum especially is quite sensitive and the thought of how upset she would be pushed me to keep things to myself. Also in school, there is always the potential for someone to say you’re attention seeking if you openly talk about your problems; this also scared me into silence. But I didn’t realise that I am important and I did need to tell someone about what was being said to me.
If you take anything from this then please know that you are the most important person if you are being bullied; it may be hard for the people you love to hear about it but they are there for you. Talking about how you feel is key, even if it is to your friend or anyone you trust, they can give you the confidence to tell someone and do something about it. Having a strong support network is so important, I was very fortunate to have some of the kindest friends who held me when I cried and stayed with me when I told a teacher at school. You realise who is worth your time and tears because believe me, it is definitely not those bullies who think they’re powerful by putting others who are so intelligent and wonderful down. I do not regret telling my friends and eventually my family because now the bullying has stopped and I am back to being happy and confident. You are not alone so please don’t suffer alone.
