Bullying

[Hikikomori]

Bullying is something that most people go through at some point or another, especially during those formative years at school. How often were you bullied growing up? Conversely have you ever bullied anyone yourself? In regards to both questions how severe was the bullying that took place and if you were the victim how badly did it affect you? Do you have any regrets with how you handled yourself looking back on it now?

I'm sorry if someone has already made a similar thread here.

[Neo Emolga]

In middle school, I was practically slaughtered by bullying. Grade school also, but middle school was definitely the worst.

Looking back, I let too much of it get to me and wasn't resourceful about handling the situation. Turning the other cheek isn't always a good idea, because they'll just use your butt as a punching bag then. There were times where I should have stood my ground and get payback in the form of a prank or some other kind of sabotage as opposed to just keep everything bottled up as I became more of a victim. Bullies don't stop unless whatever they're doing isn't worth the effort.

Also, despite what they say, telling teachers about it is useless, you're on your own with solving your own problems. There was a time when bullies left thumbtacks on my chair, I sat on them, and the teacher actually defended the bullies by excusing it as an accident (bs). Case in point, teachers are not your allies with this. Also, remove anything and stop doing anything that could be used for ridicule. It can always wait until after school when you're away from everyone else. If you wear glasses, I HIGHLY recommend switching to contact lenses for so, so, so many reasons. I don't know why I waited so late on this considering I've never liked the way I look with glasses on.

If you're not good at a particular sport in gym class, sure, that will probably be grounds for ridicule, but instead of acting defeated, show you don't care. Laugh about it and be overly casual and carefree about it. Focus more on the sports/activities you're better at and enjoy more and don't try to compensate for any weaknesses you have. Also, sarcasm and wit are better weapons against ridicule than hastily falling into the trap of name-calling or whatever.

Also, food. I never tried this back in school, but I think food can make for a beautiful and very effective self-defense weapon. The wetter, messier, and stickier it is, the more effective it can be (Hostess and Tastykake make for a great, portable arsenal). If a bully hits you, a teacher isn't going to call the cops or suspend you if you cram a physically harmless cupcake or your jelly sandwich in their face in self-defense. You may get your hands dirty, but that's easily solved with a quick trip to the bathroom sink. Your attacker, however, will have it all over their face and/or clothes instead, and that's NOT so easy to wash off (and makes them look goofy in front of everyone else). Also, teachers won't bother you for carrying a water bottle around. Your bully, however, may think nothing of it the first time they move in to strike, but one good dumping of water on their head in self defense will make them wisen up about attacking you again as long as you're carrying a bottle of good ol' H20 with you. And then cue in the fun of people asking them why they're all wet (they will either say nothing or make up a sketchy lie that makes them look like a silly victim instead). Wearing wet clothing all day isn't fun, so again, it's all about making bullying you more trouble than it's worth.

[legendary_addict]

As a Pokemon Nerd and Massive Weeaboo, I do get bullied a lot. But I think that was only in Primary School, where they pick on me because I was a cute, chubby, cuddly creature (sorry, I just wanted to make an alliteration xD) They used to poke my belly and sides and laugh, until I started fighting for myself (by that meaning I used a glass lunch box to hit them in the head) And after that experience I was never again bullied.

Of course I can't smack people in the head with glass objects anymore because everyone here in Australia is waaay taller than me. Back in the Philippines I used to be the tallest or Second tallest. Now I can probably study some form or Martial Arts (prefferebly Jiu-Jitsu or Krav Maga) to defend myself.

As the victim of bullying, I found it very, very, very irritating that people take out their stress by bullying others. I also find it disheartening that a lot of people only want to do harm to others, Physically, Emotionally and/or Socially just because that person is better than them. Trying to put down others in front of everyonr is a low blow imo. If you want to be better than someone, prove it in the area you think you're better at and see if you think you are better or not.

I did bully someone once, unfortunately. It was my little brother. I know, it's really wrong to do that, and I knew it was. I think it was the influence on my addiction to violent games that made me do it. I'm usually a really nice and caring person, and ever since I became addicted to gaming, I become irritated without my game quickly, so I tried to entertain myself by doing that horrible thing to my sibling.

As a person who bullied someone once, I found it really horrible in the end. I thought I can relieve my stress or irritation by doing that, but I was wrong. It did me more bad than good. Karma strikes me a lot and I thought I was a worthless piece of junk in the garage, rusted and dusted, forgotten and left alone.

I regret doing those things a lot. If I didn't whack that bully though I may have probably been a chubby punching bag back then. I I hadn't bullied my lil bro, I would've probably got along even better than we do now.

[Pokemon Trainer Sarah]

I have thankfully never been bullied, nor really observed any really bad bullying. A while ago, a girl I went to primary school with told one of my friends that I used to bully her back then, which was quite a shock as I couldn't remember doing anything like that. I don't actually remember ever interacting with her besides the one time she let me borrow her Pokemon book if I drew her some Pokemon pictures in return. I felt kinda bad when she said that though, as she didn't really have any friends back then so I hope I didn't make it worse.

I also kind of used to bully one of my friends when I was younger. I would make fun of her to get a laugh sometimes and I didn't realise it was bullying or that it bothered her. I thought we were all just having fun. The fact that I was only doing it to fit in and make people like me doesn't really make it any better. Live and learn, I guess.