For many of us, it’s the silence of being friendless and alone that causes us pain. That silence can be just as loud as a group of kids teasing you in the cafeteria. Getting attention for the wrong thing can be just as horrible as being left out. However you are bullied, actively or passively, you feel less than, like your existence doesn’t matter, like you should just roll over and die already. Some of us have the tendency to take it out on other people. Sports teams, sororities, and fraternities have traditions of hazing because “we’ve all been through it” and “it makes you stronger.” But that’s missing the point. My favorite life lesson: if someone is yelling at you, it’s because someone else is yelling at them. Don’t become another bully, be the hero who breaks the cycle. Once you stand up for yourself, it gets easier every time.
Visit Teen Vogue for 20 personal stories about bullying. (Post is an excerpt from Teen Vogue article) 20 Girls in Their 20s Open Up About How They Were Bullied — And How They Overcame It: by Vera Papisova
Cara Zara 