Meanness: The sign of weakness

During my elementary days, I was often insulted by my classmates. For them, a day wouldn’t be complete without making fun of someone especially me. I did nothing in my situation back then because I thought that it will be put to an end. But, my mistake, it didn’t. It got worse until they started name-calling me and that I will never forget. Up to this day, the nickname they used to call me became my strong reminder that I should never let anyone insult me.

When I reached high school, specifically grades seven and eight, I promised to myself that I won’t let anyone mistreat me in any way. I became very defiant. I did not let anyone do anything against me until it became a habit. I was treating others the way I didn’t want them to treat me back. In other words, I became a bully myself. I said hurtful words towards and against others.

Now that I grew more mature, I then realized that I myself became a victim of bullying and became a bully to others. I sought advices from my parents and teachers, and they taught me to balance my acceptance of simple jokes and to fight back to something I find insulting or offensive.

Bullying has been a big issue in anywhere we go, oftentimes occurring in school. Bullying is not only the act of physically hurting, it also includes hurting one’s feelings, insulting or name calling others, and posting things on different social media sites that can offend someone.

From several researches, more than a million students are bullied every year and more than a hundred thousand teenagers skip school because of bullying. The worst part of it is that some tend to commit suicide.

But what makes someone a bully? Honestly, I consider bullies as the most coward people. They are the ones who threaten or mistreat people whom they think are below their caliber. They cannot do the same manner to those who are the same level as theirs or to those who are above them. They can only show they are worth being frightened off to those whom they consider as weak.

For some people, what makes a bully is from the people surrounding them or what we so call “BI” or bad influence. Spending our time with the wrong persons can affect our behavior and how we treat others without even realizing that their rude acts are becoming normal for us to do as well.

Or sometimes, what makes a bully can be from his or her personal life, most specifically on what happens in their homes. There is no doubt that not all of us came from a peaceful family (but surely not ALL who came from are considered bullies!). Some tend to express their resentments to others by hurting them physically or emotionally because they are in need of someone to listen to them.

The best ways to respond to a bully is to first, ignore them. Fighting back is what gives them the urge to put us down further. If we learn to just ignore them and act as if we don’t care, they will eventually get bored and just stop. Second is to always get someone involved who are older than us, like our parents, teachers, or even our older siblings. Getting someone involved in your situation can help you solve the problem because we cannot face everything on our own. And third is to learn to say “NO”. If a bully wants you to do something against your will, firmly say “NO”. Do not be afraid of the threats they are giving you because remember that they are the ones who are wrong in the first place.

Sometimes, bullying can start with a simple teasing among friends or classmates. If both parties find it funny, there will be no reason to start a conflict. But if it becomes unkind and constant, there will be a problem. We should always remember that when we are in a bullying situation, it is not us who is the problem, but rather, it is the other way around.

Let us all strive to be a better example not only to those who are below our age but also to those who are surrounding us. Nobody deserves to be bullied. We all have the same human dignity and the best way to keep our environment a peaceful one is to respect others.