BULLIED 2

Submission 1100

Dear reader,

I am a fourteen year old girl who has always been a nerd. I've been bullied since kindergarten, and I have moderate social anxiety and mild depression as a result. It started in kindergarten as mostly physical, but it transferred to mainly verbal over the next two years. Second grade was the absolute worst. I began self-harming with my nails, and I started considering suicide. That was the year that more bullies came. Plus, my grandpa had died the previous summer. Last year, I met my best friend. She's had it so much worse than I have. She has attempted suicide FIVE TIMES. It hurts so much to know that my best friend in the world could have died without me knowing it. Her stomach is covered in self-harm scars. Honestly, she is more or less the only thing keeping me from cutting. I am so thankful that I met her when I did. We are trying so hard to overcome this, but we need the help of others. I recently started a program in my school to share the stories of people like us. It feels great to know that, because of me, people want to know and help now.

Sincerely,

The Girl Who was Saved by Books

ADVICE: It's hard. Anybody who has had experience with bullying knows that. We have to stand together and help each other; otherwise, nothing will get better. From my experience, showing people what words do to us works wonders. Once people see, it can only get better. We will never completely get rid of bullying, but we can at least get rid of some of it. As All Time Low says, "Don't lose your fight, kid. It only takes a little push to pull on through. With so much left to do, you'll be missing out, and we'll be missing you."