I grew up in a pretty rough area and got into a lot of fights when I was younger. I'm not one to throw the first punch but I'm usually responsible for getting into fights when I cant keep my mouth shut and wont run away. I got beat up by a load of kids 3 years older than me, they broke 3 of my fingers on my right hand from stamping on them over a penalty in football. Some other kid hit my brother in the face with a brick because I 'gave him lip' and when I was 7 some high school lads stubbed two fags into my shoulder because I wouldn't let them use the goal me and my friend were using at the park. I wouldn't class these as bullying though to be honest with you as its the neighbourhood I grew up in. I got picked on in school by a few kids a couple of years older than me who used to beat me up because I wouldn't give them my stuff like money, pokemon cards or footballs etc and they singled me out every day I think because I wasn't to run away and I'd fight back which they'd find funny because I was so much younger than them, though I did give one of them a pretty nice black eye once, but I still didn't view that as bullying as it was just something that happened and something that had always happened. I guess what I'm trying to get at is whilst I do empathise with people who have been bullied as it is horrible. Especially that feeling when you see them walking towards you and you think here we go again. But some people claim to be bullied straight away when they called names, sometimes, I know it seems harsh, but a bit of name calling is character building now and again. I'd never dream of saying bullying is false and overrated but people need to remember a saying which my dad taught me when I was younger 'Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me' you just have to have a strong enough character to believe that and not let things get to you. Just keep your head high and know you'll come through it stronger and a better person. If they break your bones like they did to me, well... they'll mend. Nothing wrong with my right hand except I can bend my thumb right back to touch the back of my hand, really useful in thumb wars. I've broken lots of them since then playing rugby anyway.
There are of course measures you can take to stop bullying or try to not be affected by it, I hope these can help. Firstly I was too proud to ever tell a teacher, which was stupid obviously, tell a teacher I know it can be a big help, I'm going to become a teacher once I leave uni and I know if anybody tells me they're being bullied I will make sure it stops even if I have to expell everybody in the school. As I got older nobody dared bully me, whilst I'd never hit somebody without them hitting me first, I do pride myself on having a razor sharp wit and usually ended up embarrassing people off rather than scaring them both can be ways of stopping people bullying you. I moved in with my Dad who lived in a much nicer area and whilst I was the poor kid for the first few years nobody would say anything to my face because they knew where I came from and proved I wasn't scared of anyone whilst playing rugby, show that you're not scared and use anything you have in your arsenal to put doubt in there mind, I wouldn't suggest the 'My dad's bigger than yours' trick though. It also helps that I'm now 6 foot 5 and I recently met 1 of the people who used to bully me who barely made it over 5 and a half foot. I didn't do anything to him but it was funnier to see the look on his face when I told him. In the words of qui gon jinn 'There's always a bigger fish' remember that and be safe in the knowledge that they'll get there come up'ence. Work hard in school so you can get a better job and maybe one day be their boss, you'll look back and think 'Who's laughing now'. They may hold the power in the playground but we're not hunters and gatherers any more, you'll hold the power in the office which is where it matters. They're livelihood could be in your hands. I'd suggest being the bigger man, revenge is sweet for a short period but knowing you're so much better than them is better in the long run. Some lad I went to primary school was a removal boy for us when my dad moved house a few years back. I made him a cup of tea same as all the others. But I told my dad who he was and what he did and he made sure the lad was the one to move the monkey puzzle tree, he got spiked several times which was very satisfying but in the end I went to help him move it. I like to know that I'm a lot better of a person than him and hopefully he knows it as well.
