Courtesy of Kayden Prieto

Bullying: To seek harm, intimidate, or target someone perceived as vulnerable. 1 in 4 students— ages 12 to 18— experience getting bullied, 13 million students a year are bullied, and 26.5% of those bullied victims end up committing suicide or have suicidal thoughts. With this being said, suicide is the second leading cause of death in people ages 15 to 29. 

Bullying needs to be stopped, and no one should have the thought of taking their own life or practicing self harm because someone chose to bully them. No one truly understands what someone else is going through— whether that be family issues, self-image struggles, friendship problems, or other concerns— so don’t be the person who finds joy in hurting someone else.

Bullying is an extremely common action that has occurred within our school district from elementary school to high school. 20% – 50% of students worldwide have experienced bullying, and 70.6% of people have witnessed someone getting bullied. Don’t make this a common factor for LFHS. Bullies purposely target the weak link among a crowd to take out their anger and personal issues. For them, it’s just an excuse to not admit or tend to their own struggles, instead choosing to drag others down with them. 

“The overall cause of bullying comes from a sense of power in another student. Typically, bullies crave attention and amusement. Bullying can come in all different forms— subtle, quiet bullying where the perpetrator doesn’t get caught or noticed, compared to loud and open bullying,” said LFHS school psychologist Dr. Adams.

Bullying can’t be categorized. It can happen inside the classroom, the halls, the cafeteria— practically anywhere. Commentary about others’ bodies, name calling, online comments, harassing others, pointing out differences in people, and any general negative speech directed towards an individual or group intent to put them down or at risk is considered bullying.

Everyone has to deal with their own issues; it’s normal and part of life. Yet, many people don’t realize this. It’s okay to not be okay, but do not take your own suffering out on another individual. 

“I think some advice for a bully is try to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, show empathy, and be honest with yourself,” said Dr. Adams. 

Coming from someone who has witnessed individuals getting bullied, and has experienced it firsthand, it hurts. You have a constant fear of when the next time the bully is planning on attacking. In two minutes? An hour? Thirty seconds? When are you going to be put down again? When is the next time you’re going to feel worthless because of them? When will it stop and be done forever? 

Many people don’t realize how powerful words can be as even words that have no intention to hurt possibly can. You need to watch what you say to prevent saying harmful speech. 

“It’s just like when you crumple a piece of paper. The more and more you crumple it up, the more it becomes destroyed. If you try to fix it, you’ll find out it will never be the same again,” said LFHS social worker Mrs. Harmsen.

As a student at LFHS, you need to remember to think before you speak. Just put yourself in someone else’s shoes— like a victim of bullying— and imagine how they feel. Feel their sadness, because no matter how hard they try to ignore what the bully says, it always ends up affecting them later on. As a result, their life can become a spiraling mess of numerous emotions and negative thoughts, which can ultimately be life-threatening. 

This goes for bystanders as well. If you are witnessing someone being bullied, shout for help: don’t whisper. Don’t laugh along because you want to “fit in.” Be the bigger person, not just average. Don’t just let it go. Go to a teacher, social worker, parent, trusted adult, sibling— anyone. Be an upstander, not a bystander and help as you could be saving a life.  

“I do try to encourage victims of bullying to stand up for themselves and ask for help, but I know that many students struggle to come forward and advocate for themselves. They’re worried that they will make the situation worse and be considered a ‘snitch.’ LFHS should be a place for everyone to be themselves,” said Harmsen. 

Bullying needs to end, not students’ lives. Kindness is not a characteristic: it’s a virtue. If you see something, say something. Doing nothing makes you a bully as well. Speak up and use your voice. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You could be making a positive impact on someone else’s life. I hope after reading this article you think before you speak and take on the role of being the bigger person. And always remember that you could be saving someone’s life.

If you need help and are having suicidal thoughts, please call or text 988.  

If you see bullying occur at LFHS, please talk to a dean, social worker, or trusted teacher.