Starting high school is extremely intimidating for so many reasons. High school is completely different than anything any incoming freshman has ever experienced. However, no one walks into their first day of freshman year and expects to be bullied. Sadly, that is the reality for many, many students.

Bullying is an epidemic who knows no boundaries to its victims.

Anyone, no matter their shape, size, color, or standing, can be bullied. Yet, high school bullying is sometimes brushed off because high school only lasts four years. It seems to be an unspoken agreement that once everyone graduates, the bullies and bullying will not matter. I hoped that would be the case for me after I graduated, but it was not.

Fortunately, I lost contact with all of the people who brought negativity into my life in high school after graduation. During high school, though, I could not escape them. I was constantly surrounded by the same few people in my classes, on top of going to a school with only 100 people who would graduate with me. Being continuously close to the people who talked about me, tried to drag me down, and were genuinely mean on a daily basis was so exhausting and took a toll on my mental health. Waking up and knowing I had to go to school and face these people for the sake of my grades was torture. I tried my best not to dwell on it, though and made the best out of every day.

Eventually, it was my turn to graduate and move onto bigger and better things.

Moving away from my small town into my college campus was the breath of fresh air that I needed to stay sane. Yet, I was still feeling the repercussions of living my high school years with bullies. I constantly felt like everyone was watching me or was going to examine my every move. I was afraid to speak out sometimes out of fear of being made fun of. The anxiety that was caused by bullies in high school followed me out of my small town and into my college life. I was shocked because no one had ever told me about this. No one I know has ever been affected by their high school bullies like this. I assumed that once I went to college, I would leave everything about high school in the past. I was used to being told, "It's just high school -- it won't matter in five years." It hasn't been five years, and I am still growing every day, but it took me by surprise nonetheless.

I have to remember that I am still the person who dealt with bullies every day.

I am the one who went through four years of being picked on for being who I am. I, nor anyone, can just assume to wake up one day in a new place and be healed from four years of hurt. Being on my own in a new place has helped the healing process, but I was not aware I even needed to heal. Every day I am removed from the toxicity of my high school, I grow stronger and happier. However, being bullied in high school leaves a scar like no other that I wouldn't wish on anyone -- not even my high school bullies.