Cyberbullying.

Something that was brought a ton of attention to a few years ago.

Where is the awareness now?

I recently started my first year of college. I thought the cyberbullying days were behind me.

Well, I was wrong. So very wrong.

A girl that I went to high school with, and used to be very close with, targeted me. We had our differences and hadn’t been friends since sophomore year of high school. It has been close to two years of not hanging out with this girl. Only seeing each other at school, or in social settings. I have continued to be civil.

She, on the other hand, is upset.

The harassment online started months ago. She would tweet about me and talk about me all the time. It was consuming my life, and I hated seeing the tweets. I blocked her on all forms of social media, or so I thought.

My friends always reassured me that the things she posted were not true and that I was better than that.

Then, on September 7^th, 2017 it got worse.

My best friend was sent screenshots of a slideshow that this girl made of me. The number that sent my best friend the screenshots was anonymous because they did not want to get involved.

This girl made a whole slideshow of pictures she got from my Facebook. The only form of social media that I forgot to block her on. She took my personal pictures, all the way from elementary school until current day and posted them on her “Finsta.”

I was so hurt.

I felt violated.

This girl was getting laughs and entertain by harassing me.

We weren’t in high school anymore. I thought the cyberbullying and petty drama was done with.

It hurt and still hurts. Knowing that this girl took my pictures to make fun with them. She has also made fun of me, for being a creator of this wonderful website, which is my pride and joy. She pushed my buttons and truly hurt me.

She hurt me, but I refuse to let her hurt me anymore.

I will not retaliate. I will not sink into her games.

I am not writing this article to call her out, or hurt her…. But instead to bring awareness to cyberbullying. The epidemic is not over.

More than 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyberthreats online.

Over 25% of adolescents and teen have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones and the internet.

THIS IS NOT OK.

This happens every day, on social media and through texting.

The internet is a great resource, don’t get me wrong. Social media is amazing and can connect people in amazing ways. There are just certain individuals who use it in all the wrong ways, and it influences other people’s lives on a daily basis.

The internet should be used for good, not evil.

Cyberbullying needs attention brought to it, once again.

This is not over. I refuse to let it go unsaid any longer. I do not want what happened to me, and what continues to happen to me, to happen to other individuals.

Treat people the way you want to be treated, and use the internet to help lift each other up instead of tear each other down.