Some people find it hard to make decisions out of their comfort zone. Growing up, I had a really hard time fitting in with my peers. When I would hang around the “cool kids”, I was not accepted by them. I decided it was time to try something new, I starting hanging around the kids that got bullied too.

The bullying against me was so bad that I went to seek help from a guidance counselor. I explained my situation, but nothing was ever done. Since nothing was done, I felt like I was the issue.

I handled the bullying until it really hit home for me. Since they realized that the traditional insults were no longer phasing me, they starting making fun of my mom. During this time, my mom had several medical issues that she was dealing with. The fact that they were making fun of her really got to me. To me, this was the straw that broke the camel's back, I lost it. They finally got under my skin, I fought them hard.

My experiences with bullying taught me many things. Most importantly, you don't have to be “The Popular Kid”. As long as you have strong people by your side you're as good as gold. I will always stand up for others, I hope no one else has to go through what I did. I wish the subject of bullying was taken more seriously. All too often, victims are ignored and everything is swept under the rug. Let's work together to end bullying one step at a time.