Bullied? Yes. A lot? I suppose so. (Does several times a day count as "a lot"?) I was bullied through elementary and high school, although in the latter much less so (twice a week, maybe). The worst were grades 6-8. Social exclusion didn't bother me much, because I was used to it (I didn't miss what I never had), and because I was a loner by nature. Being a whipping boy was a different story. My mother advised me to ignore the bullying. I tried to, but imagine ignoring 10 boys beating you up, other classmates standing around laughing or spitting on you. It did not help that I was one of the smallest kids in my class, and the only one wearing glasses. How fun it was to snatch them from my nose, hide them somewhere (or even leave in plain sight), and watch me run frantically looking in all wrong places! Ah, memories of wonderful years of childhood...
(To the defense of my mother and school I have to say that I got some help after coming home in 8th grade literally covered in bruises. Whole class had sessions with the school counsellor, after which my classmates' aggression markedly diminished. So, something can be done.)
26 Dec 2005, 5:39 pm
