Does college bullying exist? Unfortunately, this question poses more questions than answers. In a world where everyone is entitled to his or her own opinions, there are two sides to every story, it seems fitting to address this question from two different perspectives.
Perspective 1: Yes, College Bullying Does Exist.Have you ever felt like you have been judged harshly? Have you experienced other girls talking behind your back? Have you felt pressured to do or not do something based on someone else? Does someone in particular come up when you answer these questions? If yes, then you do believe that bullying exists in college.
If you are being bullied, the best action to take is to distance yourself from those negative people. Block or delete them on all social media if need be. In addition, inform family and friends, your R.A., or someone else on campus you can confide in. You must remember that you are never alone.
If you are not being personally bullied, but do feel that it exists, then look for what you can do on campus and off to encourage others to join you in your pursuit to making college a more friendly place for everyone.
Perspective 2: No, College Bullying Does Not Exist.Do you believe that some people just have a harder time finding friends than others? Do you think that some people are too sensitive and take things too personally? Do you feel that bullying can only apply to physical violation of someone and that words don’t hurt? Have you ever felt that people need to just grow up and realize that the world is a harsh place? If yes, then you believe that college bullying does not exist.
If you answered yes to these, then you have the chance to put yourself in someone elses shoes and make a difference. Yes life is harsh, but it will only remain this way if people don’t try to help out others. You don’t have to believe in bullying to help out someone who feels intimidated or put down by another person. Instead of turning a cold shoulder to the situation, help out those who feel differently or who are being bullied in order to turn their college experience into a more positive one as you have found.
So collegiettes, no matter what your perspective is, everyone has the power to make change. A small act of kindness can go a long way. Whether it may be smiling at someone when you walk by, inviting someone to go out, or simply holding the door open for others, you have the power to brighten someone else’s day.
For inspiration, check out Her Campus Fairfield’s open letter to the bullying that began last semester on the application Yik Yak. Her Campus Fairfield is also running a response campaign on Twitter, using the hashtag #StopTheYak, this Tuesday, October 7th. We will be next to Einsteins from 1-3 p.m. for students to fill out Cards of Kindness.