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SBU | Life

When They Stand Down, I Stand Up

Olivia Francis Student Contributor, St. Bonaventure University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

If you had never met me but wanted to know one thing about me, I would tell you that I am very protective of my friends, especially my younger ones. Recently, my best friend of three years came to St. Bonaventure as a freshman, and we have been spending time together every single day. As we have been apart for a year since I was enduring my freshman year in college and she was a senior in high school, being able to spend time with her at school again has been amazing. So, you see, everything was going great until it wasn’t. 

The start of this semester was a whirlwind for her, as she and her friend were getting bullied online, and I kid you not, I wanted to find every person messing with them and give those people a nice talking to. Especially since when my one friend feels like she is backed into a corner, she gets quiet and does not want to try and fix the situation. This is why when my friends stand down, I stand up for them. 

Throughout all the friend groups I’ve been in my entire life, I was always known as the “momma bear” because I am willing to do whatever it takes to protect the people I love, whether it be for my friends or my family. A friend needs to crash in my dorm because they feel uncomfortable? Let me grab some blankets, and we can have a relaxing movie night! A sibling needs life advice? Come step into my office! I am nice to everyone, but the minute you mess with someone I care about, a completely different person comes out, and when she does, everyone starts shaking in their boots.  

I think the reason I’m so protective of my friends is because when I was bullied when I was younger, I always wished that someone looked out for me. For example, the era I got bullied by people reached a peak when a certain incident happened in middle school to the point where I had to change my entire class schedule, so that way I would not be in the same class as those who were messing with me. During the incident, I looked at a girl who I thought was my friend, hoping she would say something. But instead of intervening, she watched it all unfold.  

Some may say that being so protective of your friends can be draining, but I actually enjoy it. Being so protective has made me realize who I am as a person. I’m someone who is willing to speak up for others when they feel like they can’t speak up for themselves. This shows that I am on the right track to becoming the woman I have always wanted to be.  

Olivia Francis

SBU '27

Olivia Francis is a second-year member of the Her Campus at SBU chapter. She oversees the site’s culture, entertainment, and wellness verticals on the site, including mental health, relationships, TV shows, and movie coverage.

Olivia is currently a second-year student majoring in Communications, Social Justice & Advocacy at St. Bonaventure University. Beyond Her Campus, Olivia has been published in many anthropologies over the years through an organization called Young Writers. She is also one of the leading coordinators for SBU's Break The Bubble.

In her free time, Olivia enjoys writing poetry and short stories, along with taking walks while listening to her favorite music genres on Spotify such as Pop or R&B. One of her goals is to travel the world someday and explore new foods and customs. An interesting fact about Olivia is she is not only the first college gen student but, she is the first female in her family to go for a higher education.