I spent a great deal of my school career being bullied. Up until junior year of high school. I didn't bully anyone back, and I didn't change myself for anyone. What was my savior is that I didn't allow them to get me down. I've always been pretty thick-headed, and eventually I made friends with other people who got bullied. We had a group big enough that our individual bullies left us alone. Any bullying that came from another group, we leaned on each other to deal with. I had a best friend also since 1st grade that helped me get through it. Not to say it didn't effect me at all.. I'm one of the few kids I know that got a real swirlie, I always carried extra clothes from overhead slushies, and I had knee-length hair so gum was my enemy. I didn't need to be especially close to the people, we just shared a common enemy and that made us all friends. Those friends introduced me to the stoners, and I was in auto-tech so making friends there eventually just made my circle big enough to where I'd be a potential threat from quantity if bullied.
The problem was it took me a long time to talk to anyone else aside my best friend. I spent a good portion of my life depressed and closed in, I was a hermit for all I can tell. Everyone has to find their own way to come out on top.. Nothing really stopped entirely until after high school. Even now, I come across people that try to get me down and pick on me.. but I have the confidence and support to put an end to that quick now. You're very limited on your options as a child, and I feel it's based a lot on your inner strength.
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