Unfortunately, bullying is not something that stays in the high school locker rooms. Throughout life, we will find ourselves in situations where we encounter bullies. College and universities have their bullies as well.
These bullies are usually those who got away with it in high school. Bullying is not just physical. Emotional and psychological bullying can stay with us our whole lives. How we choose to deal with these bullies will help us cope. Here are five tips on how to cope with college bullying.
Stand up for yourself
A bully will only bully you if they think they can. Walk and speak with confidence in all situations. Own who you are in all aspects of yourself. When you are clearly self-confident and comfortable with yourself, a bully will not see any weakness that they can take advantage of. Speak up when you feel that someone is bullying you.
Address him/her directly and tell them straight out that their behavior is unacceptable. Bullies are not used to people standing up to them so this will throw them off guard and make them think twice about doing it again.
This might even be a brilliant idea to present an essay to your teacher. You can check out cool free essay examples on https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/bullying/ and come up with a brilliant piece of work. Seeing it, facing it and fighting it are scenarios that will help you in writing a perfect essay and with Grades Fixer help, it will be the best.
The best response is no response
If you give in to a bully, you are showing them that they have power over you. Walking away will send a clear message that you are not willing to entertain the way they are treating you.
A bully likes a challenge and will get bored and move on quickly when it’s clear that you are not taking the bait. If your bully is not approaching you face to face, but rather over text, email or social media, do not respond to the messages.
Delete texts, emails and posts from your bully. Psyhreg.org has some more ideas on bullying at universities.
Look at the bigger picture
It’s not always easy to see things from the side of the bully, but it can help. Understanding what motivates a bully to bully others will help you find the best way to deal with them. We all carry baggage that makes us who we are and determines how we deal with and treat those around us.
Perhaps your bully is a victim of bullying themselves and is just projecting this on to you. Perhaps they are a really insecure person who feels threatened by you and feels they need to threaten you back.
Maybe they just need a friend; perhaps responding with a caring gesture may help the situation. This does not mean you should give in to your bully, though, there is a clear difference.
Get your Zen on
A bully is always looking for a reaction and will keep pushing until they get one. Even if you are consistently walking away from your bully, there may be that one day that he or she catches you in a vulnerable mood when your stress levels are high or you’re tired.
Practice relaxation techniques and exercises to help keep your stress levels down and in check. Practicing yoga and meditation will not only help you cope with the stress from studying but will also teach you to be more self-aware. Self-awareness and understanding will help you deal with situations that may throw you off balance.
Talk it out
This will also help you understand the bigger picture. Thrashing out the situation with your bestie will not only make you feel like you have support, but it will also bring a different point of view to the situation. ‘
A different point of view will help you cope with and address the situation. It is also very important to talk to someone with authority on campus. Reporting a bully shows them that their behavior will not be accepted; this also shows that you will stand up for yourself.
Conclusion
Bullies are a reality and the effects of bullying can influence our psychology and behavior for years after the experience. It is important to find ways to cope with bullying and make a choice to not be a victim. Remember that you are never alone in such situations and seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Standing up to a bully is not only helping yourself, but you are also helping your fellow students too.
Author’s Bio:
Emma Rundle is a great multitasker – she works as a sales consultant for a software development company, sales trainer for corporate employees and academic writer for an online thesis and dissertation writing service. When she’s not at work, she unwinds by practicing mindfulness, doing kitchen gardening and running on the beach.