Monday, May 27, 2013

Bullying


        Throughout the years, bullying has become a world wide issue. Bullying does not target a specific race, gender, sex, etc. Anyone can be a victim and anyone can be a culprit. There are many lasting effects to bullying. It does not just effect the victim but it also effects the bully. Teens often watch bullying happen or they walk away and do not get help. For bullying to stop there are several things teenagers need to do.
There are four groups of people when it comes to bullying, bullies, victims, bullies/victims and people unexposed to bullying aka bystanders. Lasting effects to a victim of bullying consist of depression, increased risk of suicide, poor school performance, lack of interest and low self esteem and often suffer from panic attacks. Bullies suffer from drug abuse, depression, anxiety, hostility and often become abusive and engage in sexual activity at a young age. Bullies and victims suffer from all of the above especially anxiety. Whether the bully physically, mentally, or emotionally bullied the victim the effects remain the same. Studies have shown that anyone involved in bullying adapts badly to adulthood. Bullies also become anti-social and surprisingly do not have any emotional problems at all. It does not just stop there bystanders of bullying also have lasting effects to bullying. They use tobacco, alcohol and drugs, they skip school and they also have anxiety and depression. Bullying has a lasting effect on so many groups of people. 
Teenagers often watch bullying and do not do anything about it. Several things need to change to stop the pattern of bullying. One thing teenagers can do is when they see someone getting bullied is tell an adult. Another thing teens can do is stick up for the victim. Teens need to stop being afraid to help. The best thing teenagers can do is speak up, stop being a bystander and help raise awareness. Bullying will become an even larger problem if people do not try to help and just walk away. 
         I think bullying will become a leading cause of death if it is not abolished soon. People do not know what is going on behind closed doors with victims or bullies. Everyone has their own story. When I see someone getting bullied I like to let the bully know a piece of my mind. I do not care if its my friend or a random person. I could never imagine being a victim of bullying and I wouldn’t want to know what it feels like, especially if it is causing people to commit suicide. I want to stop bullying because I have six nieces and nephews and it would kill me to see them get bullied or be a bully. 

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

My Not so Fairytale Prom Weekend


                                          My Not so Fairytale Prom Weekend
Every girl expects prom to be equivalent to a fairytale. I for one use to until this year. My prom experience this year was a nightmare. Last weekend was suppose to be my fairytale prom. On Saturday I had my own prom (Norton High School), but I also made a commitment to go to my boyfriends prom (Xaverian Brothers High School) on Friday. I said I would go before I even knew the date because I knew he wouldn’t want to miss his senior prom at his school as well as mine because he is friends with everyone from Norton. What are the odds of them being on the same weekend? When I found out they were on the same weekend my biggest worry was finding two dresses.
For the Friday prom I figured I could just get dismissed an hour early to get ready for it, completely forgetting that last year my friends were late to school the day before prom and had to stay after as many minutes they were late. I went to Mr Zini, the assistant principal, and asked if I could get out an hour early. The answer was no. I explained that I was going to the prom that started at 6:30, I don’t get home until 2:30 and the pictures were 45 minutes away in Dover, leaving me an hour to get ready. Everyone knows girls take at least an hour to get ready on a regular day never mind prom day! I was already frustrated with the two proms one weekend ordeal. I called my step mom and asked her to call the school to make sure. The answer remained no. Prom for Coyle and Cassidy High School is on a Friday and all the people going to prom have a half day while the rest remain in school. I would only be missing my last period class. We watched a movie the whole class anyways which frustrated me even more. I wouldn’t object to a compromise. Detention for the rest of the year would have been ideal rather than having to get ready in an hour for a formal event. 
Friday came and I woke up sick with a sore throat and stuffy nose. I went to school and stressed myself out the whole day. Every time someone would ask me about prom my mind would start racing and thinking about all the stuff I had to do in such a short amount of time. Considering I had an hour to get ready I didn’t have time for a hair or make up appointment and had to do it all by myself. I stuck it out and was thankfully ready in time. Saturday wasn’t much better, I was even more sick and didn’t want to go at all. I blame all my stressing out for the reason I got sick. Ever since that weekend I will never go to another prom again. It wasn’t even fun for me. All of my stressing out took away from my fairytale prom experience.