I would like some advice on bullying. People in my school call me names and hit me but I don’t know what to do and I’m kind of scared to complain. Please help me.
- Faiz
It’s really sad how sometimes people need to make someone else feel small in order to feel big. The only way they can feel good about themselves is by making other people feel bad. Sadly, that’s who they are. If you can, it’s important that you talk to the people whom you trust and let the bullies know that there are consequences of bullying. But involving other people sometimes gets really messy because they might take the situation out of your hand and put you in a worse condition. What you can do to take care of this situation yourself by looking straight into the eyes of those bullies and tell them – Enough! And tell this to them as many times as they need to hear it and make your voice stronger and firmer each time. It’s time to tell them that they don’t need to make someone feel bad so that they can feel good about themselves, but tell them that you refuse to be that “someone.” That someone is not and will not be you!!![break]
Dear Swastika,
I’m a recent graduate student and all my friends are applying to colleges abroad for Masters and want me to apply too. But I can’t because I can’t afford it. I know about scholarships but my grades aren’t exactly good. How can I go about it?
- Pavan
We all have been given enough skills, talents and a bit of luck to go as far as we need to go in life. I was in a similar situation when I finished my 12th grade. My friends whose grades were similar to mine left for the U.S.A. because their financial circumstances were better. I didn’t get enough scholarship to do undergraduates. But instead of getting demotivated by the inequalities of life, I set out on a mission to make the best out of my education. I knew that a degree from Tri-Chandra College wouldn’t take me far. I wanted what U.S. education had to offer. So I volunteered in different organizations, I co-founded a youth organization, I attended talk sessions at Martin Chautari and took on every opportunity there was to learn and grow. Eventually, I went to one of the top Ivy Leave University in the U.S. I believe if we’re persistent enough and if we focus on what we have instead of what we don’t, with time, our deepest and truest desires always come true.
Dear Swastika,
There is this particular teacher who hits me all the time. I’m a +2 student and I’ve been skipping his classes to avoid him. I want to file a complaint to the administration but I’m scared that they’ll let him go with a warning and I’ll lose grades. What should I do?
- Anonymous
When I was my in late teens, I used to have these dreams where I would keep running away from something. I wouldn’t know what was chasing me, but I would be petrified. Finally, one day, I got sick of running away. So every night before bed, I started telling myself, “Today I’m not going to run away. Instead, I’ll try to see the face of the person who is chasing me.” One day, a few months later, I finally saw who was chasing me – a thin and frail girl, with white hair, wearing a white dress. I looked at her; she seemed weaker and more scared. I looked at her once again and pushed her off the cliff. White horses appeared around me and I never ran in my dreams again. You can’t run away from this teacher no matter how afraid you are. The only way I know how to get over my biggest fear is to face it. And that’s the advice I give you – face it, deal with it, do everything you need to do to stop running away.
Swastika Shrestha is the founder of Anuvuti – a social enterprise that engages young people in service-learning. She’s has been coaching and mentoring young people in different capacities for over a decade.
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