The classic saying “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me” may not always be true. Sometimes when people show who they truly are, society tends to tear them down just for not being exactly like everybody else. Teasing and playing around is fun, but when it crosses the line of bullying it turns into more than just joking around. Bullying is when someone gets harassed repeatedly physically or verbally.

Words can hurt just as much as getting physically beat on, people can say the cruelest things and often times the victim will start to believe what they are told. A human being is only so strong before they break down. Nobody should ever have to go through anything alone. Social media makes bullying even easier because with just one tweet, one ‘like’, or one share that can ruin someones life.

“It is more common to get cyber bullied because the bullies don’t really have the guts to do it in person” said junior Joshua Malak.

On Dec. 3 a family lost their child, Ronin Shimizu, a 12-year-old boy, due to bullying. Ronin was just an ordinary middle schooler who had a passion for cheerleading. He was a former sixth grader at Folsom Middle School in Folsom, California. He was the only boy on the cheerleading squad which made him a target for the bullies. The bullying was so overwhelming that he decided to take his own life.

“Abusing someone is never okay. If someone is different it just means that they have found their true selves sooner than everybody else.” said junior Anna Reimer.

If you or anyone you know is feeling helpless or are in need of help, 1-800-273-TALK (8255)  is the 24 hour hotline you can call to talk to someone if you are afraid to talk to an adult or someone else.