In a Mountain Echo survey conducted on Nov. 12, 83 percent of students have admitted to being bullied. Junior Anaiyah Crone and freshman Ulana Fellabaum came forward to talk about their experiences.

“I used to get bullied all the time for a lot of things; but now I feel like I’m more tightened up. When I’m in the hallways, I don’t communicate. I walk by myself now. I don’t feel like getting bullied again, so I just stay to myself,” Crone said. 

“I’ve been bullied my whole life starting in kindergarten. I used to look at myself in a very negative way for a very long time. It took me a while to see myself as more than that,” Fellabaum said. 

According to the students, positive coping skills and talking to a trusted adult are very important. 

“I stay to myself, and I also just breathe. I use my coping skills, breathe, count from one to 10,” Crone said. 

Some students agree that after the bullying stopped they felt better about themselves. 

“I felt more happy because I wasn’t worried about how I looked and how I was personally,” Fellabaum said.

Crone and Fellabaum agree that everything would be better if there was no bullying. 

“I feel like the world would be semi-peaceful if there was no bullying. I understand there’s other stuff than bullying, but without school especially it would be more peaceful. We wouldn’t have as many people have depression or having suicidal thoughts,” Crone said.

There are resources in school that allow students to talk about their experience and what they are going through. 

“If you’re getting bullied or know someone who is getting bullied, reach out to the principal, counselors, teachers or anyone you trust to handle the situation. They are here to help you,” Crone said.

Counselor Bridget Rogan gives advice on what students should do if they are experiencing bullying.

“My general advice would be to not hesitate to tell either their counselor or a teacher or their assistant principal. Tell someone so that way we and help and try to intervene. We can’t help if we don’t know there’s a problem,” Rogan said