Stefania’s Story

“Always remember to put yourself in someone else’s shoes” – a phrase we hear much too often, yet it is always overpassed. Do people change? They do. However, the hardest battle one has to face is with themselves. It is important to remember never to condone the past. Those experiences mold us into becoming a better version of ourselves if we are willing to learn.

In my younger and stubborn days, I believed it was all fun and games. I loved to laugh, and my family did say that I had such a profound laugh, you could hear it from far away. Being raised among my cousins, we always picked on each other to make fun. We were used to playing that way and sometimes, even when things got a little “rough” we would just carry on as if nothing happened.

While in school, as I have always been a very social person, I enjoyed having many friends and always being in the company of people. All of my friends knew I liked to laugh, joke, and make them laugh. I have always been a very opinionated and honest person, however at a young age I did not know how to select my words when saying certain things. Unfortunately this sometimes led to me upsetting others. One particular memory stayed with me and I remember it so vividly, as if it was yesterday. Being the troublemaker and looking to amuse my friends as well as for a good laugh, one day in school I saw a girl from a younger grade wearing a fury vest. As I pointed to her and laughed, I made fun of her outfit, while my friends automatically laughed and encouraged me. Without any response, the girl’s eyes filled with tears and she walked away.

As time went on and I reminisce on that day, I am the one in tears when I think of how much I could have upset and hurt her feelings. I was not in any position to make any comments to her, as I did not know the situation she had at home, if she had a bad day or is going through a hard moment in her life. What to me was a funny joke, to her might have been very upsetting.

I believe us women should be strong, well rounded, and capable of passing over the speed bumps that come in our path. However, not everyone can find the strength, especially at young ages. This is why I want to take part in the fight against bullying. Everyone deserves the chance to be happy and the freedom to express themselves.

My past experiences caused me to not be indifferent towards this issue but to take action. It is important for the victims of bullying to remember never to allow the meaningless words of their bullies to impede them from attaining their goals.