The Truth About Bullying in College

I wish I could say that bullying was a thing of the past - something that happened in middle school and we never had to worry about again. Unfortunately, as human beings, we’re competitive by nature and tend to be pretty self-centered in our thinking. This results in a lot of bullying-type actions that go beyond just life in middle school.

College was a tough time for me. I moved across the country to pursue my dream of attending the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I didn’t know one person in the state, and the thought of being alone in a new place was terrifying. Thankfully, my new roommates were also moving from far away, and it made things a little easier. The unfortunate part is, when you’re at a school with nearly 45,000 students, there are bound to be a few people who don’t like you.

Over the years, I experienced this “bullying” in many ways. The most prominent way I experienced this was maybe a little shocking - I bullied myself. I always struggled with depression and anxiety, and I always wanted to be perfect and impress everyone around me. These feelings intensified in college.

I told myself I wasn’t good enough. I told myself everyone in my classes was smarter than me. I told myself that all of my peers were going to be successful and I wasn’t. That's all just in the classroom. Outside of that, I told myself I would never find love after a long-term relationship ended. I told myself I would never be happy.

Bullying in college switched from others telling me I wasn’t good enough to succeed to me telling myself I would never be good enough for happiness. Mental health is something that is more than important for college students.

Make sure you’re keeping up with self-care and get a therapist if you need to (it’s not a bad thing to do)! College is really tough, and taking care of yourself is of utmost importance. Don’t let yourself be bullied by negative self-talk and ongoing stress and anxiety. Don’t bully yourself into thinking you can’t achieve your dreams, because you can!