Completing high school for most students feels like the first significant milestone in their academic life. This step is crowned by earning a coveted slot in the college of your dreams.
However, it is a bitter pill to swallow the knowledge regarding bullying in colleges. The realization that the mirage of a perfect fantasy is imperfect is a stabbing pain. Students in college have had to suffer in silence concerning the ugly truth of bullying. This remains one of the most persistent issues causing depression and anxiety among students. The following scenarios should put you on guard for bullying in colleges.
- Being a Victim of Abusive Language
Colleges subdue people to the interaction of people from various jurisdictions. The pressure to socialize with people is tremendous, and the constant urge to fit in can be overbearing. Some students may need to use abusive language to come off as intimidating. Constant name-calling, aggressive and impertinent remarks, and demeaning comments are all categorized as verbal bullying. Such occurrences should put you on guard for the presence of bullying and allow you to take action by taking the issue to the relevant authorities.
- Being Isolated Socially
Completing high school may have felt like a sigh of relief from the drama and perceived immaturity from students. But instead, most considered it to be a nip in the bud of all petty discrimination against students socially. It is, therefore, a pity to encounter the same in colleges.
Social segregation has been a repetitive dynamic among college students. Students who find themselves superior to others may have the urge to isolate others from various social events. Social bullying also includes the categorization of students into multiple groups. As a result, ill attitudes may be cast on students willing to join these groups but are sidelined. Actions related to such social bullying should act as indications to flag such behavior.
- Harassment through Cyberbullying
The Internet is yet to be the greatest invention ever to grace the earth. It is tremendous what the click of a button can do, surpassing time and location. However, with every light is a cast shadow. Being veiled by a screen has given most people more confidence than they portray in person. This has therefore led to occurrences of online bullies.
Cyberbullying is one of the most predominant forms of bullying in colleges. A study shows that at least 22% of college students have encountered cyberbullying. It takes the form of harassment and threats through email, being isolated from social web groups, posting mortifying photos of a person, or sharing confidential information. This form of bullying is hazardous since it has driven students to the verge of effects such as suicide. Therefore, it is essential to speak up in such situations.
- Physical Infliction of Harm
This is the first mental image one gets when thinking about bullying. Despite not being the most common form of bullying in colleges, it is still recorded among college students.
This form of bullying is usually experienced among small students. It may be physical abuse, such as shoving, hitting, slapping, or kicking. The hurdle may also involve the destruction of possessions and physical hurt. Physical bullying is highly recorded among male students, with most incidents happening around halls of residences.
- Hazing
Hazing refers to a bustle expected of someone joining a specific group regardless of their willingness. It is a form of initiation that involves the candidate humiliating, degrading, or risking their image.
With this definition, almost a handful of teen movies showcasing this sort of bullying come to mind, which is pitiful. Hazing encompasses the actions such as running errands for the group, being forced to address members by particular titles, and giving up certain liberties and possessions.
If you fall victim to such behavior, isolate yourself from such groups. There’s no point in agonizing over hazing only to compromise yourself mentally and physically.
- Sexual Harassment
The woke 21st-century generation has done an impeccable in cognizance of sexual harassment. This awareness has increased due to the magnitude of people who are perpetrators of this behavior.
Sexual harassment is conventional, especially among college students. It takes the outline of comments about a person’s appearance, sexual activity, and sexual orientation and, inappropriate touching. Sexual harassment has particularly outroared through social platforms through texts and comments on photos. In addition, bitterness from one partner on the termination of a relationship may also bring the onset of sexual harassment.
- Discrimination Based on Bias
This type of bullying incident is based on race, ethnicity, color, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, social class, or disability. It generally creates a sense of bias around people who are different from others. This form of bullying is challenging since the targeted students are minority students. This affects their coping mechanism and comfort as they assimilate into the new environments. Discrimination against bias may hit harder for these minority students since they may lack a listening ear, thus suffering in silence.
If these are examples of situations in your life, reach out to the appropriate authorities and ensure proper guidance is issued.
- Teacher Bullying
There isn’t enough attention given to this form of bullying. Imagine the foiling students face when their school guides turn into the leopard in sheep’s clothing. Not everyone knows how to muddle through great power and responsibility.
Cases of teacher bullying have been an accustomed sight faced by students. Teachers often take their position of authority to demean students and make them inferior. This may pose an intimidating move for most students, leaving them stranded about whom to talk to on their issue. Teacher bullying can be through public scorn, ridicule of student performance, and dismissing student efforts in lectures. Teacher bullying has a high trajectory, especially in colleges. This is majorly due to differences in ideologies between lecturers and students. Luckily, students can subsist this abyss due to set steps protecting them from teacher bullying.
No form of bullying is deemed acceptable. So, take a step in deforming this ugly reality in colleges by speaking up in case you experience bullying. Revolution commences with you, but it doesn’t start until you do.
