“How do we deal with bullies when they just don’t stop. Do we go to staff? Do we handle it ourselves, and talk to them about it? What options do we have?” 

If you’re in a situation where you think you are being harassed or bullied, the first thing I would recommend is talking to your parents or another trusted adult, they could help you better than many others because they most likely know YOU better than most.

 Completely cut off contact with whoever the bully is, if they message you, don’t respond, but try to keep as much evidence as you can. If they talk to you, walk away, and block them on all platforms. Don’t let the person get a strong reaction out of you because that is probably what they want. If the bully is someone you used to be friends with, it can be hard to cut off connection, but ultimately, it will be what is best for you in the long run. 

Most importantly, don’t retaliate. Ultimately, the bully most likely just wants to get a reaction out of you. If you give them a reaction, they’ll probably continue. If you’ve tried to cut off all contact with them, and they still find ways to harass you I would definitely suggest going to the school. Do whatever it takes to make you feel comfortable. 

We received another question asking about why people bully, and when it comes to why people bully, I can’t give you a definite answer. First off, bullying is defined by Oxford Languages as seeking to harm, intimidate, or coerce someone seen as vulnerable. Every situation is different, but usually someone who bullies isn’t very happy with themselves. Bullies oftentimes bring others down to make themselves feel better. It may seem clique, but your bully could be jealous of you. They may also be bored, or they may have just never been taught that the things they are saying are wrong. However, there are many reasons people bully, and I can’t speak for everyone who does it because every situation is different.

“Walk and Talk”

Teachers and staff have always emphasized walk and talk in the hallways to prevent students from standing around blocking up the hallway. Walk and talk basically just means that students shouldn’t pause in the hallways for conversation, but continue walking. Walk and Talk is actually a technique used in television where characters are having a conversation while walking somewhere. 

“Picking a career”

The thought of choosing what you are going to do after high school can be very intimidating for many students, it is a very difficult decision to make. I would recommend first off reflecting on your interests, and what you are good at. A good future career can depend on your strengths and weaknesses as well as what you like or dislike to do. I would recommend making a list of possible career options and then making pros and cons lists of each job. If you have certain topics that interest you more than others, you could take classes or do research on them, as well as do internships (if your career interest provides them). 

One other thing that could really help you when looking for a career, is to talk to those close to you about what they think you could be good at, or enjoy doing. Parents, friends, teachers, or any other close adults could give good insight. If you’re interested in a certain subject you could talk to that teacher about certain professions, and you could also talk to people who are in careers you are interested in, to see if the job is really what you want to do.

Want your questions to be included in the next edition of Bolt Advice? Make sure to fill out this form!