They say popular girls are gorgeous, and have a lot of friends.Well, I disagree. Why do you need to be pretty? Why can’t you just be nice? Why do you have to have a huge group of friends? Because it’s high school. Every girl has to look the best to feel good, unless you’re like me, and you don’t care. I have a few good friends, and that’s all I need. I don’t need twenty friends who stab me in the back, lie to me, or treat me badly; I’d rather have nice, geeky friends than pretty, or hot crappy friends, which is what every person should want, no matter if you're a jock, or you're smart or a bit strange. It shouldn’t matter! I’m smart, and I’m strange, and I like that; being different is what makes you you. If I only wanted friends who were exactly like me, I’d have none! No one is going to be just like you. Whether it’s your friend, your best friend, or even your boyfriend or girlfriend; no one is going to be just like you, you just have to find the people whose differences are compatible with yours.
Popularity. There is no specific definition, but it seems it’s been given a definition by the population of every high school in existence. Popular girls have a lot of friends and date the hottest guys, and popular guys have a lot of friends and date the hottest girls. NO. That’s not right. It’s not fair that the people who aren't exactly like the popular crowd get shunned or laughed at while they ride through high school on C’s and D’s, and the rest of us who get A’s and B’s are called nerds and know-it-alls. We should be praised and rewarded for our efforts and determination, not laughed at and put down because being smart is “uncool” or “nerdy.” All my friends are geeky in their own way; whether they play video games, know a lot about technology, or are obsessed with anime and manga. Even so, I love them all. They’ve gotten me through a lot of bad times and helped me through the struggles of life. Dropping grades, friendship problems, family issues, no matter what it is, my friends are always there to hold me up and get me through it. I have to admit though, not liking anime and manga or video games makes it hard to make friends because a lot of people I know are into those things.

I’m not popular, so what? I have all the friends I need right now. Although they are not many, they’ve all treated me better than I could ever ask for. Being different isn't always easy, but once you find your people, you're set; and I don't want to jinx anything, but I think I’ve found my people. So no, I’m not popular, not even close, but I don't care. Popular is just a word for having a huge group of friends. I have friends, yes, but not a huge group of them. I used to think I was an outcast. That I’d never fit in, but my two best friends opened my eyes and showed me I’m not. I’m not popular, and I’m not an outcast. I’m in the middle, and I feel like everything is going to work out in the end. You should always believe in yourself, and “stand up for what you believe in, even if that means standing alone,” the singer of one of my favorite bands said that in an interview, and he inspired me to do just that. So I’m doing it right now.

The social ladder should not exist; it’s only causing problems for everyone. It creates the bullies, it creates the targets, it is the reason popularity exists! I don’t know how to stop being bullied because I’m just being myself, and if that gets me bullied, oh well. You shouldn’t get bullied or shunned because you're being yourself. When you're being yourself, you're being true to your heart. If you weren’t, you’d be lying to yourself and everyone else. High school is just one big civilization from ancient times; our social ladder is like the caste system of Ancient India, or the social system of Ancient Rome. The lower you are, the worse you're treated. It’s how it’s always been. And I want it to stop. I do not think it’s fair to be judged if you're just being who you are. There’s no reason to change who you are because you're awesome, and if people don't see that, it’s their loss. I strongly believe in this because being bullied all my life, I know how it feels, I feel the pain they feel, I feel the hurt, and I understand why the tears are unstoppable.

If the bullies would just stop and think about our feelings, things would be so much easier. They don’t though, they just think it’d be funny to see us get upset, or mad, or see us cry, they don’t care as long as they have fun. Do you want to be another statistic? Another person who caused someone pain? I wouldn’t. I would want to make everything better so everyone can feel safe and comfortable in school. I don’t know who I am, but I do know this: bullying causes more pain than anyone realizes. Not parents, or teachers, or even other students. You only get it when it’s you, and that’s the worst way to understand because it makes you feel crappy. Really really crappy. So tell me, what do you think? Is this just a funny high school thing? Or is it more? I’m bullied because I’m me. I’m not perfect, that’s for sure, but I’m me, and that’s all that matters. I don’t know who I am, but I do know that I’m special in my own way, and that’s all I need to know right now.