Bullying, Social Media, and Online Learning

Bullying is a very serious matter and should not be taken lightly. A lot of people are afraid to speak up against bullying for fear of the bullying getting worse. But what should one do in a case of being bullied or suspecting someone is being bullied?

Bullying has many forms, for example, physical, verbal, mental, etc. I will explain the signs and symptoms of being bullied mentally and what it can cause a person.

Signs and Symptoms of being bullied

• Withdrawn from everyone and everything;
• Constantly being afraid and apologizing;
• Avoiding Conflict;
• Never seen or heard (always trying to blend in with their surroundings);
• Emotional;
• Always sleeping;
• Self-doubt;
• Self-harm;
• Aggression;
• Irritability.

Above I mentioned only a few of the signs and symptoms, but there is so much more than just these few.

Things you can do

Talking to a teacher or tutor, you can trust and open up (when it is a school case).

Blocking all forms of bullying and bullies and privatizing your online profiles to prevent unwanted posting.

DON’T KEEP QUIET AS A WHOLE. TALK TO ANYONE

Avoid anything to do with the bullies. Don’t give them the reaction they want. Know that they are also being bullied themselves. Most likely at home. So feel sorry for them.

So, where and how do bullying and social media affect our online learning, you would ask? Well, that is quite easy to explain.

In today’s fast-paced world, more and more people are resorting to online learning. It is easier and more convenient. However, when you decide to do online learning, it can be quite challenging but also fun. What I mean by challenging is that you will spend a lot of time on your computer and on the internet.

Some sites or platforms have rooms where you can interact with other students or your tutors. When you enter these rooms, you have to be careful with your interaction. Some other students can be very helpful, while others can be straight-up rude. For e.g. you ask a question that you don’t understand, and someone answers with something like, are you dumb or stupid that is an easy question. That statement is considered to be bullying. Not every person is the same. Some take a bit longer to understand a question.

You must report that person to the relevant moderator or support group when that happens. That kind of behavior is unacceptable and breaks down a student’s motivation and commitment.