the encyclopedia of life, chapter b

By Rachel T

The world isn’t always a nice place, and for high school junior Angelique Reyes, this is nothing unfamiliar. Through the storybook of her life, never-ending chapters of family, personal, and school issues seemingly enveloped her book. Bullying and its effects, though, was, and still is, the chapter of her story that doesn’t seem to end.

At a young age, beginning in elementary school, Reyes was faced with words and actions that no kid should have to endure, especially from classmates.

“Something I regret not doing [is], like, I should have spoken up for myself,” she explained after depicting one of her heart-wrenching experiences.

In a science class her 8th grade year, Reyes was assigned a seat behind someone she considered an acquaintance, she began. “We were kinda cool,” she continued, “but out of nowhere he started saying that I would never get a boyfriend, that I’m too ugly for one and nobody would ever like me.”

Reyes ultimately requested for a class switch due to the situation. She contemplates this decision now, though, revealing that it’s one she regrets. “I should have told [him] something at the time, but instead I just switched out of the class. I didn’t say anything back to him,” she finished.

Though the hurdles of bullying were some of the hardest to jump over, the additional stretch now involved her complicated home life. Diving deeper, we discover the additional troubles of her home environment. Reyes points out the fact that her father was, and still is, an alcoholic and says that her mom works extremely hard and is the sole provider for her family, hence, she is rarely home.

So who could she rely on when things went south at school?

Reyes goes on to describe her cousin being someone extremely close to her; someone who’s continuously helped her through her tough times. After her toughest days in school, and when tensions would rise at home, “my cousin would let me go to her house and just let me vent to her. She gave me the best advice that she could,” Reyes explained.

Having someone there, just to listen to you, can very easily lift off some weight on your shoulders. Reyes mentioned that through her experiences with bullying, she began hating herself and who she was.

But overtime, with the help of her cousin, and best friend Joseé, she relearned the art of self-love and appreciation. Things like that definitely take time, and Reyes is being patient with herself, taking the time she needs to completely feel comfortable in her own skin.

Though she is, to this day, working on bettering her mindset and mentally overcoming the bullies, she is relieved that throughout these difficult situations, there were stabilities that kept her grounded.