By Amanda Joerndt
National Bullying Prevention Month brought awareness to different types of bullying methods, and how to become more aware of bullying in school systems and society during the month of October.
According to a report on stopbullying.gov, bullying is defined as, “unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated or has the potential to be repeated, over time.”
Many school districts will find ways to bring students together in a positive and uplifting environment.
National Bullying Prevention Month allows universities to educate students and recognize organizations on campus that allows students to become more aware of bullying methods and offer their services to students on campus.
Youngstown State University offers different services that allow students to bring their issues and daily struggles to resources on campus and learn how to approach the situation.
The YSU CARE (Concern Assessment Referral Education) Team at YSU helps students who are being affected on campus through negative actions that may affect their health, welfare and safety at YSU.
The providers for the students consists of YSU staff to offer support, guidance and outreach to those who are struggling and deliver a positive campus environment.
Nicole Kent-Strollo, chair of the YSU CARE Team and director of student outreach, assists students who are being bullied on campus and helps them come to a resolution.
She said the staff does their best to guide students in the right direction by providing them with campus resources.
“Members of the team play an important role in educating individuals and groups about the issue of bullying and ways in which others can assist such as bystander intervention training,” she said.Kent-Strollo said helping others is an important role to provide a positive environment as students and members of the community.
“I see helping others as the sole reason we are here,” she said. “It’s critical that we demonstrate this on a daily basis through kind words and actions, service and simply treating others with respect.”
Bullying takes place in different settings from face-to-face interaction to cyber bullying through social media.
Emily Dawes, a sophomore history major, tries to break the cycle that students go through on a daily basis.
Dawes said students should become more diverse with the different cultures around them and start to make more connections.
“I think that it’s a shame because students who are not being surrounded by a diverse group of people, I really believe that they lose out,” she said. “I think we would lessen isolation, promote open mindedness and our community would just simply be much nicer.”
She said students need to get out of their comfort zone and start taking action towards being kind to people around them.
“Some people who have been affected by bullying really isolate themselves, and the first step to interrupting the cycle is to take action against it,” Dawes said. “Simply saying ‘hi’ to someone can make the difference between a good and bad day.”
David Beaver, a senior mechanical engineering major, said he spreads kindness across campus and is friendly towards everyone he meets each day.
He added reaching out to others is an important part of being kind and respectful towards our peers on campus.
“I always try to talk to people who may need someone to talk to,” Beaver said. “Reaching out to others and always being kind to others will always benefit others and always benefit our society.”
He said treating others how we would want to be treated is a key role in spreading positivity around campus.
“Try to make everyone feel accepted, and like they belong at YSU,” Beaver said. “We are all going through the college experience together, and everyone should be able to enjoy it.”
Update:
A letter to the editor in response to this article: https://thejambar.com/letter-editor-response-bullying-article/