Leaving school

[Gaius Scribonius Curio]

You lose sight of who you are and you become a facade of a person

I can attest to that.

Best option having read through the whole thread seems to be to talk to your school counsellor or a teacher. As I and others have said, quitting now is letting the bullies win.

[Geoffrey S]

Well. What have you tried, then? Quite frankly, if you haven't been through this with the school administration or your parents yet, keeping this problem spinning around in your head with no release valve, then I think you've got far more productive things to do than wasting your time asking these kind of questions on an internet forum.

We can't help you. Only you, the school, and your family can do that.

[Raz]

.... and a good friend that knows kung-fu.

[Riedquat]

Caius... more info is needed hermano, if you are in a public school and the reality is how you are describing it I would say leave it in next month, you are 16-17, its enough age to inscribe yourself in a nocturnal school, you know only adults assist there and generally only people who really wants to learn; and we need to be honest here, we know education in our country is very far from ... good/nice/elemental/digestible... but you'll need it for everything. If needed I would say do it without the knowledge of your parents, but be responsible for what are you going to do.

And remember always there are another ways to solve things, perhaps they don't seem smart enough today but in the end they are.

[Kagemusha]

Dont quit school, let me repeat: Dont quit school.You should not give up your future, because some people try to make themselves look bad by picking on you.If you feel that you have low confidence to put the bullies in their place. I suggest you start working out, when you are physically strong and fit, your self confidence will get better also in the process. Remember bullies are usually cowards themselves. If you can show them that the affair between you and them wont turn out to be one sided, they will pick another to bully around.But what ever you do, dont throw away your future, because some loosers.

[Rhyfelwyr]

I've been in a similar situation where my friends (or more acquantances) were more the partying type and I wasn't, partly because of my parents but also because I'm not like that anyway.

Basically all that happened was I stopped hanging about with them. I've had people maybe try to bully me in the past, but its never went very far and they gave up pretty easily. I've been told by two different people, one in my Primary Scool and one in secondary, that people sometimes just have a go at me because they know I do not care.

If you don't let them get to you, then they will leave you alone.

And don't listen to your parents. In hindsight the closest people I have had to bullies in my lives have been my parents. If they are proving to be a brickwall, then talk to a teacher or even someone higher up in the school. Do not mess up the rest of your life over these idiots.

[Vuk]

Caius, I want to stress again that it is a really good idea to go to the authorities. Also, if you do not have a High-school diploma in America, that cuts 90% of the opportunitties out there. Stay with it whatever you do.
Also, about bullying; I have studied martial arts for quite a few years, and one of the first things they teach you (and I have seen it in my own experience) is that bullies are cowards. They only pick on people they see as weak. If you act like a victim they will treat you like one. I know it is really hard for a young person in highschool to grab the gaul and self confidence it takes, but you have to. That is really how you grow up. When you walk, do it with confindence and indifference. When you talk in front of other people, talk with confidence and don't show fear. If they threaten you or hit them, look them in the eyes and tell them with total confidence and absolute certainty that if they do it again, you are going to report them. Walk away.

Also, I would highly recommend learning a practical self-defense technique. I would suggest Taiji Quan.

Vuk

[Samurai Waki]

I only ever had one bully in the my life. New kid on the block so to speak, he pushed my around one day, so I turned around and smashed him in the face, broke his nose, four of his teeth, and gave him a black eye... I forgot to tell him I was three days away from getting my black belt in Judo. Needless to say, nobody bothered bullying me after that.