This person is on the scholar bowl team. They know the answer to many things, and sometimes, their team members bully them because of this.

Answered Submission

Well, let me start with: Eff what other people think, especially when it comes to what you love. If you enjoy it, then why let others ruin that for you because of their jealous and childish comments? I understand how much it hurts to be the odd person out because—ha—I've been in that position multiple times. Let me give an example. I'm sure there are many adults who don't have the amount of knowledge I have, and that's totally fine. Knowledge doesn't come with age—it comes with the years you spend studying a certain subject and how focused you are. I can take ten years of math, and a third grader can still be better at multiplication than I am. The words that come out of their mouths could only have an effect on you IF you allow it to. Blocking things out is pretty difficult, but instead of harming yourself and giving satisfaction to those who make you feel "dumb," (you aren't) you should rise above all of that. If the entire team bullies you, tell an adult. I know that may seem like your "snatching," but your safety and happiness should come first. If you're the person who gets most of the answers correct, and, in fact, lead the team to a victory, you should be respected and appreciated. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, then perhaps you should take a break from the team and just focus on yourself. Once you feel like you can overcome all of these nasty insults and find a solution to your problems without listening to them or physically harming yourself, you can come back and feel comfortable doing what you love without feeling alone and hurt. When it comes to friends: If they leave you because of this, I'm gonna tell you now that they were never your real friends. Find friends outside of this team that can help you forget about their nasty comments and behavior. I really do hope you involve an adult, such as your mother, because this is very serious. If you need to vent, go to one of your remaining friends or a trusted family member who'll understand. That'll help!

Do try and find peace, though. ☺

Sincerely,

The Advice Column Team