People are sharing their cringeworthy school photos and advice to stop bullying
It's that time of year again. The summer holidays have drawn to a close, and one million children up and down the country will be getting ready to go back to school this week. But, over half of those children will be affected by bullying, according to an anti-bullying campaign launched today.
As part of the Diana Award #Back2School campaign people are sharing their old school photos along with advice for going back to school to encourage young people to report bullying to teachers.
Channel 4 presenter Cathy Newman kicked off the campaign by sharing her own school photo taken when she was around 8 or 9 years old.
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"I've got sticky-outy teeth that I became really self-conscious about. I've got the neat little plaits, I look very keen and eager (I was)," Newman explained in a YouTube video.
"I guess that's why I started getting a little bit teased at school. Because I was a really girly swot," Newman added. She went on to say that things got "tougher" as she progressed through secondary school, and she wishes that she had reported some of the things that happened to her.
"You've got to report it. Schools are primed now to listen to your experiences, and to take action if some action is needed," she said.
People have been following in Newman's footsteps by sharing their photos and words of wisdom on Twitter.
"Remember to talk to a friend or teacher," wrote one person.
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"Never let anyone else stop you from being you," wrote another.
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"Always be yourself," wrote another.
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A lot of the photos being shared were super cute.
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And, some people lamented how much they've changed over the years.
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Newman also shared the advice she has passed on to her own young daughters.
"Be proud of who you are. Be proud of being an individual. If you're a little bit different, that's a badge of pride," she said.
Hear, hear!
Topics X/Twitter Family & Parenting
Rachel Thompson is the Features Editor at Mashable. Rachel's second non-fiction book The Love Fix: Reclaiming Intimacy in a Disconnected World is out now, published by Penguin Random House in Jan. 2025. The Love Fix explores why dating feels so hard right now, why we experience difficult emotions in the realm of love, and how we can change our dating culture for the better.
A leading sex and dating writer in the UK, Rachel has written for GQ, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Style, The Telegraph, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Stylist, ELLE, The i Paper, Refinery29, and many more.
Rachel's first book Rough: How Violence Has Found Its Way Into the Bedroom And What We Can Do About It, a non-fiction investigation into sexual violence was published by Penguin Random House in 2021.
